God’s Righteous Punishment
Minister: |
Rev. Ronald Van Overloop |
Date: |
3/22/2020 AM
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Text:
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Psalm 73;
Lord's Day 4
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Psalters: |
234, 41, 224, 253 |
- What is divine punishment?
- Man wants to believe that God does not punish all disobedience and rebellion.
- God’s holiness and justice must punish sin.
- 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)
- God’s wrath is expressed and realized in the curse – God’s Word on the ungodly His constant wrath (Prov. 3:33)
- God’s judgment and punishment is a terrifying certainty!
- Biblical history reveals God’s character, His wrath, and the certainty of judgment.
- The tender Savior also spoke of judgment and wrath to come (Matt. 13:41,42; 22:13; 25:30,41,46).
- God punishes sin in time.
- There are times when it seems that God does not punish the wicked (cf. Psalm 73).
- 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).
- 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).
- 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).
- We must not and cannot separate God’s attitude during time from His unchangeable attitude in eternity - past and future.
- Eternal punishment is in hell (Mark 9:43,44).
- Hell is not the absence, but the presence of God in His fierce wrath.
- Hell is to be where “not to be dead will be eternal death” (Ursinus).
- We rejoice in Jesus Christ Who bore all the sins and punishment of His people, suffering God’s wrath for time and eternity.