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"Much more then, having now been justified by His blood, we shall be saved from the wrath of God through Him" (Ro.5:9). Why is it that this verse sounds very strange to modern Christians? Why are they shocked to hear that God might have wrath towards them? The gospel which they heard and on which they have based their salvation talked only about the unconditional love of God which was waiting there to accept them as they were! This God who has forgiven not only their past sins but also their future sins – how can He be angry with them? When the blood of Jesus Christ is covering them, what can He be angry with them about? At best, Paul must be talking about the heathen or the Old Testament people. This is the age of grace, isn't it?

In short, this is the single biggest flaw in the preaching of the gospel these days that is causing all problems for the individual Christians as well as churches. People are not being told the full truth about God and His dealings with people but only a selected number of features that are aimed at attracting people to God. Who doesn't want a God who always loves them, who gives them all the goodies they want, who protects them from all harm and who has promised to prepare mansions for them in eternity? But, the saddest part is that a large number of people who imagine they have accepted Jesus and think that all is well with their souls are deceiving themselves, because they have not entered through the True Gate into the sheepfold of the Good Shepherd, but have been smuggled in some other way by preachers who wanted more numbers in their churches (Jn.10:1;7).

The old-fashioned evangelists used to begin by telling people how their sins had caused them to come under the wrath of God (Col.3:5,6). It was only then that the good news about God's remedy for us was presented. One reason then for people to want to get right with God was to escape His punishment. Then it made sense to them that the love of God had made a way for them by taking the punishment on Himself through His Son dying in their place on the cross. This caused them to cry out for salvation first, before they received the assurance that their sins have now been forgiven. The relief of feeling their burden getting lifted was real. This was real conversion.

But what is happening now? People are apparently able to walk into God's kingdom swinging their hands, as they are, and continue the same way of life as before, revelling in this overflowing love of God that does not waver or cease! Lives are not transformed. The best that happens in many cases is that they become a bit religious, following church activities. But the fact is that they are still on their way to face the wrath of God because they have not really turned from their sins to their Saviour!

Where do we stand individually? What kind of a gospel are we preaching? Isn't it good to be honest before God rather than to fake it? This may be your warning from God.

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