God is not angry with you!

Rarely does a week go by that I do not speak to one or more beloved saints who are convinced that God is angry at them.  When I assure my brother or sister that this is not the case, they often reply: “But Coach, you don’t know what I’ve done!”  True, I may not know what they’ve done, but I know the One who paid for it—in full!

“Who shall lay anything to the charge of God’s elect?” Paul asked rhetorically (Romans 8:33).  Paul’s challenge is a source of great comfort to the Christian because no one can answer it!  Every sin—past, present, and future—was laid on our Savior as He hung on that dirty tree.  Not one of your sins has been recorded in the book of life . . . only your name is found there.  No matter what you have done, no matter how long you have been wandering in a far country, know this: when Jesus paid the penalty for your sin on Golgotha’s Hill, He took your punishment too.  ALL OF IT! 

Beloved in the Lord, God is not angry with you.  All of His wrath and hatred for sin was poured out on His beloved Son.  Punitive justice was completely satisfied on the Cross; it will never make any demands of you!  God cannot, will not, collect payment from you when His Son has already paid the ransom price.

Don’t misunderstand, there are consequences for sin.  Sin hurts your witness and walk with Christ; surrendering to temptation “gives the devil a foothold” (Ephesians 4:26-27) and can lead to spiritual death (James 1:15).  Sin hurts others in more ways than we can recount.  And God will discipline us for our sin, but His intent is never punitive.  He is not exacting His pound of flesh from us, but He disciplines us like a loving Father who has our ultimate good in view. If you read Hebrews 12:4-11, you’ll see that God’s discipline is concrete proof of His love for us!

However, even more than all the negative effects that sin brings on the sinner, what should concern us most of all is what our sin does to God.  Sin grieves God; Paul admonished us, “Do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, by whom you were sealed for the day of redemption” (Ephesians 4:30). 

Yes, God is grieved when we give in to anger, give over to lust, or give up to self rule—but God is not angry with us.  There is absolutely no need to live a life marked by guilt over the past, shame in the present, and fear for the future.  To understand this is to know the power of overcoming sin.  There is nothing like guilt and fear to keep a Christian from pursuing a life of godliness.  As long as Satan can keep you feeling “down and out,” it will keep you from going further “up and in” toward the life God is calling you to live.  To quote my friend Steve Brown, “God is quite fond of you.”  Do you believe it?  Does the confession of your life say you announce that God is quite fond of you? 

God is so fond of you He sent His Son to take your place on the Cross.  Purchased by the precious blood of the Lamb so that you are now without blemish or spot, God has done everything to make you His child and an heir of heaven.

“It is finished!” was our Redeemer’s thunderous victory cry from the Cross (John 19:30).  “Your sin debt is paid!” He was saying; “It is paid in full!”  This is the Gospel.  This is grace for your race.  NEVER FORGET THAT . . . AMEN!