"Yet on that cross when Jesus died, the wrath of God was satisfied." Do you know those words from the hymn, "In Christ alone"? Some hymnbooks have changed the words to say, "Yet on that cross when Jesus died, the love of God was multiplied . . ." The words of Stuart Townend and Keith Getty's song have created considerable consternation. Is God really a God of wrath? Isn't he a warm, grandfatherly, senile benevolence who pats us all on the head and says, "There, there . . ."?
The New Testament holds in tension God's love for humankind on one hand and his rejection of sin on the other. John shows us that those who believe in the Son have eternal life. But to reject the Son is to reject life and remain under God's wrath. Calvin Miller wrote in his book The Singer, a dialogue between a sinner like one of us and God. The sinner said, "God how can you be a loving God and send me to hell?" God answered, "My precious, precious child. I would never send you to hell. But if you choose to go there, I can never keep you out!"
The Gospel does not focus primarily on hell but on God's love and desire for relationship with us. He sent his Son so that we would have life and live it abundantly! This life begins with trust in Jesus today. Last week I visited my mom and reminded her of the hymn she taught me, "Jesus, Jesus, how I trust him, how I've proved him o'er and o'er. Jesus, Jesus precious Jesus, O for grace to trust him more."
