THE WRATH TO COME by W. S. C.

Seventh-day Adventist Publishing Association · Battle Creek, Mich. · Sep 25, 1879

THE WRATH TO COME.

By W. S. C.

“Knowing therefore the terror of the Lord, we persuade men.” These are St. Paul’s words. And yet he, above almost all other men, knew the love of God, which, in his own words, “passeth knowledge.” He was so persuaded of the love of God in Christ that he believed nothing in heaven or earth could ever separate him from it. He preached the gospel of love with all the energy of his mighty powers; he believed in it as few have done. And yet he could preach “the terror of the Lord,” and persuade men to accept salvation, from his awful knowledge of the wrath of God that was surely coming on the children of disobedience. For St. Paul believed in the truthfulness as well as in the love of God. And therefore the coming wrath was an ever-present fact with him, as with all the apostles. It was blended with all their teachings, the dark back-ground to the gospel they proclaimed. “The epistles would hardly hold together,” says a recent writer, “if this element were taken out.” Paul in his epistles speaks of, or alludes to, the destiny of the wicked at least twenty-five times. In eight places he speaks of them as destined to perish. Death is used to express their destiny seven times. Nine times they are spoken of as being destroyed, once as devoured by fire, and once as burned. Among his writings we find such words as these:—

Despisest thou the riches of his goodness and forbearance and long-suffering, not knowing that the goodness of God leadeth thee to repentance? but after thy hardness and impenitent heart, treasurest up unto thyself wrath against the day of wrath and revelation of the righteous judgment of God; who will render to every man according to his deeds; . . . unto them that are contentious, and do not obey the truth, but obey unrighteousness, indignation and wrath, tribulation and anguish, upon every soul of man that doeth evil, of the Jew first, and also of the Gentile.” “The Lord Jesus shall be revealed from heaven with his mighty angels, in flaming fire taking vengeance on them that know not God, and that obey not the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ; who shall be punished with everlasting destruction from the presence of the Lord, and from the glory of his power.” And again he says: “For if we sin willfully after that we have received the knowledge of the truth, there remaineth no more sacrifice for sins, but a certain fearful looking for of judgment and fiery indignation, which shall devour the adversaries. He that despised Moses’ law died without mercy under two or three witnesses; of how much sorer punishment, suppose ye, shall he be thought worthy, who hath trodden under foot the Son of God, and hath counted the blood of the covenant, wherewith he was sanctified, an unholy thing, and hath done despite unto the Spirit of grace? For we know him that hath said, Vengeance belongeth unto me, I will recompense saith the Lord. And again, The Lord shall judge his people. It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God.” Similar passages are to be found not only throughout the writings of the apostles, but in the teachings of the Lord Jesus Christ himself.

The wrath to come! Reader, it is a certainty. If you have any doubt as to this statement, take the Bible, and collect for yourself the references in the New Testament alone, to the certainty of the future destiny of the wicked. You will be forced to this conclusion, “He that believeth not the Son shall not see life, but the wrath of God abideth on him.”

Life and death are before you now. You may choose either. But the wrath of God cometh on the children of disobedience. The time is drawing near when your choice cannot be changed, when the awful words shall go forth, “He that is unjust, let him be unjust still; and he which is filthy, let him be filthy still; and he that is righteous, let him be righteous still; and he that is holy, let him be holy still.”

God grant it may not be then said of any who now read these words, “Good were it for that man if he had never been born.” —W. S. C.