Friday, January 20, 2012

The wrath of God according to D. M. Lloyd-Jones

The following are a few quotes on the wrath of God from D. M. LLoyd-Jones. They occur on his commentary on Romans 1 called The Gospel of God:
 
“There are many people today who do not like the gospel of atonement. They say ‘We do not like this talk about the “blood”; we do not like the idea that God punished our sins in Christ.’ They reject that, and do you know why? It is because they reject the idea of the ‘wrath of God’; they reject this section of the Epistle. I argue that you cannot understand the gospel unless you understand this; but if you understand this, you will not only understand the gospel but you will embrace it immediately and thank God for it the rest of your life.” (315)

“…it is not enough that you and I should be clear about the evangel; our methods of evangelism must correspond to the Scriptures as much as our message does…He [Paul] starts with the wrath of God, not with the needs of people as such, not with the things which were worrying them, not with that sin which gets them down, which they cannot overcome; nor with their unhappiness, and so on. Not at all! He does not mention these things. Instead, he speaks of the wrath of God!” (326)

“There are many who are denying this doctrine in practice, and they are offering Christ to people as a friend or helper or sympathizer, as one who can understand them, as one who will be with them. All that is absolutely true, but you do not start with it. It is not the context of the wrath of God.” (330)

“Well, this is the cross, the death of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. There is nothing – there is nothing in history anywhere – which in any way approximates to this as a revelation of the wrath of God against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men.” (348)

“This is not a matter of discussion; this is not a matter of argument. The wrath of God belongs with the love of God, and the salvation of God in Christ. It has been revealed. Man does not like it. He never would have thought of such a thing. He hates it. But our preaching neither depends upon man, nor his reason, nor his understanding, nor his likes and dislikes.” (352)

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