Men are opposed to God in
their sin, and God is opposed to men in His holiness.
J. I.
Packer explains what God’s wrath is and to whom it applies:
俄爾（James Orr）曾為神在聖經𥚃的「憤怒」下了一個合適的定義：它是「一種發自神本性的力量，由於人大膽妄為、恣意犯罪，神就發起義怒，要懲罰甚至毀滅那犯罪者。當受造之物忘恩負義、背叛、故意悖逆，或他們行動鹵莽，而令神的聖潔和尊榮、公義和慈愛受到威協時，神就發出這種怒氣。」（參James Hastings’ Dictionary of the Bible, 1, pp. 77f. ）神對罪所發的震怒不是一時之氣，而是持續不斷的怒火；並非出於變幻無常的脾氣，而是全地的公義審判官要彰顯那恒久公義。保羅告訴我們，所有罪人都暴露於神震怒之下。羅馬書所闡釋的第一個真理，就是「神的憤怒從天上顯明在一切不虔不義的人身上」（羅一18）。關乎恩典的好消息，是隨著審判的壞消息而來的；新約宣告神憐憫人，要與人和好，同時也宣告祂的憤怒。人因著罪與神為敵，神則因著祂的聖潔與人為仇。被罪惡轄制的人，也同時在神的憤怒底下。聖經就在人和造物者關系破裂的黑暗背景下，展示出和好的福音。
The
biblical idea of the wrath of is well defined by James Orr: it is ‘an energy of
the divine nature called forth by the presence of daring or presumptuous
transgression, and expressing the reaction of the divine holiness against it in
the punishment or destruction of the transgressor. It is the ‘zeal” of God for
the maintenance of holiness and honour, and of the ends of His righteousness
and love, when these are threatened by ingratitude, rebellion and wilful
disobedience or temerity of the creature’ (Hastings’ Dictionary of the Bible,
1, pp. 77f.). God’s wrath against sin is not a fitful flicker, but a steady
blaze; not a mark of uncertain temper, but an aspect of the consistent
righteousness of the just Judge of all the earth. to this hostile reaction of
God, Paul tells us, all sinners, as such, are exposed. The first truth
expounded in Romans is that ‘the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against
all ungodliness and wickedness of men’ (Rom. 1:18). The background of the good
news of grace is the bad news of judgment; the context within which the New
Testament announces God’s reconciling mercy is the declaration of His active
wrath. Men are opposed to God in their sin, and God is opposed to men in His
holiness. Those who are under the rule of sin are also under the wrath of God.
It is against the dark backcloth of this view of the natural relations of man
and his Maker that the gospel of reconciliation is expounded.
摘錄自《字裡藏珍－17個聖經關鍵詞》God's Words Studies of key Bible Themes，9.和好reconciliation ,P.153，宣道出版社, 2015
作者: 巴刻（J. I. Packer）
譯者: 林来慰
