WINNING WITH THE WORD

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https://archive.org/details/www.-09.06.2021.-the-wrath-of-god.-is-it-real

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Hello and Happy Day! This is Dr. MaryAnn Diorio, novelist and life coach, welcoming you to another episode of Winning with the Word. Today is Monday, September 6, 2021, and this is Episode #31 of Series 2021. This episode is titled “The Wrath of God: Is It Real?”

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Nowadays we hear a lot about the love of God, the mercy of God, and the grace of God. In fact, we hear about this side of God almost to the exclusion of His other side–the justice, judgment, and wrath side of God.

There is no question that God is the God of love, mercy and grace. And we would all be lost without His love, mercy, and grace. But there is another side to God–a side we would do well to keep in mind. God is also the God of justice, judgment, and wrath. And we had better pay close attention to that side of Him as well. 

Our perception of both sides of God must be in perfect balance in order for us to have a correct view of God. But, sad to say, something has happened in recent years that has dangerously shifted our perception of the perfect balance between God’s grace and God’s justice. This shift in perception has placed virtually all of the weight of the divine scale on the side of God’s love, mercy, and grace, resulting in very little, if any, weight left on the side of God’s justice, judgment, and wrath.

Moreover, this shift has resulted in the widespread heresy called “hyper-grace.”  In fact, the hyper-grace heresy is an offshoot of an earlier heresy called Antinomianism, the heresy that teaches that because one is saved, one no longer has to obey the Ten Commandments. In other words, Antinomianism is the doctrine that, because Christians are freed by grace, they no longer have to obey the Mosaic Law. The Antinomians considered the very idea of obedience to the Law as legalism. 

So, what is hyper-grace, and why is it so dangerous?

Hyper-grace–aka “cheap grace”–is a relatively recent teaching that emphasizes the grace of God to the exclusion of the judgment of God. Hyper-grace shies away from any discussion of sin, repentance, and confession of sin. Hyper-grace teachers maintain that all sin–whether past, present or future–has already been forgiven by God, so that there is no need to confess it. In fact, since we are already forgiven, we can keep on sinning because all of our sins–past, present, and future–are covered under the Blood. Hyper-grace teaches that when God looks at us, He sees us as righteous and holy, no matter how we live.

Hyper-grace teaching presents half-truths; hence, it is heretical. Because hyper-grace teaching does not present the other side of the equation–God’s justice, judgment, and wrath–it is skewed to one side. As a result, its teaching is off balance.

Segments of the Church have embraced the teachings of hyper-grace, resulting in the apostasy that Jesus predicted would occur shortly before His return in the Rapture. Interestingly, those segments of the Church that have embraced hyper-grace have slipped into accepting the sins of the culture under the guise of love. They have promoted a false Gospel that says that because God is good, He would not send anyone to Hell. Because God is good, He will look the other way at sin. Because God is good, He will understand if we keep on sinning.

But, as I mentioned in an earlier post titled “Truth and Love: Inseparable Twins”, love without truth is no love at all. Love without truth leads to license. And that is exactly what has happened in the hyper-grace movement. We now have churches openly espousing sin in the name of love and grace. We now have transgender pastors, abortion-condoning churches, churches embracing same-sex marriage and sex outside of marriage–all in the name of grace and love. The verse in Jude 1: 4 sums it up: “For certain individuals whose condemnation was written about long ago have secretly slipped in among you. They are ungodly people, who pervert the grace of our God into a license for immorality and deny Jesus Christ our only Sovereign and Lord.”

We are witnessing the growth of the Apostate Church prophesied in the Bible, the Apostate Church that has “perverted the grace of our God into a license for immorality.”  This Apostate Church is the forerunner of the one-world religion that will be headed up by the False Prophet. With the rise of the Apostate Church, we are witnessing the separation of the wheat from the chaff, the true Christ-followers from the phony ones.

Such apostate churches have been grossly deceived. Why? Because they have gotten off balance. And when we get off balance we fall. Plain and simple.

So, now to the question in the title of this post: Is God’s wrath real?

Let’s go to the Bible, the place of truth, to find out.

The Bible has a great deal to say about God’s wrath. 

Whereas the hyper-grace Church says that there is no need to repent because we are already forgiven, Jesus Himself says quite the contrary to the seven churches in Revelation 2. For example, listen to what Jesus says to the church at Ephesus: “Consider how far you have fallen! Repent and do the things you did at first. If you do not repent, I will come to you and remove your lampstand from its place” (Revelation 2:4). 

Interestingly, of the seven churches Jesus addresses, He rebukes five of them and commands them to repent (See Revelation 2: 4; 2: 6; 2: 20; 3: 3; 3: 15-19). Jesus makes clear that He will hold believers accountable for their sins. He makes clear that they will have to answer to Him for disobeying His commands. 

The hyper-grace movement’s teaching that the Old Testament no longer applies to the believer is a false teaching. While it is true that Christ-Followers have been redeemed from the curse of the law, we are now subject to a higher law that raises the standard of the Ten Commandments, moving them from external judgment and accountability to internal judgment and accountability. In other words, according to the Old Testament, a person commits adultery only when he outwardly performs the act of adultery. But according to the New Testament, a person commits adultery simply by thinking about it in his heart.  So, the standard of judgment and accountability is much higher in the New Testament than in the Old Testament. Jesus came to fulfill the Law, not to abolish it (Matthew 5: 17). 

So, bottom line, hyper-grace teaching ignores “the whole counsel of God” (Acts 20: 27) in that it teaches only part of the Bible and not all of it. Again, hyper-grace teaching is off balance and dangerous.

In his classic book, Knowing God, J. I. Packer describes the wrath of God as follows: “God’s resolute action in punishing sin” (page154). Packer goes on to say that God’s wrath is His “reaction to our sin . . . As a reaction to sin, God’s wrath is an expression of His justice.”(ibid.).

So, we see hear the other, equally vital side of God: His justice. In Romans 1: 18, the Word makes this clear: “The wrath of God is being revealed from heaven against all the godlessness and wickedness of people, who suppress the truth by their wickedness,” (Romans 1: 18 NIV).

John’s first letter proclaims the following: “We know that we have come to know Him if we obey His commands. The man who says, ‘I know Him,’ but does not do what He commands is a liar, and the truth is not in him. But if anyone obeys His word, God’s love is truly made complete in him. This is how we know we are in Him: Whoever claims to live in Him must walk as Jesus did” (1 John 2: 3-6 NKJV).

Hebrews 12: 29 describes God as a “consuming fire” Who will destroy all those who do not look to Christ to save them. This, and other Scripture verses, make abundantly clear that God is not only the God of grace but also the God of wrath.

To be forewarned is to be forearmed. If you have been a victim of hyper-grace teaching, I urge you to repent now and to sever yourself from it. Recognize that God is both the God of grace and the God of justice.  To perceive Him as only one and not the other is to live by a false paradigm. 

Perhaps your paradigm of God is entirely skewed. Perhaps you don’t know Him at all. If so, I urge you to get to know God. How? By accepting Jesus Christ His Son, the only Savior of the world. Pray this simple prayer with me now:

Lord Jesus, I need You.  I ask You to save me. I invite You into my life, and I receive You as my personal Savior and the Lord of my life. Thank You for forgiving me and bringing me into Your family. Thank You for saving me. Thank You for giving me eternal life. I pray this in Your Name. Amen.

If you sincerely prayed this prayer, please write to me at drmaryann@maryanndiorio.com. I would like to send you a free PDF booklet that will help you get started in your walk with Christ. I also encourage you to get yourself a Bible and read it every single day. The Bible is God’s love letter to you, His manual for your life. In the Bible, God reveals Who He is, and He teaches you how to live.

Finally, ask the Lord to lead you to the church of His choice for you where you can learn about Him and have fellowship and encouragement with other Christ-Followers. It is critically important in these last days to fellowship with other believers who are mature in Christ and who can guide you as you grow in Him.

If you are not yet a subscriber to the Winning with the Word blog and podcast, I urge you to click on the link below to subscribe now so that you will not miss a single weekly episode:

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Please tell your family and friends about “Winning with the Word,” and please pass this post and podcast on to them. Thank you!

PLEASE TWEET: “The Wrath of God: Is It Real?“ (CLICK TO TWEET)

Now it’s your turn: What are your thoughts about the wrath of God? Please comment below. Thank you.

Photo Source: Janine Bolon (Pixabay)
Meme Source: Charles Garry (Pinterest)
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For those of you who may not know, I write fiction for both children and adults. Please check out my latest children’s book, Penelope Pumpernickel: Dynamic Detective, Book 2 in the popular Penelope Pumpernickel Series of Chapter Books for Children. This series, written for early and reluctant readers, is designed to build Christian character in the young children in your life. To order, just click on the book cover image below. You may also purchase your copy on my website at https://www.maryanndiorio.com/book-table.

My latest novel, Miracle in Milan, has been released in both print and ebook formats and deals with the issue of unforgiveness. It is the story of a young, female auditor who discovers convincing evidence that the man she loves is an embezzler. You will find Miracle in Milan to be a page-turner that will keep you on the edge of your seat. To order your copy, go to Amazon or to my website bookstore at maryanndiorio.com/book-table. You will also find Miracle in Milan on Apple Books, Barnes & Noble, and Kobo. 

This podcast is funded by listeners like you. If you have been blessed by Winning with the Word, please consider becoming one of my special patrons on Patreon.com. For only $1.00, $3.00, or $5.00 a month, you can help me proclaim the Gospel of Jesus Christ throughout the world and share in the rewards of all those who come to Christ through this ministry.

Winning with the Word now reaches 57 countries on six continents, by God’s grace, because of the faithful support of my patrons. So please help me to keep Winning with the Word on the air by becoming one of my valued patrons. Your patronage helps to cover the costs of producing, hosting, and distributing Winning with the Word to the four corners of the earth. Patrons receive special benefits, including free books, short stories, podcasts, and videos. So, join my wonderful team of Patrons and become a part of something great!

To become a patron, go to https://www.patreon.com/winningwiththeword 

I would like to thank all of my patrons who are making this podcast possible. I could not do this without you!

Finally, be sure to check out my latest non-fiction book, The Iron Saint. This book, modeled after The Iron Man triathlon, talks about the coming persecution of the Church in America and how you can prepare for it. The Iron Saint is available on Amazon, Apple Books, Barnes & Noble, Kobo, and other major book purchasing venues. You may also find it on my website at maryanndiorio.com/book-table. Get a copy for your pastor as well. 

Until next time, remember that God loves you just as you are and just where you are and that He will help you to keep on Winning with the Word! 

To subscribe to Winning with the Word, click here.

To receive my monthly newsletter, click here.

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Check out these popular Winning with the Word podcasts below. You may also search for a particular topic in the search box at the top of the sidebar on this page. 

__The Dangers of Distraction

__Breaking the Mind Barrier

__How Close Are We to the End?

__Have You Lost Your Hope?

__Are You Being Deceived?

__7 Signs That the Tribulation Is at Hand

 Are you new to this blog? If so, what is the “Winning with the Word” blog and why will it bless you to read it?

“Winning with the Word” is a weekly blog that helps you to deal with the daily problems of life by using the Bible as your guide to solving them. The Word of God will make you a success in life!

AN INVITATION TO YOU: To subscribe to Winning with the Word, click here.

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Copyright 2000-2021 by Dr. MaryAnn Diorio. All Rights Reserved. This article may not be published or printed in any form whatsoever without the written permission of Dr. MaryAnn Diorio. You may contact her at info@maryanndiorio.com to request permission.

Amazon.com Required Disclosure: MaryAnn Diorio is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon.com.Disclaimer: This site uses cookies. Your continued use of this site constitutes your consent to our use of cookies. 

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New Release! Dr. MaryAnn’s latest children’s book: Penelope Pumpernickel: Dynamic Detective

Are you looking for character-building books for your elementary school children? Books that are written from a Biblical worldview and that honor God’s Word? Then get your children a copy of each of the two books in my Penelope Pumpernickel Series of Chapter Books for Children. Click on the book cover to order below:

In this delightful series, your child will follow the adventures of eight-year-old Penelope Pumpernickel as she faces and overcomes the crazy problems caused by her homeschooling classmate, Grandville Ungerleider. Together with her sidekick and BFF, Tilly Mendoza, Penelope unravels mystery after mystery through humorous situations that will keep your child laughing on the edge of her seat and wanting more.

To order your copies of Books 1 and 2, click on the images to the left. 

Now Available for Purchase: Dr. MaryAnn’s latest novel, Miracle in Milan.

When a young, female auditor discovers evidence that the man she loves is an embezzler, she must choose between ruining him or ruining herself.

Amy Torelli, Chief Auditor for New York City-based Enson Pharmaceuticals, is assigned to audit the books of Enson’s Italian branch in the enchanting city of Milan, Italy. Having made an inner vow never to trust a man again because of her father’s betrayal, Amy finds herself falling in love with Enson Italia’s American-born Vice-President, Ted Masters. Will Ted be the one to cause her to break her inner vow?

Ted McMasters is on the run. A run from rejection. From himself. From God. Having been wounded by a father who made him feel worthless, and having been dumped by the woman he wanted to marry, Ted is determined to keep all women at bay. But will Amy Torelli be the reason he changes his mind?
Miracle in Milan
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EBOOK FORMAT

THE IRON SAINT by MaryAnn Diorio, PhD

The Church in America is on the verge of a tremendous spiritual awakening, an awakening that will first be fueled by persecution unlike anything we have ever seen before in this land. Indeed, a prophetic word given in my home church during the month of November gave this warning to the Church: “Prepare for the fire of persecution!”

But the Church is not ready for this persecution. For the most part, the Church in America has been weak and lukewarm. Flabby and lazy. Consumed with the world and not with the things of God. As a result, the Church has been deceived and has subverted the divine order of things.

In THE IRON SAINT, Dr. MaryAnn Diorio seeks to help equip the saints for the work of true, integritous, and effective ministry. As a teacher in the Body of Christ, it is her burning desire to help correct this devastating error.

In THE IRON SAINT, Dr. Diorio has outlined a plan of action for strengthening the Church through uncompromising obedience to the Word of God. This plan of action is based on her own 50 years of walking with the Lord and being led by His Holy Spirit.

If you are a born-again believer and member of the Body of Christ, make this book a top reading priority.

PRINT FORMAT

E-BOOK FORMAT

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Check out these popular Winning with the Word podcasts below. You may also search for a particular topic in the search box at the top of the sidebar on this page. 

__The Dangers of Distraction

__Breaking the Mind Barrier

__How Close Are We to the End?

__Have You Lost Your Hope?

__Are You Being Deceived?

__7 Signs That the Tribulation Is at Hand

 Are you new to this blog? If so, what is the “Winning with the Word” blog and why will it bless you to read it?

“Winning with the Word” is a weekly blog that helps you to deal with the daily problems of life by using the Bible as your guide to solving them. The Word of God will make you a success in life!

AN INVITATION TO YOU: To subscribe to Winning with the Word, click here.

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Copyright 2000-2021 by Dr. MaryAnn Diorio. All Rights Reserved. This article may not be published or printed in any form whatsoever without the written permission of Dr. MaryAnn Diorio. You may contact her at info@maryanndiorio.com to request permission.

Amazon.com Required Disclosure: MaryAnn Diorio is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon.com.Disclaimer: This site uses cookies. Your continued use of this site constitutes your consent to our use of cookies.