Wrath

Righteous Indignation. I’ve heard it a few times from theologians and everyday people but I don’t see much of it anymore. I did a quick search on the internet and majority, if not all, have a negative connotation of what it means. Pema Chodron says “it’s very dangerous — the finger of righteous indignation pointing at someone who is identified as bad or wrong” as though that’s not the point of being spiritually angered on God’s behalf.

Righteous indignation is essentially the internal discomfort when we see or hear someone insulting Christ or the gospel. It’s the inexplicable anger I get when I read about or watch illustrations of the crucifixion of Jesus Christ, our Lord and Savior. It’s a feeling of displeasure when we see wrongdoing or sin. An anger that’s in alignment with God's moral standards for us, directed at things and people that contradict His will and commands.

To exhort anyone who continues in sin with blasphemous disregard for our Creator is a bold but necessary act. In a culture that incentivizes and encourages double mindedness with false teachers misinterpreting and bending scripture to console sinners, righteous indignation is necessary. We have an increase in false teaching and a diluted version of Christianity with no doctrine to equip ourselves with. We lay bare, never putting on the armor of God because it feels too heavy. Instead, we arm ourselves with social and cultural paddings that give us a licensure to sin and crutches to help us commit further crimes against Him. 

God is loving and he’s a forgiving God, allowing us to exist in the confines of His grace and mercy. Dwelling in His Presence as the Holy Spirit dwells in us. He came to us first on a donkey, symbolic of peace and humility. In His second coming, He will be on a horse, symbolizing war and power. Do not take for granted His love and mercy. We must turn from our wicked ways and like Jesus told the man healed at the pool of Bethesda, "See, you are well again. Stop sinning or something worse may happen to you.” We must stop sinning before something worse happens to us.