Delivered from God’s Wrath

“…and were by nature the children of wrath, even as others.”

(Eph. 2:3)

Is there any sense in which it can be said that those whom God has purposed to save and whom Christ did save by His death on the cross were at one time children of wrath? The answer is ‘No!’ First, Scripture says that we were ‘by nature’ children of wrath but this is different from stating that we are currently children of wrath. ‘By nature’ we all deserve God’s wrath and share the same sinful nature inherited from our father Adam. However, it is clear that those whom God has chosen, redeemed and therefore saved, were always objects of Mercy and not wrath.

1.) Romans 9:22-23 makes a clear distinction between vessels of wrath and vessels of Mercy. Just as tares never become wheat and goats don’t become sheep, so vessels of wrath are forever so and vessels of Mercy have always been such, by God’s eternal sovereign grace.

2.) 1 Thessalonians 5:9 states, “For God hath not appointed us to wrath, but to obtain salvation by our LORD Jesus Christ.” It wasn’t in order to make God merciful that Christ died on the cross. Rather, it was because, in love, God elected and predestined a people to salvation [Eph. 1:4-5] and Christ came and paid the required ransom with His death. This was so that God might be just (justified) in loving, saving and showing mercy to His elect, Rom. 3:26. This is what the LORD Jesus accomplished! Although the elect are born into this world deserving of God’s wrath and were under the legal condemnation of God’s law until the cross, the Bible declares that the LORD Jesus Christ met all of the requirements of God’s law and justice. God’s forbearance of those in the Old Testament is now ratified by the death of the LORD Jesus and His elected ones have received full forgiveness and pardon for all their sins. Since the cross they have been justified, Rom. 3:25. As one old writer puts it, “All the elect were considered in Christ, Who by His death, freed all the elect from the fall of sin and death, so that since Christ’s death none of the elect have been under that state of wrath or curse nor indeed could be.” For “Christ redeemed them from under the law.” (Gal. 4:4-5)

Some may object by citing John 3:36: “He that believeth not the Son shall not see life; but the wrath of God abideth on him.” However, this verse does not support the notion that God’s wrath is upon someone until they believe. Considering the entire verse, it contrasts those who do believe (because they have been given everlasting life in Christ) with those who will never believe (because they have been and will always be under God’s wrath). They were never objects of Mercy. To be an object of Mercy is to be chosen by God the Father in electing grace to be redeemed, justified, sanctified and reconciled by the death of Christ and in time to be brought to Christ in repentance by the Spirit’s calling in Faith, 1 Peter 1:2.