Saved From Wrath - Part 1 of 2

The Baptist Bible Hour now comes to you under the direction of Elder Lacerre Bradley, Jr. O for a thousand tongues to sing, my great Redeemer's praise! Thou the resolve, my God and King, thou triumphs of this grace!

This is Lacerre Bradley, Jr. inviting you to stay tuned for another message of God's sovereign grace. Holy, holy, holy, Lord God Almighty, early in the morning our song shall rise to thee. Holy, holy, holy, merciful and mighty, God in three birth songs, blessed Trinity. Holy, holy, holy, all the saints adore thee, Passing down their golden grounds, around the glassy sea.

Facing down before thee, new earth and art, and evermore shall be. Holy, holy, holy, though the darkness hide thee, Though the eye of simple men thy glory may not see, Only thou art holy, there is none beside thee, Perfect in power, in love and purity. Holy, holy, holy, Lord God Almighty, all thy works shall praise thy name in earth and sky and sea.

Holy, holy, holy, merciful and mighty, God in three birth songs, blessed Trinity. The title of today's message is Saved from Wrath. What a wonderful truth to know that by the grace of God, we as fallen sinners deserving nothing but His wrath are saved by His sovereign grace. If the message is a blessing to you, I hope that you will write and let us know.

Our address is Baptist Bible Hour, Box 17037, Cincinnati, Ohio 45217. Our text is 1 Thessalonians, chapter 1, verse 10. And to wait for His Son from heaven, whom He raised from the dead, even Jesus, which delivered us from the wrath to come. Our subject, Saved from Wrath. Now the question may be raised, well, what kind of wrath is that?

Well, it's God's wrath. So immediately we might encounter those who would say, well, I didn't think that God had wrath. My God is a God of love. He's not angry at anybody.

He would never punish anybody. Well, that may be true of the God that they have devised in their own mind. But the God of the Bible has wrath. And to better understand that, we have to start with the fact that He is holy. Exodus, chapter 15, verse 11. Who is like unto thee, O Lord, among the gods? Who is like unto thee, glorious in holiness, fearful in praises, doing wonders? First Samuel, chapter 2, verse 2. There is none holy as the Lord, for there is none beside thee. Neither is there any rock like our God. Talk no more, so exceeding proudly.

Let not arrogance come out of your mouth. For the Lord is a God of knowledge, and by Him actions are weighed. And then we go to that familiar passage in Isaiah, chapter 6, verse 1. In the year that King Isaiah died, I saw the Lord sitting upon the throne, high and lifted up, and His train filled the temple. Back in olden times, they looked on the king who had the longest train on his robe as being the one of greatest prominence.

Well, in the case of the Lord, His train filled the temple. Above it stood the seraphims. Each one had six wings with twain. He covered his feet with twain. He covered his face with twain he did fly. And one cried unto another and said, Holy, holy, holy is the Lord of hosts. The whole earth is full of His glory.

Now, what's going to be the reaction of the prophet when he hears these angels from heaven singing powerfully and gloriously, Holy, holy, holy. He said, And then the post of the door moved at the voice of him that cried, and the house was filled with smoke. Then said I, Woe is me, for I am undone.

He sang, I am ruined. The language suggests the idea of coming apart. You've heard people say, well, I'm just coming apart at the seams. Well, Isaiah came apart when he saw God and His greatness and His holiness. I am undone.

Why? I am a man of unclean lips, and I dwell in the midst of a people of unclean lips, for mine eyes have seen the King, the Lord of hosts. So when we hear the angels surrounding the throne and singing, glory to God, holy, holy, holy, we see that the impact is to cause the one that observed it and heard that song to see his own unworthiness. I'm a man of unclean lips.

I'm in trouble. I'm undone before this holy God. Revelation chapter 4, verse 8.

And the four beasts had each of them six wings about him, and they were full of eyes within. And they rest not day and night, saying, Holy, holy, holy, Lord God Almighty, which was and is and is to come. So the song of heaven is holy, holy, holy. And then chapter 15 of the book of Revelation and verse 4. Who shall not fear thee, O Lord, and glorify thy name? For thou art only holy, for all nations shall come and worship before thee for thy judgments and are made manifest.

Thou only art holy. And then we come to the New Testament. Look at the words of Jesus as he prayed to his Father. John 17, verse 11.

And now I am no more in the world, but these are in the world. I come to thee, Holy Father. So when Jesus is speaking to his Father, he addresses him as Holy Father. Keep through thine own name those whom thou hast given me, that they may be one as we are. So what in your mind would be if somebody asked you, define for me the word holy. I read all of these references to God being holy.

What does that mean? Well, technically the word means separate. He is separate from us. He is above us.

He is transcendent. But it's difficult to define. Theologians have wrestled through the years to come up with the best definition.

One that some settled upon was this. It means purity, free from every stain, holy, perfect, and immaculate in every detail. But then they acknowledge that still doesn't cover it.

That doesn't get the job done. Well, it's because we are fallen sinners and to try to comprehend what it means for one to be holy is really beyond our ability. But we know that God is holy. And the best we can understand it, we praise Him as being holy. He hates sin and will punish it.

There's clear evidence of that. When Adam and Eve sinned in the Garden of Eden, in that beautiful paradise on earth where everything was perfect, everything was right, but when they sinned, God banished them. What a dark scene it is to see the first man and the first woman being banished from that habitation that God had prepared for them.

God hates sin and will not tolerate it. And then in the days of Noah, God sent a great flood and all the inhabitants of the earth died. He said, every imagination and thought of man's heart was only evil continually and God didn't just ignore it.

All died save the eight souls that were in Noah's ark. How to say that God would never punish anybody is to clearly ignore very explicit records in the Bible of what God has done already. He sent fire and brimstone upon Sodom and Gomorrah when He told Pharaoh, let my people go, and Pharaoh said no. God didn't just ignore that. God wasn't unable to do something about the situation. Psalm 78 tells us how He responded. Verse 49, He cast upon them the fierceness of His anger, wrath and indignation and trouble by sending evil angels among them.

He made a way to His anger. He spared not their soul from death. He gave their life over to the pestilence.

God, being a holy God, would not tolerate the impudence of fallen man to say, no, I'll not do what you commanded. And so He sent great destruction to Egypt. Isaiah chapter 30 verse 33, for Tophit is ordained of old. Yea, for the king it is prepared. He hath made it deep and large. The pile thereof is fire and much wood. The breath thereof of the Lord, like a stream of brimstone, doth kindle it. The breath of the Lord, like brimstone, says He will kindle this fire. Psalm 7-11, God is angry with the wicked every day.

So when somebody comes up with this idea that God is just a God of love, He never would judge anybody, He never would harm anybody, He just can be confident. Here's what God says, He's angry with the wicked every day. For those who have rejected His Son, those who despise His Gospel, those who walk in the ways of the flesh and dishonor Him, violating His law, He is angry with the wicked every day. Psalm 76 verse 7, thou, even thou, art to be feared, and who may stand in thy sight when once thou art angry? The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom. But oh, when one is guilty, the question is asked, how can any stand when God is angry? And then He lists several things by which the anger of God is stirred. Proverbs chapter 6 verse 16, These six things doth the Lord hate, yea, seven are an abomination unto Him. So this isn't something that's just a little lesson, it might be nice if somebody would adhere to the principle of God's law. No, these things listed here are an abomination, a proud look.

A proud look indicates a proud heart. And God hates pride, a lying tongue, hands that shed innocent blood, and heart that deviseth wicked imaginations, feet that are swift and running to mischief, a false witness that speaketh lies, He that soweth discord among His brethren. These things God hates. So if you find any of them in your own heart and life from time to time, you can rest assured that you need help, you need grace and mercy. Well, somebody might say, this is not what I hoped to hear when I came out on a Sunday morning, I wanted to hear something brighter. Well, just hang with me, we'll get to that at the end of the message.

But in order to appreciate that, you've got to see what comes first. You've got to understand something about the holiness of God and the wrath of God. Well, it's not only found in the Old Testament, that's what some will charge. Well, that idea of God being angry, that's just in the Old Testament, that doesn't belong to us today. Well, in Matthew 3.7 it says, but when he saw many, this is the words of John the Baptist, when he saw many of the Pharisees and Sadducees come to his baptism, he said unto them, O generation of vipers, who hath warned you to flee from what? Wrath to come.

Wrath is coming. John the Baptist knew that and that's what he preached. Well, obviously John the Baptist wasn't trying to follow the plan of how to influence friends and attract people to be comfortable with what he had to say.

He just declared the truth, who has warned you to flee from the wrath to come. And then Paul certainly dealt with it in his sermon at Mars Hill, Acts 17, verse 30, and the times of this ignorant God winked at, but now commandeth all men everywhere to repent. Why do men need to repent? Because they're sinners. Because they violated God's law. And unless they repent, they're going to suffer his wrath. 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. This word hold means to suppress.

They're trying to hold it down. His wrath is against those who would suppress the truth, denying the truth that is made so clear in nature as he displays his power, his handiwork in his creation and certainly in his word. Then Romans chapter two, verse five. But after thy hardness and impenitent heart treasures up unto thyself wrath against the day of wrath and revelation of the righteous judgment of God who will render to every man according to his deeds. Now how would that make you feel if you knew that before the day was over you were going to be called into the courtroom of heaven, standing in the presence of a holy God and have to give account for all the deeds of your life?

Every action, every thought, every motive, nothing is held back that you would have to give an account. He will render to every man according to his deeds. And then Colossians three, verse five. Mortify therefore your members which are upon the earth, fornication, uncleanness, inordinate affection, evil concupiscence and covetousness which is idolatry, for which things say what the wrath of God cometh on the children of disobedience. You see this fact of God's wrath is not something that's hidden, something that's hard to locate. I'm just giving you an overview of things that are both in the Old and the New Testaments. And then Second Thessalonians, chapter one, verse seven. And to you who are troubled, rest with us, when the Lord Jesus shall be revealed from heaven with his mighty angels.

I remember when he came the first time. He came in a lowly state. He came as a baby laid in the manger and he was despised and rejected of men and ultimately crucified. But when he shall be revealed from heaven with his holy angels, he is coming in flaming fire, taking vengeance on them that know not God and that obey not the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ, who shall be punished with everlasting destruction from the presence of the Lord and from the glory of his power.

That's sobering, is it not? To think that when the Lord comes, he's coming with flaming fire to take vengeance on those that know not God and obey not the gospel. Some would downplay the importance of the gospel. Here it's held up as being something rather significant, that those who have not obeyed it, those who have not believed it, those who have not received it, are going to be subject to this fire that Jesus brings. Well, the second thing we want to say is that there is a hell where the wicked will be punished forever.

I've heard people say, well, that thinking's out of date. I read after one and said that was used by preachers just to scare people in the olden days, or used by parents who wanted to get their children to do what they wanted them to do. Well, friends, all of those modern thinkers can say what they will, but the fact is the Bible clearly teaches there is a hell where the wicked are going. Sometimes somebody will say, well, I just love the comforting words of Jesus, and I certainly love them, too. I love to hear him say, come unto me, all ye that labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest, or suffer the little children to come unto me and forbid them not. I love those expressions, but there are other things Jesus said that we must take into account. Matthew 25, verse 41, Then shall he say unto them on the left hand, depart from me, ye cursed, into everlasting fire, prepared for the devil and his angels. These are the words of Jesus.

Jesus says there are those that are going to suffer in hell. Depart from me, cursed, into everlasting fire. Matthew 13, verse 40. As therefore the tares are gathered and burned in the fire, so shall it be in the end of this world. The Son of man shall send forth his angels, and they shall gather out of his kingdom all things that offend, and them that do iniquity, and shall cast them into a furnace of fire.

There shall be wailing and gnashing of teeth. What sobering words we read about that judgment that is to come. And then Luke, chapter 13, verse 25. When once the master of the house has risen up and hath shut the door, and ye begin to stand without and to knock at the door, saying, Lord, Lord, open unto us, and he shall answer and say unto you, I know you not what you are. So here are some that recognize they're in trouble, they need help, and they're knocking at the door. And the Lord's answer is, I know you not.

I know you not. And then a familiar passage in Luke 16, talking about the rich man in Lazarus. The rich man, it says of him, and in hell, verse 23. And in hell he lift up his eyes, being in torments, seeing Abraham afar off and Lazarus in his bosom. And he cried and said, Father Abraham, have mercy on me, and send Lazarus that he may dip the tip of his finger in water and cool my tongue, for I am tormented in this flame. See, that doesn't sound like something that's just a parable.

This is something that's real. I am tormented in this flame. But Abraham said, Son, remember that thou in thy lifetime receiveth thy good things, and likewise Lazarus evil things, but now he is comforted, and thou art tormented. And beside all this, between us and you, there is a great gulf fixed, so that they which would pass from hence to you cannot, neither can they pass to us that would come from thence. Jesus says, your destiny is sealed.

There's not going to be any change, not going to be anybody come to give you any kind of relief. There can be no moving back and forth from hell to heaven, from heaven to hell. And so he asks, could you just send somebody back to my brothers and warn them? And Jesus said, if they won't hear Moses and the prophets, they won't hear one risen from the dead.

So many to say when you present the gospel to them. Well, I don't know. That's an old book.

It's been around a long time. But who can say that God inspired it? I've talked to people like that. They just had no confidence to believe the inspired word of God. And Jesus said, even if one would rise from the dead, these who are in darkness would not believe their testimony. And then further, the words of Jesus in John 3.18. He that believeth on him is not condemned, but he that believeth not is condemned already because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God.

That language couldn't be any plainer than that. The one that believes on Jesus Christ has come to him with an acknowledgement, I need help. I'm a sinner. I'm justly condemned. But I come believing on Jesus. That one is not condemned, but the one that doesn't believe is condemned already.

And then essentially the same thing is repeated in verse 36. He that believeth on the Son hath everlasting life, and he that believeth not the Son shall not see life, but the wrath of God abideth on him. Where do you stand today? Are you a believer? Are you one who is repentant of your sin and come humbly before Jesus acknowledging, I need help. I need to be rescued. I need to be saved. Without him there is no salvation.

There is no hope. And so Jesus himself speaks of this wrath of God. And the fact of the punishment of the wicked is found on and on throughout the scripture. The book of Revelation chapter 20 verse 13. And the sea gave up the dead which were in it, and death and hell delivered up the dead which were in them, and they were judged every man according to their works. And death and hell were cast into the lake of fire. This is the second death. And whosoever was not found written in the book of life was cast into the lake of fire. There can be no mistake about this.

This isn't somebody's speculation. This is plain language that you can understand. Revelation 21 verse 8. But the fearful and unbelieving and the abominable and murderers and whoremongers and sorcerers and idolaters and all liars shall have their part in the lake which burneth with fire and brimstone which is the second death. So if you've ever told a lie, you can see you're in need of help because the liars are going to be cast into the lake of fire and burn. How can I, a holy mortal, born an earthly form of clay, seek to praise the Lord Jehovah who hast turned my night to day? The subject of today's message is Saved from Wrath.

But in the first part of the message we have considered what that wrath is all about, that God is holy and consequently hates sin and will punish sin. So we leave on something of a negative note today, but the bad news has to come before the good news. So I hope you'll join us next week when we'll look at the positive side of this and see how wonderful God's grace is to deliver us from the wrath to come.

I hope you'll write us until next week at this same time. We richly bless you all. ...Elder Lissaire Bradley, Jr. Address all mail to the Baptist Bible Hour, Cincinnati, Ohio 45217. That's the Baptist Bible Hour, Cincinnati, Ohio 45217. ...has been sent to claim his own. Blessed Jesus died to save me, save me from the fatal sting. Now I know that He's my Savior, praises to my Lord and King. Amen.