Lesson # 84—Sin Deserves God’s Wrath

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Shorter Catechism Q & A #84

Q. What doth every sin deserve?

A. Every sin deserveth God’s wrath and curse, both in this life, and that which is to come.

Memorize Q & A—Exposition

“Sin is any want of conformity unto, or transgression of, the law of God” (Q & A 14). Sin is a transgression of the moral law (1 John 3:4), defined as iniquities (immoral acts) in Rom. 4:7.

Sin is a disobedient act or not acknowledging the commandments as having any use to man (i.e. there is no God).

What does it mean?

Discuss:

1. What does it mean to be called “children of wrath” (Eph. 5:6)?
2. Who are those who are cursed (Gal. 3:10, 16)?
3. Does man have a reason to complain (Lam. 3:39)?
4. What is meant by “everlasting Fire” (Matt. 25:41)?

What is our practice?

Practice in thought and deed your deliverance from the wrath of God; i.e., forgiving others as we have been forgiven, doing deeds of kindness from a heart of unconditional love, as Christ loved us.

Matthew Henry wrote: “Pardoned people are the only blessed people. The sentiments of the world are, Those are happy that have a clear estate, and are out of debt to man; but the sentence of the word is, Those are happy that have their debts to God discharged. O how much therefore is it our interest to make it sure to ourselves that our sins are pardoned! For this is the foundation of all other benefits. So and so I will do for them; for I will be merciful (Heb. 8:12).

Quotes for thought and discussion:

What is WRATH?

“It is privative; that is, deprives of the smiles of God’s face. It is hell enough to be excluded from his presence: in whose ‘presence is fullness of joy.’ Psa 16:11. His smiling face has that splendour and beauty in it that ravishes the angels with delight. This is the diamond in the ring of glory. If it were such a misery for Absalom, that he might not see the King’s face, what will it be for the wicked to be shut out from beholding God’s pleasant face! Privatio Divinae visionis omnium suppliciorum summum [To be deprived of the sight of God is the greatest of all punishments].

“On account of the heinous nature of sin. Consider the Person offended; it is Crimen laesae majestatis [a charge of the highest treason]. Sin is committed against an infinite majesty, therefore it is infinite, and the punishment must be infinite. Because the nature of man is but finite, and a sinner cannot at once bear infinite wrath, therefore he must be satisfying in enmity what he cannot satisfy at once.” (Thomas Watson)

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