HOW SHALL WE ESCAPE?
Hebrews 2:1-3 NIV We must pay the most careful attention, therefore, to what we have heard, so that we do not drift away. For since the message spoken through angels was binding, and every violation and disobedience received its just punishment, HOW SHALL WE ESCAPE if we ignore so great a SALVATION? This salvation, which was first announced by the Lord, was confirmed to us by those who heard him.
I recently overheard a conversation between two believers discussing God's judgment. One of them was shocked and questioned how a loving God could allow such things to happen. This exchange highlighted a common misconception: that the God of the Old Testament is harsh and judgmental, while the New Testament God is loving. However, this dichotomy is based on fear, sympathy, or misunderstanding, rather than biblical truth. The Bible teaches that God's nature remains consistent, as embodied in Jesus Christ, who remains "the same yesterday, today, and forever.
Our key verse can be understood in two possible ways:
1. Those who ignore this incredible opportunity for salvation will face inevitable consequences.
2. Conversely, those who seize this salvation will undoubtedly be saved.
This echoes the familiar words of John 3:16, NIV: "For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life." Essentially, this verse presents a stark contrast: believe and avoid perishing, or don't believe and face perishing. But this raises a critical question: what exactly does "perish" mean in this context? What is it that we're being saved from?
ESCAPE FROM WHAT?
The ultimate escape is from God’s righteous judgment and wrath, which are the consequences of sin. God is Holy and throughout history God has consistently demonstrated His displeasure with sin through various typologies and examples, such as the days of Noah. This illustrates that sinners face the risk of eternal destruction under God’s wrath, which is the just penalty for every sin. Those who refuse to turn from sin will be consumed by God’s wrath forever.
Just as in the days of Lot, when Sodom and Gomorrah were consumed by fire and brimstone, God's wrath will similarly be unleashed upon those who do evil. As Luke 17:29-30 recounts, the very day Lot escaped Sodom, divine judgment rained down, destroying the city. This ancient event foreshadows a future day when the Son of Man will return to judge the world, and He will do so in righteous wrath.
The wrath of God as a furnace of fire:
Matthew 13:39-42 paints a vivid picture of God's wrath, likening it to a blazing furnace. At the end of the world, angels will separate the wicked from the righteous, gathering those who have done evil and casting them into a fiery furnace, where they will face unbearable torment and despair. This dramatic imagery underscores the severity of God's judgment on those who reject Him.
The wrath of God as an everlasting fire:
Matthew 25:41 Then shall he say also unto them on the left hand, Depart from me, ye cursed, into everlasting fire, prepared for the devil and his angels.
Jude 1:7 Even as Sodom and Gomorrha, and the cities about them in like manner, giving themselves over to fornication, and going after strange flesh, are set forth for an example, suffering the vengeance of eternal fire.
Matthew 25:41 and Jude 1:7 describe God's wrath as an eternal, unrelenting fire. This fiery judgment is reserved not only for the devil and his angels but also for those who reject God.
HOW THEN SHALL WE ESCAPE?
The scripture suggests that everyone is vulnerable to God's wrath, prompting the question, "How shall we escape?" The implication is clear: ignoring this reality will lead to inescapable judgment. However, there is a way to escape - by embracing the great salvation offered through faith in the Son. As John 3:36 emphasizes, believing in the Son brings everlasting life, while rejecting Him leaves one under the perpetual wrath of God.
Two crucial truths emerge: first, there is hope for sinners to escape God's wrath; and second, this escape is only possible through the means God Himself has provided, not through our own self-devised plans. The path to salvation is a divinely ordained one, rooted in the gospel, which offers a sure and great way to attain eternal salvation.
God urges us to utilize the path to salvation, rather than neglecting it through disbelief, refusal to repent, or ignoring the prescribed means. To escape God's wrath and curse, we must wholeheartedly embrace the great salvation. In essence, God requires us to exercise faith in Jesus Christ, turn away from sin, and faithfully use the means He provides to receive the benefits of redemption.
Let humility guide your words, for our God is all-knowing and scrutinizes both our actions and the intentions of our hearts. Don't be misled into thinking you're righteous because of your charitable deeds or perceived moral goodness. The truth is, anyone who rejects God's offered escape will face His wrath.
Ephesians 5:6 Let no man deceive you with vain words: for because of these things cometh the wrath of God upon the children of disobedience. it's precisely our disobedient ways that invite God's judgment.
THE WRATH OF GOD: JESUS AND THE CROSS.
Till on that cross as Jesus died,
The wrath of God was satisfied.
In Christ Alone by Keith Getty and Stuart Townend.
Jesus' death on the cross was a pivotal event that satisfied God's wrath. It's challenging for us to fully grasp the brutal reality of Roman crucifixion, a punishment reserved for the most heinous offenders. Jesus, though innocent, was subjected to this horrific fate, counted among the worst of criminals. His death was agonizingly real, and He became the focal point of divine wrath – not just Roman or Jewish wrath, but the righteous, just, and terrifying wrath of His Father. Remarkably, Jesus willingly endured this wrath, just for the very reason to make us escape from suffering the same.
Isaiah 53:10-11 NIV Yet it was the Lord’s will to crush him and cause him to suffer, and though the Lord makes his life an offering for sin, he will see his offspring and prolong his days, and the will of the Lord will prosper in his hand. After he has suffered, he will see the light of life and be satisfied; by his knowledge my righteous servant will justify many, and he will bear their iniquities.
Jesus' mission was fulfilled on the cross, where He bore the weight of our sin. In a profound act of love, the Father made the sinless Jesus to become sin on our behalf, so that through Him, we might receive the gift of God's righteousness (2 Corinthians 5:21). As our Propitiator, Jesus absorbed the full force of the Father's wrath against our sin, completely satisfying the debt we owed.
Jesus endured the most agonizing suffering humanity has ever known, a torment so severe that the word "excruciating" originates from the Latin word for crucifixion. Yet, Jesus willingly bore this unimaginable pain to satisfy God's righteous judgment, enabling God to justify us while remaining just.
NECESSITY OF FAITH
Escaping God's wrath is impossible without being united to Jesus Christ. The reason lies in God's pleasure being found solely in Jesus Christ and those who are in Him (Matt. 17:5). No amount of self-mortification, tears, or vigilance can appease God without faith. Even if someone were to exhaust themselves weeping, fasting, and striving for sinless perfection, they would still fall short and remain under God's eternal displeasure without faith in Jesus Christ.
Faith is the essential link that brings individuals into the covenant of peace, unites them with Christ, and grants access to all the benefits of salvation. To escape God's wrath, one must be part of this covenant, which requires believing and consenting to the union with Christ. There is no alternative: union with Christ through faith is the sole means of evading God's wrath (Romans 8:1). This union is facilitated by faith (Ephesians 3:17), which is also the basis for justification (Romans 5:1) and sanctification (Acts 15:9).
The fate of every individual hangs in the balance, contingent upon their response to the gospel. Mark 16:16 clearly delineates the consequences: belief yields salvation, while unbelief invites damnation. The Psalmist warns that refusing to embrace the Son will incur divine wrath, leading to ruin (Psalm 2:12). Unbelief constitutes a rejection of Christ, and those who spurn the remedy for sin will inevitably face judgment (Luke 19:27).
In conclusion, a preacher's poignant words still resonate: the most terrifying aspect of God's wrath isn't the fiery punishment, but the agonizing separation from God's goodness, leaving souls consumed by utter hopelessness. To escape this impending wrath, which our sins have earned, there is only one remedy: repent and believe. Turn away from your sins and turn to God through Christ. This is the sole path to safety and security. No sin can condemn you if you genuinely repent and believe, and conversely, nothing can save you without genuine faith and repentance.
Romans 1:18 For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who hold the truth in unrighteousness.
The example of the Israelites who perished for disregarding God's guidance serves as a warning. The author urges us to consider the gravity of ignoring the extraordinary salvation offered to us, cautioning, "How shall we escape if we ignore so great a salvation?"
To summarize:
1. Humanity's sin sparked God's wrath.
2. God's holiness demands judgment, and His wrath will be poured out on sin.
3. Jesus bore the brunt of God's wrath on our behalf.
4. To escape this wrath, all we must do is believe.
5. Those who refuse to believe will inevitably face God's wrath.
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