Is God's anger opposed to God's love?
God became angry many times in the Old Testament, such as punishing Israel or other nations for their crimes. I was always taught that God was a loving, gentle God. Where does the wrath of God fit in with His love?
Anonymous
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Ezekiel Kimosop
God's anger is not opposed to God's love. Both attributes described the moral nature of God in that His anger burns against sin or disobedience but His love abounds throughout the generations of those who love Him (Psalm 136). If this were not so, it would imply that God can be so consumed with burning anger such that his nature as a loving and merciful God is lost or that God can be so loving that he will not punish sin and wickedness. The Bible teaches that God so loved the world [sinful people] that He gave His only begotten Son as an atonement for our sin (John 3:16). This does not suggest that God would not punish sin or that Hell is not real as some have suggested. God lovingly gave us a window of opportunity in Christ so that those yield to Christ are no longer condemned but are declared righteous in the eyes of God (Romans 8:1-3). Those who reject this offer and continue in rebellion will defintely face the full wrath of God (Romans 6:23). This clearly confirms that the two attributes of our God are not opposed to each other but confirm that God is both a loving and a just God. God declares in Hosea 11:9 "I will not execute the fierceness of mine anger, I will not return to destroy Ephraim: for I am God, and not man; the Holy One in the midst of thee: and I will not enter into the city." Was God justified in seeking to destroy the people? Yes He was! This scripture shows that even in his rage, God's mercies graciously abound. God was justified to destroy the people for their disobedience, yet his loving and merciful nature overcame the fierceness of His divine wrath so that He spared them. When God therefore chooses to punish sin, He is fully justified because of His moral nature and so is the case when he chooses to forgive.
Lena Wms
I think the easiest way to express this is to define sin. Sin separates us from God's Master Plan and Purpose Will for our lives. God is Love. However, God hates sin. While God loves us, He will not tolerate our sin. Imagine you are the parent of a twelve year old girl. You have told this girl she can not wear make-up. You believe she is still too young. This is your right. You are the parent. You will not tolerate your rule being broken. Your Daughter spends the night with a friend. You go shopping. You run into your daughter. She looks like Bozo the Clown with all that paint. Do you hate your daughter? Or her sin? This is the simplest terms I could use. I pray you see the truth. Be Blessed, Lena
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