“The wrath of God remains on him.” John 3:36
Many of you are familiar with the SWOT analysis: What are our Strengths? What are our Weaknesses? What are our Opportunities?
What are our Threats? That last question is really important. What is out there that could potentially “blow us out of the water”?
If we were to do a SWOT analysis of human life, what would be the ultimate threat that a person in this world could face that might blow him or her out of the water (so to speak)?
- Money—losing your job, your business, or your investments?
- Health—a heart attack, a stroke, or cancer?
- Relationships—losing the presence of someone you love?
All of these may be threats indeed, but if we take the witness of Jesus seriously, we have to say that to “remain under the wrath of God” is the greatest threat that could ever hang over any human life.
Jesus Christ came into the world to deal with this ultimate threat, and here is how he did it: When Jesus died on the cross, he bore the divine wrath on behalf of sinners. And this is the great outpouring of the love of God: “God so loved the world that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life” (3:16).
A lot of people get stuck at this point. If God really wants to show that he loves me, why doesn’t he give me what I really want—like a cure for cancer? How does Jesus dying on the cross show that God loves me?
Do you see “the wrath of God” as the greatest threat to your life? Why or why not?