Get a bunch of people together and ask them to discuss their favorite characteristic/attribute of God and you will hear all different answers. Love. Patience. Forgiveness. Grace. Mercy. Omnipotence. Omniscience. Omnipresence. Faithfulness. I seriously doubt you will hear, “I want to talk about the wrath of God.”

On July 8, 1741 Jonathan Edwards preached one of, if not the most famous sermon of all time. It was called “Sinners in the Hands of an Angry God.” Reports say people literally felt like they were being dangled over the pit of hell and were screaming out of fear.

Truth is God’s wrath is real. God’s judgment is real. Frankly though, it is hard to accept that because we don’t want to see God as one who judges and will do so impartially. We don’t want to see Him as a God of wrath.  It gets even harder to accept when we are told by our culture-and even by some religious teachers- that we all go to the same place in the end (Universalism which says we will all go to heaven), or that there are many gods so choose the one you want.  The answer to both of those is No and No. They are lies from the pit of hell and they smell like smoke.

The wrath of God can be avoided or experienced. You can avoid it by hearing the Word, repenting and confessing your sin and accepting Jesus as Savior and Lord. One can experience God’s wrath by rejecting God’s Word and all it says about sin and turning your back on Jesus.

The follower of Jesus avoids God’s wrath; the one who rejects Jesus will experience it. Which one are you?

And by the way: the reality of that should burden us, should want us to go our family and friends with passion in our heart and say, “I have to tell you about Jesus. I want you to be able to avoid what is to come.”