The Focus of God’s Anger
Lesson Seven
The “story of the Bible” has been
redefined…“The focus of God’s wrath,
or anger, is not an essential of
the Christian faith.”
Dodging God’s anger
• The focus is upon the sin
• God is enraged because sin ruined His perfect
world
• The fault is a long list of social injustices
• God’s anger is not an “essential of the Christian
faith”
Misconceiving God’s “anger”
Misconceptions of the wrath of God have led to a
false picture of God. One such is reading into
the phrase “wrath of God” the idea of a
“wrathful” or “angry” God…Yet, could
this wrath (or anger) of God be focused
more on the effects of sin than
on the sinner (Caruso).
Changing the FOCUS
So, the “new, improved” understanding
is that God’s anger is not God’s
emotional response to mankind’s
selfishness, spiritual anarchy and
disrespect of the holy commands BUT
to the ruin that sin brings.
The Biblical Focus Romans 1:18
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God had been known(verse 19).
Power and deity were understood (verse 20).
They have “no excuses” (verse 20).
God’s rules were ignored (verse 21).
God’s honor was disrespected and His holiness
was insulted (verse 21-22).
• God’s position was refused (verse 23).
Inspiration…
• DOES NOT communicate…anger of God as a
positive enticement…anger of God is focused on
the sin and not the sinner.
• DOES communicate that God’s anger is focused
on people who disrespect, dishonor, and disobey
God’s revealed commands.
Actions that Focus God’s Anger
• Accepting religious doctrines that are different
from the New Testament (2 Cor 11:4; Gal 1:6-9)
A Different Gospel (Gal 1:6-9)
They cause “trouble” and are “disturbing” God’s
congregation (verse 7).
They “perverted” and “distort” God’s Word
(verse 7).
They are “accursed” and condemned (verse 9).
Actions that Focus God’s Anger
• Accepting religious doctrines that are different
from the New Testament (2 Cor 11:4; Gal 1:6-9)
• Not knowing the gospel and not obeying the
gospel (2 Ths 1:6-9)
Two Groups Specified (2 Thes 1:6-9)
Those “who do not know God”
“Those who do not obey the gospel”
The anger of God is focused upon these two
groups. God’s anger will not be turned away! God’s
anger cannot be evaded! (Rev 6:12-17).
The Folly of rejecting God
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2 Thessalonians 1:6-9
Engulfed in “flaming fire”
Dealt “retribution”
“Pay the penalty of eternal destruction”
Worship as they wish; they conceptualize God as
they think He should be; they live as they wish;
their morality is dictated by their own feelings.
Actions that Focus God’s Anger
• Accepting religious doctrines that are different
from the New Testament (2 Cor 11:4; Gal 1:6-9)
• Not knowing the gospel and not obeying the
gospel (2 Ths 1:6-9)
• Accepting God’s blessings but refuse to obey
(Heb 3:10-17)
• Not uniting faith in daily living (Hebrews 4:2-3)
• Not “abiding” (2 John 9-11)
A Compromised Christian
• Causes one to accept another not following the
Bible
• The “doctrine of Christ” is NOT the “doctrine
about Christ”
• Ignores the doctrine that God has
communicated
• “Greeting one who does not abide”
A Compromised Christian
• God’s anger is fueled to a raging wrath by those
who ignore lifestyles and belief systems that do
not “abide in the doctrine of Christ.”
• How tragic that the Postmodern Period has been
so successful in infecting our culture with a
“tolerance” that refuses to acknowledge some as
not abiding in the doctrine of Christ and all act
as if there is nothing wrong!
People who are the Focus of God’s Anger
 The person who “hinders the gospel”
Tragic defection (Philippians 3:18, 19)
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These are “enemies of the cross of Christ”
These now have their “end is destruction”
These now their “god is their appetite”
These now “glory in their shame”
These now they think of “earthly”
These now bring “weeping”
The object of God’s anger (1 Ths 2:15, 16)
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They are not pleasing to God
They are hostile to men
They hinder the speaking of the gospel
They live lives that are “filled up” with sin
They face “wrath to the utmost”
People who are the Focus of God’s Anger
 The person who “hinders the gospel”
(Philippians 3:18, 19)
 The person who is involved in “the activity of
Satan” (2 Thessalonians 2:7-12)
2 Thessalonians 2:7-12…three things
• God’s anger is so intense that He “slays” the
disobedient
• There is absolute truth that people will not
receive
• People hate that truth
People who are the Focus of God’s Anger
 The person who “hinders the gospel”
(Philippians 3:18, 19)
 The person who is involved in “the activity of
Satan” (2 Thessalonians 2:7-12)
 The person who does not keep the “traditions”
(2 Thessalonians 2:15; 3:6)
The doctrine of Christ (2 John 9-11)
• These fail to keep the “traditions”
• These act “unruly”
• These are not to be in our association—“keep
away”
Why would the Christian not “keep away” and
“not associate” with the person who is the
focus of God’s anger? WHY?
People who are the Focus of God’s Anger
 The person who “hinders the gospel”
(Philippians 3:18, 19)
 The person who is involved in “the activity of
Satan” (2 Thessalonians 2:7-12)
 The person who does not keep the “traditions”
(2 Thessalonians 2:15; 3:6)
 The person who is wicked (Psalm 7:11)
Absolute Take Aways
• First, God’s anger is focused on individuals who
are contrary to what God has commanded.
• Second, God’s anger is focused because they are
partners with Satan and seek to destroy God’s
work.
• Third, God’s anger must be avoided by making a
choice to accept and obey and remain loyal to
the commands of God.
God has not destined us for wrath.
He offers us an escape!
“For God has not destined us for wrath, but
for obtaining salvation through our Lord Jesus
Christ…Therefore encourage one another
and build up one another, just as you also are
doing” (1 Thessalonians 5:9-11)