Escaping Wrath

The Extreme Danger of Our Nature Ephesians 2.1-10
There is extreme and terrible danger in just being who we are naturally! It is not something we fall into. It expresses itself because of who we are. In verse 3, Paul describes the position that a nature like ours puts us in before God: by nature, objects of wrath.

Our default condition – the way we are by birth, even before we establish a track record of misbehaviour – demands God’s wrath. We are by nature, objects of God’s wrath. Our ingrained evil demands a response from God. He cannot contradict his own pure self by ignoring evil. Just as light cannot make a deal with darkness (the dark must be vanquished in the presence of the light) so God cannot compromise with evil. Our sinful nature – who we are at our essence – demands a confrontation with righteousness. And it cannot win. 2 Corinthians 6.14,15 For what partnership has righteousness with lawlessness? Or what fellowship has light with darkness? What accord has Christ with Belial (Satan)?

If we expect, or even demand, that God should turn a blind eye to our sin, we have just proved that we are horribly ignorant of his character. We are asking God to change himself to accommodate our weakness. We have not understood that who we are by nature is why we are objects of his wrath.
An object is the goal or focus of something. In this case, that thing is God’s wrath and we are the objects it is aimed and focused at, because of our sinful nature. Our sinful nature demands God’s wrath. The wrath of God is not a fit of temper or uncontrolled outrage. God is never out of control and nothing catches him unawares, so he is never frustrated or vindictive. Wrath describes his actions to punish and eliminate evil. Wrath is the asserting of his righteousness over evil. God makes war on evil wherever it is found.

Romans 1.18 For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who by their unrighteousness suppress the truth.
Romans 2.5 But because of your hard and impenitent heart you are storing up wrath for yourself on the day of wrath when God's righteous judgment will be revealed.
John 3.36 Whoever believes in the Son has eternal life; whoever does not obey the Son shall not see life, but the wrath of God remains on him.

For a person to escape the wrath of God which is aimed and focused on our sinful nature – our nature must undergo a change. This is what Jesus describes as new birth. We must be made spiritually alive so that we can respond willingly and righteously to God.