Christian Apologetics Alliance

answering seekers, equipping Christians, and demonstrating the truth of the Christian worldview

  • About the CAA
    • Statement of Faith
    • Leadership and Ministries
      • Blog Leadership
    • Authors
      • Write for Us
    • Join the CAA
    • Friends and Partners
      • How to Partner with the CAA
    • Donations
  • Resources
    • CAA Chapters
      • CAA Chapter Leaders and Locations
        • CAA Huntsville Chapter
          • CAA Huntsville Chapter – Local Resources
      • Churches: Host a CAA Chapter
      • Chapter Application Form
    • CAA Speaking Team
    • CAA Community
    • Apologetics for Parents
    • Apologetics Bloggers Alliance
    • CAA Catechism
    • Apologetics Certificate Programs
    • Christian Apologetics Search Engine
    • Events | Ratio Christi
    • Ask the Alliance
    • Media
      • Logos
      • Banners
      • Wallpaper
  • EQUIPPED: The CAA Quarterly
  • Contact Us

OT Wrath Versus NT Love?

March 11, 2014 by CAA Catechism

OT-Wrath-Versus-NT-Love

[This post is a work in progress as part of the CAA Catechism.]

[Add the title only in the title field, not in the body of the post.]

Summary in 400 words or less:

In the Old Testament, God is often perceived as wrathful while in the New Testament, Jesus (who claimed that He and the Father were united in all things) is perceived as loving. Such an alleged dichotomy contradicts Jesus’ words, and is not supported by the Bible.

Note that the Greek word for “wrath” used in the New Testament (and chosen to replace the Hebrew word for “wrath” by the Jews when they translated the Old Testament into Greek in the 3rd century BC) includes the definition: “anger exhibited in punishment, hence used for punishment itself; of punishments inflicted by magistrates.” In other words, the word is not used to describe the emotion of God, but rather God’s pronouncing a “guilty verdict” at the judgment. This is not to say that God is never angry at the wicked, but he does not delight in punishing the wicked, nor does he harbor anger against them. In fact, it is just the opposite, for in the Old Testament, God says, “I do not take delight in the death of the wicked…rather I delight when he turns from his wicked ways and lives” (Ez. 33:11).

The Old Testament often describes God as hesed (or chesed) which denotes his “undeserved, unmerited, covenantal, faithful, loving kindness expressed in action” (Psalms e.g., Psa. 5:7, 6:5, 13:6, 17:7, 25:6, etc). Countless times he showed love toward the Jews despite their continual unfaithfulness (Exodus 33; Isaiah 49:8-16; 63:7; Jeremiah 31:3; Hosea 11:1), as well toward the poor, slaves, and oppressed. He also displayed love toward a prostitute in Jericho, a leper in Syria, a widow in Phoenicia, the entire city of Nineveh, and even invading armies.

As for Jesus, he often preached on Judgment and Hell (e.g., Pharisees, Tyre, Sidon, Sodom, Gemorrah, unbelievers on the day of Judgment, Matthew 10:15; 11:21-25; 23;). Several New Testament passages condemn those who practice certain sins (1Cor. 6:9-10; Gal. 5:19-21). Five of the seven churches in the book of Revelation received scathing reviews—Ephesus for forsaking their first love; Pergamum for some followers of Balaam and Nicolatians; Thyatira for tolerating “Jezebel”; Sardis for being dead in their deeds; Laodicea for being neither hot (healing and reinvigorating the culture) nor cold (refreshing and purifying the culture), but contentedly lukewarm (Rev. 2 and 3). And Revelation also speaks on judgments against Satan, his angels, false prophets, and unbelievers (Rev 20).

Scripture for YouVersion:  “As I live, declares the Lord GOD, I have no pleasure in the death of the wicked, but that the wicked turn from his way and live.” — Ezekiel 33:11

Short audio/video:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aLk3oz372eg
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EhuAm13Ji8o

Three questions (1 fill-in-the-blank, 1 multiple choice, and one discussion question):

God does not __________________ in the death of the wicked.

Why does Jesus warn the wicked about thier impending fate at the judgment?

a: becaue He loves them and wants them to repent and recieve eternal life

b: because He enjoys condemning people

c: because He is full of anger

Does God show mercy and love in the Old Testament?

References for further reading:
God Behaving Badly by David T. Lamb

Is God a Moral Monster?: Making Sense of the Old Testament God

Prophecy of the Heir by JC Lamont

Collaboration notes:

Collaborators: Chris Lee, JC Lamont
[Add your name here only if you have created this topic or contributed valuable content or editing to this topic.]

[Add a copyright-free, relevant image to the body of the post (click the Add Media button), as well as going back in and selecting it as the featured image.]

Type “YES” and contact Maryann when at least three collaborators agree this is ready to be shared with YouVersion:

Share this:

  • Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window) Facebook
  • Click to share on X (Opens in new window) X
  • Click to email a link to a friend (Opens in new window) Email
  • Click to share on Reddit (Opens in new window) Reddit
  • More
  • Click to print (Opens in new window) Print
  • Click to share on LinkedIn (Opens in new window) LinkedIn
  • Click to share on Tumblr (Opens in new window) Tumblr
  • Click to share on Pinterest (Opens in new window) Pinterest
  • Click to share on Pocket (Opens in new window) Pocket

Filed Under: CAA Catechism, CAA Original, OT God of Wrath vs NT God of Love?

Connect

  • Facebook
  • RSS
  • Twitter

Subscribe to Blog via Email

Enter your email address to subscribe to this blog and receive notifications of new posts by email.

Search

What Interests You?

  • The Problem of Evil, Suffering, and Hell
  • Apologetics Methods, Tactics, & Logic
    • Incarnational Apologetics
  • Arguments for God
  • Science, Reason, and Faith
  • The Reliability of the Bible
    • Undesigned Scriptural Coincidences
  • The Historicity of Jesus & the Resurrection
  • Worldviews & World Religions
    • Evaluating Islam
    • The New Atheism
    • Post-modernism, Relativism, and Truth
  • Imaginative Apologetics
    • Fiction Book, Movie, & TV Reviews
  • Contemporary Issues
  • Youth and Parents
  • Full List of Categories

Archives

Christian Apologetics Alliance is a Top 100 Christian Blog

Unity Statement

In essentials unity, in nonessentials liberty, in all things charity. The Christian Apologetics Alliance (CAA) is united in our Statement of Faith. The CAA does not, as an organization, have positions on many of the doctrinal or theological debates that take place within the church. Our primary concern is to promote the gracious, rational defense of the central claims of Christianity and the critique of opposing systems of thought. The CAA joyfully welcomes Catholic, Eastern Orthodox, and diverse Protestant believers, and we are committed to treating all these traditions with respect in our community.

Copyright © 2011 - 2020 Christian Apologetics Alliance