The knowledge of the nature of God is the source of comfort for believers.
We are encouraged to know that all of God’s actions are traceable to His nature. Since God is love, all of His actions are characterized by love. He can only act according to His nature.
Sometimes, when Christians face difficult times, they think that God is behaving in a evil manner toward them. They ask in frustration,
“Why is God allowing this to happen?
Why is God doing this to me?
Is He angry with me?
Is He punishing me for something that I have done?”
These questions come all too easy for an afflicted heart, but they are not in keeping with the truth about God. Christians know that God poured out all of His wrath toward our sin on the cross of Christ. He is propitiated. And, He is at peace with us in Christ. He is reconciled. This is our forever standing before the our heavenly Father. And, in addition, we know that no evil resides in the nature of God.
He never behaves in an evil manner toward anyone because evil is not in His nature.
Certainly, Jonathan Edward’s famous sermon, “Sinners in the Hands of an Angry God”, is true. Since the nature of God is righteous and holy, His anger is indeed directed toward sin. All sinners are under the wrath and judgment of God. This must be His response because He is holy. And, the holiness and justice of God is only satisfied in the atoning work of Christ. Yet once a believer is covered by the blood of Jesus Christ – once full forgiveness and the righteousness of Christ are received by trusting in Christ, the judgment for sin is complete.
The angry God is no longer angry.
We do not face the wrath of God, but are forever objects of His love. This is foundational truth for all of life. When trials and tribulations cross our pathway, we don’t define God by our circumstances. We define God by His person and His work in Christ. We may not understand all the reasons for the afflictions in life, but we can be sure that these difficulties come from the hand of our loving heavenly Father. It is His purpose to strengthen our faith, to sanctify us completely, and to lead us to be more and more dependent upon Him.