Go ahead Eve...you can eat off this tree. Nothing bad will happen to you because He’s a good God and loves you and He knows it will make you wise, like Him. So Eve ate and convinced her husband, Adam, to take a bite as well. And the rest...they say, is history. (Gen. 3:1-13)

That was the story found in the early pages of our beloved Bibles that Paul referred to when he warned us believers today... that we might be misled to believe, in the same way Eve did, when it came to ‘other gospels’ out there, in which they would be in no short supply. Jesus warned of this as well. (Matt. 24:4-5,11; 2 Cor. 11:3-4)

I will turn 65 in less than 4 months. I began a walk of faith with Jesus when I had barely turned 20; a walk I will confess, that was not always ‘pretty’. Long story. And sadly, it has taken me this long to come to a place where God was able to begin...to teach me a few things pertaining to His word and what this ‘walk of faith’ involves. Better late, than never... right?

If there was one subject I was pretty ignorant on...(and there really are more than one), it is this topic centered around the ‘wrath of God’. Friends...I know this sends up red flags and warning bells for many of you when I suggest there is a huge deficit of understanding in our churches today on this topic...but all I can do is present it to you in the way in which it has been taught to me the past few years. What you do with this info (laid out in His word) is between you and God. (Acts 17:11)

I’m going to assume that most of us have heard a version of the ‘gospel’ that for the most part, taught us that after we ‘accepted Christ’ and ‘confessed our sins to Him’, ...that we were no longer subject to being ‘punished’ for our sins since Jesus ‘took our punishment for all past, present, and future sins’. I mean, after all, as Paul said: “God did not appoint us to wrath, but to obtain salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ.” (1 Thess. 5:9). We need to add an * next to that word ‘us’. (Matt. 7:21; Luke 6:46; Gal. 5:18; Rom. 8:14; John 13:34-35)

Allow me to compare this misconception with a word picture I have used here before. This idea that ‘Christians’ are no longer subject to God’s wrath and the penalties for sin...because they ‘believe/trust in Jesus’ would be similar to suggesting that the child of a judge could no longer be prosecuted for their traffic violations simply because their father was the presiding judge in traffic court. I hate to break the news to you, but nothing could be further from the truth. “Let no one deceive you with empty words...because of these things the wrath of God comes upon the sons of disobedience”. (Eph. 5:6)

Oh, but you are a child of God and not a ‘son of disobedience’, you say? Interesting... because Peter refers to believers as being ‘obedient children who ought to be holy in ALL their conduct.’ (1 Pet. 1:14-16) Then, Paul reminds us that true ‘sons of God are led by His Spirit’. (Rom. 8:14). And let’s not forget what John made clear...that anyone who is being led by the Spirit, or ‘abiding in Jesus’ will be walking just as Jesus walked...and no longer sin’. (1 John 2:6; 3:6)

Then there is the statement made by Jesus who said “Go and sin no more ...or something worse may come upon you.” (John 5:14). Sounds like that may be what happened to those believers in Corinth when they failed to take all this seriously. (1 Cor. 11:29-32)