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Devotions from Gospel Chapel Ministries HOME SERMONS SERMON NOTES
THE WRATH OF GOD UPON SIN
The mystery of iniquity involves all professing Christians who want to claim salvation through the blood of Christ, but do not want to preach the whole counsel of God. How many churches do you find that want to preach the whole counsel of God? We need to read JER 23:21-22, "I have not sent these prophets, yet they ran: I have not spoken to them, yet they prophesied. But if they had stood in my counsel, and had caused my people to hear my words, then they should have turned them from their evil way, and from the evil of their doings." Those who profess to be the ministers of the gospel of Christ should cause people to hear God’s Word and turn from their evil ways. Instead, many preach peace, peace through the blood of the cross, but they ignore repentance. Without repentance, there is no gospel because that is where the gospel of Christ begins.
The Apostle Paul said in ROM 1:16-17, "For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ: for it is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth; to the Jew first, and also to the Greek. For therein is the righteousness of God revealed from faith to faith: as it is written, the just shall live by faith."
What is revealed in the gospel of God but the righteousness of God? In the righteousness of God, if rightly understood, He gave His own Son, Who came down and humbled Himself unto death, even the death of the cross. He humbled Himself and became obedient. We must not overlook that fact. He humbled Himself and became obedient, Cf. PHI 2:8. Why? There on the cross, the wrath of God upon sin was poured out. That is what we are saying in the preaching of the gospel. God was so wroth with sin that before He would let one sin go unpunished, He would send His own Son to pay the penalty of that sin. Then, if we are given a faith’s view to see our bleeding, dying Saviour in the Garden of Gethsemane and upon the cross, appeasing God’s wrath upon the sins of those believers who truly repent, we realize [if we have salvation in Christ] that it was our sins that hung Him there. As the Lord Jesus hung upon the cross, He said, "Forgive them..." Forgive whom? Repenting sinners! Why? It was their sins that hung Him there. If we learn to understand a portion of that, then we begin to understand what it is to preach the righteousness of God that is revealed in the gospel. We will understand why the Lord Jesus began His gospel with a call to repent. MAT 4:17 says, "From that time Jesus began to preach, and to say, Repent: for the kingdom of heaven is at hand."
When we understand the gospel and the righteousness of God that is revealed in His Word, then sin becomes so exceedingly sinful, Cf. ROM 7:13. It was to appease God’s wrath upon the sin of His true repenting bride that He suffered. We begin to understand the sinfulness of sin and the wrath of God upon sin. When we understand that, then we comprehend why Jesus said, "Repent: for the kingdom of heaven is at hand," MAT 3:2. In other words, come into the service of God today. Stop serving sin; stop serving self. See how wroth God is with sin? Now sin becomes so sinful. If the righteousness of God is faithfully preached in the gospel, then God’s wrath upon sin, which is revealed therein, will mandate the gospel to begin where Jesus began--with a call to repentance.
The ugly monster Satan, who is the prince of this world, must be dethroned from the throne of our hearts. We must see Christ enthroned upon our hearts, and then we come into His kingdom and into His service.
All those who "received not the love of the truth" about repentance or the law of the gospel are preaching the doctrines of Balaam. The truth that must be brought forth in the gospel is the wrath of God upon sin and upon those who will not receive the love of God’s truth. Those who follow the doctrines of Balaam are identified in 2PE 2:15, "Which have forsaken the right way, and are gone astray, following the way of Balaam the son of Bosor, who loved the wages of unrighteousness."
If you and I rightly understand that the righteousness of God is revealed in the gospel, we will see His wrath upon sin preached in the atonement of Christ. The atonement of Christ was made for the purpose of reconciling a Holy God with hell deserving sinners. This doctrine of reconciliation is clearly twofold! See what we read in 2CO 5:19, "To wit, that God was in Christ, reconciling the world unto himself, not imputing their trespasses unto them; and hath committed unto us the word of reconciliation." This atoning work of Christ was to open the way for reconciliation from God’s side. However, it does not end there! Reconciliation must come from both sides! 2CO 5:20 says, "Now then we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God did beseech you by us: we pray you in Christ’s stead, be ye reconciled to God."
As long as we remain in our rebellion against the blessed revealed will of God, we have no claim to salvation. ROM 6:15-16 says, "What then? shall we sin, because we are not under the law, but under grace? God forbid. Know ye not, that to whom ye yield yourselves servants to obey, his servants ye are to whom ye obey; whether of sin unto death, or of obedience unto righteousness?"
Once we understand that, we cannot preach the doctrines of Balaam without repentance. We cannot preach pardon through the blood of the cross to a person who continues to live in and cherish sin. That preaching is the MYSTERY BABYLON; it is the confusion found in REV 17:5 where we read, "And upon her forehead was a name written, MYSTERY, BABYLON THE GREAT, THE MOTHER OF HARLOTS AND ABOMINATIONS OF THE EARTH." That is the doctrine of the damned; they preach only a half truth. A half truth is a lie. Amen.
Who is on the Lord’s side? Who will serve the King?
Who will be His helpers, other lives to bring?
Who will leave the world’s side? Who will face the foe?
Who is on the Lord’s side? Who for Him will go?
By Thy call of mercy, by Thy grace divine,
We are on the Lord’s side; Saviour, we are Thine.Jesus, Thou hast bought us, not with gold or gem,
But with Thine own life-blood, for Thy diadem.
With Thy blessing filling each who comes to Thee,
Thou hast made us willing, Thou hast made us free.
By Thy grand redemption, By Thy grace divine,
We are on the Lord’s side; Saviour, we are Thine.Fierce may be the conflict, strong may be the foe,
But the King’s own army none can overthrow.
Round His standard ranging victory is secure;
For His truth unchanging makes the triumph sure,
Joyfully enlisting by Thy grace divine,
We are on the Lord’s side; Saviour, we are Thine.
~ Author: Frances R. Havergal, 1877
Our sermons and devotions are a ministry of Gospel Chapel located in Conrad, Montana. We also have a daily devotion and sermon notes on-line. We pray this devotion has been a blessing to those who read it. Thank you.