“Is God mad at me?” If you’ve ever asked yourself that question, this article is for you.
The idea of God’s anger or wrath is sure to pop up in religious news and social media circles every time our nation or the world faces a tragedy, natural disaster or violent attack. Invariably, someone will attribute the destruction and pain to God’s anger with some subsection of humanity, or indeed humanity as a whole.
Questions about God’s anger in such a context seems very large. God’s frustration with sin—His divine justice against evil—and His compassion toward humanity have been the matter of debate for centuries. The Bible is clear that God cannot be in the presence of sin. But how can He be in the presence of the sinner?
When it comes to God’s relationship with us as individuals, whether or not we’ve angered Him seems very personal. Can we know whether we’ve upset Him? Are we at risk of hurting or offending God so badly that He will respond in anger?
Such concerns are grounded in our fundamental concept of God, making them difficult to change. However, the Bible is clear: in Christ, God’s anger is not directed at us individually for any wrong we may have committed.
Is God mad at you? No. God is empty of anger toward you.
Yes, God hates sin. In fact, the Psalmist says that God feels indignation and righteous judgment “every day” (Psalm 7:11). But Romans 1:18 makes it clear that God’s wrath is reserved for sin itself, revealed “against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men.” He detests sin, but he does not detest sinners.
This is a critical distinction to make, because if God’s anger was toward us as individuals, we would be powerless to overcome it. Our sinful nature persists, even if we accept Christ’s mercy, and no matter how much we strive for righteousness in life, we’re always going to miss the mark.
Thankfully, God’s gift to fallible humans comes to us through the redeeming work of Christ on the cross. When God became human in the form of His son, He emptied Himself of anger. In other words, there’s no anger left somewhere on reserve for Him to take out on us when we disobey.
That’s right. God is never angry with you.
God’s memory of sin is mercifully brief.
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SOURCE: Christian Post, Brandon W. Peach
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