God’s Righteous Punishment

Minister:
Date: AM
Text: Psalm 73; Lord's Day 4
Psalters: 234, 41, 224, 253
  1. What is divine punishment?
    1. Man wants to believe that God does not punish all disobedience and rebellion.
    2. God’s holiness and justice must punish sin.
      1. God’s wrath is the just response of His holiness to those who violate Him and His glory (Deut. 4:24; Ex. 15:7; Heb. 12:29)
      2. God’s wrath is expressed and realized in the curse – God’s Word on the ungodly His constant wrath (Prov. 3:33)
    3. God’s judgment and punishment is a terrifying certainty!
      1. Biblical history reveals God’s character, His wrath, and the certainty of judgment.
      2. The tender Savior also spoke of judgment and wrath to come (Matt. 13:41,42; 22:13; 25:30,41,46).
  2. God punishes sin in time.
    1. There are times when it seems that God does not punish the wicked (cf. Psalm 73).
    2. But the Bible is clear that God’s just punishment of the wicked is an ever-present reality (Psalm 5:5; 7:11; Prov. 3:33).
    3. Generally, there is the fact that this life is a continual death and that man’s whole life is controlled by death and the fear of it (Heb. 2:15; Psalm 90:7-11).
  3. In eternity we see God’s attitude and His wrath against the unrepentant most clearly (Jude 6,7; John 3:36; 5:29; Mt. 25:46).
    1. We must not and cannot separate God’s attitude during time from His unchangeable attitude in eternity - past and future.
    2. Eternal punishment is in hell (Mark 9:43,44).
      1. Hell is not the absence, but the presence of God in His fierce wrath.
      2. Hell is to be where “not to be dead will be eternal death” (Ursinus).
  4. We rejoice in Jesus Christ Who bore all the sins and punishment of His people, suffering God’s wrath for time and eternity.