Jesus forever changed the way God relates to mankind. Sure, there are scriptural examples of God’s catastrophic judgment on sin, but His greatest act of judgment was when He placed all His wrath for our sins upon Jesus. This forever satisfied God’s wrath. Since that time, God hasn’t been judging our sins (2 Cor. 5:19). God’s not angry at us. He’s not even in a bad mood.
Look at the angels’ joy over the birth of Jesus in Bethlehem:
"And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God, and saying, Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men."
Luke 2:13-14
You’re probably familiar with this passage, yet there is a lot of misunderstanding about what it’s saying. Some translations basically say that they were proclaiming “goodwill among men” or “peace to men of goodwill.” So, it’s been interpreted to mean that Jesus was bringing peace on earth among people. But that’s not why these angels were praising God. If that interpretation were true, then Jesus’s own words in Matthew would contradict this. He said,
"Think not that I am come to send peace on earth: I came not to send peace, but a sword. For I am come to set a man at variance against his father, and the daughter against her mother, and the daughter in law against her mother in law. And a man’s foes shall be they of his own household."
Matthew 10:34-36
Jesus Himself said that He was not sent to bring peace on the earth among people. The peace that the angels were praising God for (Luke 2:13-14) was peace between God and man. They were announcing the end of God’s war on sin. Peace now reigns between God and man.
Prior to Jesus’s coming, there was wrath from God against man for his sins. It wasn’t total wrath. Even in the Old Testament, we see God’s mercy and grace. Yet the Old Testament Law was a ministry of wrath (Rom. 4:15; 2 Cor. 3:7, and 9), and people’s sins were held against them. But when Jesus came, God quit holding people’s sins against them. This is exactly what
Prior to Jesus’s coming, there was wrath from God against man for his sins. It wasn’t total wrath. Even in the Old Testament, we see God’s mercy and grace. Yet the Old Testament Law was a ministry of wrath (Rom. 4:15; 2 Cor. 3:7, and 9), and people’s sins were held against them. But when Jesus came, God quit holding people’s sins against them. This is exactly what
2 Corinthians 5:19 and 21 says:
To wit, that God was in Christ, reconciling the world unto himself, not imputing their trespasses unto them; and hath committed unto us the word of reconciliation. . . . For he hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him.The word “reconciliation” is talking about making peace. God was no longer holding us accountable. Instead, He imputed our sins to Jesus, making Jesus accountable for our sins Jesus became what we were so that we could become what He was - the righteousness of God.
Jesus was like a lightning rod that drew all the judgment of God unto Himself (John 12:32). He not only bore our sins; He actually became sin (2Cor. 5:21). Sin is no longer a problem with God. It’s the church that has made it a big deal. But none of your past, present, or even future sins can separate you from God. The only people who will go to hell are those who have spurned and rejected His unspeakable gift. In heaven, you won’t answer for your sin; Jesus already has. You will answer for your acceptance or rejection of Jesus.
Now, you might be thinking, You’re just giving people a license to sin. The last time I checked, people are doing a pretty good job sinning without a license. What I’m saying will not free you to sin; it will free you from the condemnation and the guilt that comes when you do sin.
You might say, “Well, if God isn’t judging me for sin, why live holy?” That’s a good question, and to answer it, read what Paul wrote in his letter to the Romans:
Now, you might be thinking, You’re just giving people a license to sin. The last time I checked, people are doing a pretty good job sinning without a license. What I’m saying will not free you to sin; it will free you from the condemnation and the guilt that comes when you do sin.
You might say, “Well, if God isn’t judging me for sin, why live holy?” That’s a good question, and to answer it, read what Paul wrote in his letter to the Romans:
"Know ye not, that to whom ye yield yourselves servants to obey, his servants ye are to whom ye obey; whether of sin unto death, or of obedience unto righteousness?"
Romans 6:16
If you yield to Satan through sin, you open the door for him to destroy your life through sickness, poverty, relationship issues, emotional problems, and all kinds of things. It won’t be because God is out to get you; He loves you. It’s just that sin gives Satan an inroad into your life. So, continuing to sin is just stupid (Rom. 6:1-2).
There is so much more I want to share with you about this. I encourage you to get my teaching The War Is Over, which I’m offering as part of The War Is Over Package. This package includes The War Is Over book, study guide, and CD or DVD series. You know, I always talk about changing the way the world sees God, and the Christmas season is an opportune time for people to hear the Gospel message. In December, most people are more sensitive to God than they are any other time of the year. Many of them would never come across my ministry on their own. Perhaps you have family or friends who fit into this category. So, once you receive this message, you can take advantage of the season and share it with them. Order this package for yourself, but also order it as a gift for them. You might be surprised to find that they are waiting to hear the Good News!
To order The War Is Over Package, go to awme.net, call our Helpline at +44 (0)1922 473 300
The War Is Over
Do you wonder if God is mad at you because of sin or unrighteousness?
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