Thomas Goodwin On The Father's Love And Anger At The Cross

The puritan Thomas Goodwin, who was on the Westminster Assembly, got penal substitution right. He is one of the most respected Puritans who "stood up and spoke from the floor more often than any other [delegate] (357 times) at the creation of the Westminster standards in England in the 1640s" (Dane Ortlund).

Joel Beeke writes of his high estimation of Goodwin:

If I could have $5 for every time someone has asked me the question, "Who is your favourite Puritan to read?," I suppose I'd be a wealthy man by now. Though I would probably answer that question today by saying, "Anthony Burgess--and he's also one of the most neglected!," for nearly two decades I would have said, "Thomas Goodwin." I may be an oddball, but--dare I say it--I've usually gotten more out of reading Goodwin than reading John Owen.

Come and see what Goodwin wrote about God the Father's love and anger expressed toward His own Son while He suffered on that cross:

1. "That he, that is God blessed forever, should be made a curse, this you have in Gal. 3:13. That he, that is, 'the Holy One of Israel,' should be made sin, aye, and what is more, he that cannot endure sin, for nothing is more contrary to the holiness of God than sin, and yet 'he that knew no sin was made sin,' this you have in 2 Cor. 5:21. That God should never be more angry with his Son than when he was most pleased with him, for so it was when Christ hung upon the cross, God did find a sweet-smelling savour of rest and satisfaction even when he cried out, 'My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me?'"

Thomas Goodwin, The Works Of  Thomas Goodwin, Volume 4, Chapter 2, Glory Of The Gospel (Tanski Publications: Eureka, California: 1996), 275.

2. "Our Lord and Saviour Christ is God blessed for ever; therefore, say the papists, he did not suffer the displeasure of God in his soul. Why, say they, can God love his Son and be angry with him at the same time? And he that is God blessed for ever, can he be made a curse in his soul? Yes, take him as a surety. They take part with one truth of the gospel to exclude the other, whereas the gospel is a reconciliation of both these, and therein lies the depth of it."

The Works Of  Thomas Goodwin, 277.

3. "And also this offering up himself was so sweet a smelling sacrifice to God (as Eph. V. 2), that although God expressed never so much anger against Christ as when he hung upon the cross, yet he was never so well pleased by him as then . . . ."

Thomas Goodwin, Christ Our Mediator, (Sovereign Grace Publishers, Grand Rapids: 1971), 136.

4. "The place where he had prayed, and been refreshed, there is his agony and encounter; a garden turned into hell. His sweet communion with God there is now turned into wrestling with God's anger falling on him here . . . ."

Christ Our Mediator, 200

5. "Thus when it is said, that Christ was made a curse, not only in bodily miseries, but in his soul also, the meaning is not that the hypostatical union was dissolved, or the influence of divine grace restrained, but only, that in regard of comfort he was ' forsaken' of God, and felt the fearful effects of his anger due to our sins, without sin and despair."

Christ Our Mediator, 272

6. "It signifies 'to be in horror.' No sooner hath these our sins presented themselves to him, as being our surety, but that withal thunder and lightning from God do presently strike him, and his wrath and curse for them suddenly arrests him; this was it that put him into such an amazement as contains in it both fear and horror. His Father is presented unto him as an angry judge brandishing his sword of justice."

Thomas Goodwin commenting on this passage: Mark 14:33: And he took with him Peter and James and John, and began to be greatly distressed and troubled.

Christ Our Mediator, 275.

7. "A soul having thus taken the guilt of sin upon it, God may justly vent his anger upon such a soul for sin, and express that anger against that soul, as against the sinner, though otherwise God loves him. For it is just with God to inflict his wrath and curse for sin on whomsoever he finds that sin, whether by personal guilt or by imputation. And therefore it is no wonder if he be accursed by God, who hath the guilt of that upon him which God hates, and therefore curseth. If God cursed the earth because of man's sin, which was but his house he dwelt in, then much more must man's surety expect wrath and a curse, who will be so hardy as to take his sin upon him."

Christ Our Mediator, 281.

8. "And further; that soul, though innocent in itself, may be made sensible of the impressions of that anger for sin thus imputed."

Christ Our Mediator, 281.

9. "He might look upon himself as a Son, and a Son performing an obedience to his Father, even in suffering his wrath, and never pleasing him more than now, and in that respect most beloved of him; and yet withal, as a surety for sinners, and so punished, and in that respect he might apprehend God for the present angry, and full of wrath against him, as being made sin and so a curse for us, yet so as to the end that he might be well pleased with sinners in him. And both these differing apprehensions of his did Christ accordingly express in that one sentence, 'My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me?' He speaks it as apprehending himself a Son still, and united to God, and beloved of him, and yet forsaken by him, and, as a surety, accursed."

Christ Our Mediator, 283.

10. "But there was another principle in him, and that was present sense of the impressions of God's anger: his mind by sight or vision seeing nothing else, and his will by the impressions on it feeling nothing else."

Christ Our Mediator, 284.

11. "If your sins brought Christ upon his knees (as they did in the garden) before God as an angry judge, they may well bring you upon your knees also."

Christ Our Mediator, 290

12. "And considered either as lamb or shepherd, we find that God being angry with him whilst thus he bore our sins, insomuch as he is said in his wrath to have smitten this shepherd with his sword, and smitten him unto death . . . ."

Christ Our Mediator, 370

Some other pertinent quotations:

a. ". . . he was made a curse, and encountered his Father's wrath, which, first, the darkness that was then about him may inform us of. If ever the face of hell were upon the earth, it was at that day."

Christ Our Mediator, 278.

b. "Yea, and by reason of the incapacity of the damned in hell to take in the full measure of God's wrath due to them for their sins, therefore their punishment, though it be eternal, yet never satisfies, because they can never take in all, as Christ could and did, and so theirs is truly less than what Christ underwent. And therefore Christ's punishment ought not in justice to be eternal, as theirs is, because he could take it all in a small space, and more fully satisfy God's wrath in a few hours, than they could unto all eternity."

Christ Our Mediator, 285

c. "Here God blessed for ever is made a curse, the light and life of the world and fountain of life is killed, the Lord of glory debased, the fulness of the Godhead emptied, emptied to nothing; he who is one with God in essence, in title to glory, is separated and accursed from him and by him, and laid as low as hell; and all this because he was made sin."

Christ Our Mediator, 288

Hallelujah! What a Savior!

Goodwin's book, Christ Our Mediator, is online for free.

Getting The Cross Right

We must get the cross right! For more on Christ's forsakenness on the cross, please read:

1. A Concern About The Way Pastor Kevin DeYoung Writes About The Cross In His New Daily Doctrine Book

2. The Bible Says The Father Turned His Face Away From Jesus On The Cross

3. Forsaken, Or Felt Forsaken

4. More Thoughts On Being God-Forsaken

5. The Sufferings Of The LORD Jesus Christ On The Cross

6. Forsaken: A Very Unhelpful Chapter On The Cross

7. Did The Father Turn His Away From Jesus On That Cross?

8. A Satanic Reading Of Psalm 22 That Should Be Forsaken

God And The Gospel

To learn more about the great and true Triune God, the God-Man, Jesus Christ, His cross, and His glorious Gospel message and everlasting Kingship, please watch American Gospel: Christ Alone. You can watch the full documentary here and here for free!

"That's My King!" Who Prayed With Greatest Devotion!

Jesus Christ Prayed With Greatest Devotion
Through Blood, Sweat, And Tears He Cried With Emotion
Then Suffered God's Wrath To That Lowest Demotion
Yet Rose From The Dead Setting New Life In Motion
Now All Our Sins Are Cast Deep In The Ocean
So We Pray To Our Father With Joyful Devotion!

That's my King! That's my King!

The Unthinkable Sin Of Abortion And The Unfathomable Mercy Of God!

Jesus Died For The Sin That's Unthinkable
Parents Destroy Their Children So Lovable
Abortion Is Murder That's Legal And Clinical
For All Those Involved It Ought To Be Criminal
Our Only Hope Is The God Who Is Merciful
He Killed His Son With A Wrath That's Unquenchable
Then Raised From The Dead And Conquered Unconquerable
Repent And Believe To Find Life Invincible
No Matter Your Sin Through Christ It's Forgivable
No Condemnation Is Yours And It's Biblical
Rejoice In Christ With A Joy That's Unspeakable!

That's my King! That's my King!

The Supremacy And Power Of The Word Of God In The Book Of Acts

1. The Word Of God Must Be Fulfilled And It Guided The Early Church
Acts 1:15-16, 20-22

2. The Word Of God Is The Source And Content Of Christian Preaching
Acts 2:14-36

3. The Word Of God Must Receive Our Devotion
Acts 2:42

4. The Word Of God Points Us To Jesus And His Death And Resurrection
Acts 3:18-26; 10:43

5. The Word Of God Annoys People And It May Get You Put In Jail
Acts 4:1-3

6. The Word Of God Is Used By God To Save Sinners
Acts 4:4

7. The Word Of God Must Be Proclaimed With Prayer And Boldness
Acts 4:29-31

8. The Word Of God Will Not Be Contained By Prison Doors
Acts 5:19-21

9. The Word Of God Is More Important Than Feeding The Hungry
Acts 6:1-4

10. The Word Of God Is Living, It’s Our Life, And It’s Life-Giving
Acts 7:38

11. The Word Of God Spreads Because Of Persecution
Acts 8:1, 4

12. The Word Of God Received Is A Sign That God Is At Work
Acts 8:14-15

13. The Word Of God Being Spoken Is One Of The Greatest Acts Of Acts
Acts 8:25; 11:19; 13:5; 13:7; 14:25; 15:35; 15:36; 16:32; 17:13

14. The Word Of God Tells Us The Good News About Jesus
Acts 8:32-35

15. The Word Of God Works Through The Power Of The Holy Spirit To Save Sinners
Acts 10:44-45

16. The Word Of God Will Always Be Triumphant And Will Give God All The Glory, Honor, And Praise
Acts 12:21-24

17. The Word Of God Is Captivating Not Boring
Acts 13:44

18. The Word Of God Is To Be Glorified And It Saves All Whom God Chooses To Save
Acts 13:48-49

19. The Word Of God Preaches God’s Grace
Acts 14:3

20. The Word Of God Should Be Studied And Examined Eagerly
Acts 17:11

21. The Word Of God Proclaims That Jesus Is The Christ
Acts 18:5

22. The Word Of God Is Central To The Christian Life And Must Be Taught Patiently
Acts 18:11

23. The Word Of God Is Able To Make You More Like Christ And Keep You Faithful To God
Acts 20:32

24. The Word Of God Must Be The Center Of Our Evangelism
Acts 17:2-3; 26:22-23

25. The Word Of God Enables Us To Be Bold Witnesses For Jesus And Helpful To The Saints
Acts 18:24, 26-28

"That's My King!" Of The Word Of God In The Book Of Acts!

The Word Made Flesh Must Still Increase
The God-Man's Famous We Decrease
He Took God's Wrath To Grant Us Peace
And Rose Again To Make Death Cease
Now His Word's Our Centerpiece
We Grasp And Read And Won’t Release
More Valuable Than Golden Piece
By It We're Made His Masterpiece
So Speak His Word It's God's Mouthpiece
And In Your Life Christ Will Increase!

That's my King! I wonder if you know Him today?!

Remembering God While Visiting A Battleship

1. Remember the greatness of God

The USS New Jersey is huge! It’s the length of three football fields. It weighs 60,000 tons fully loaded. Its armor is steel that ranges from 6 inches to 20 inches thick. Its 16 inch guns shoot a shell that weighs 2,700 pounds (the weight of a car) 23 miles. It is a big and powerful ship.

When you see big and powerful creations of mankind, you ought to be reminded of the bigness and greatness of God. As the children’s song states: “My God is so big and so strong and so mighty there’s nothing my God cannot do!” I remember when I reported to my first ship in the Navy, I was overwhelmed by the size of the ship and by the size of the task of serving as an officer on board. God brought me comfort by reminding me of His superior greatest and power in Isaiah 40.

a. The great nations who created battleships are like drops in a bucket compared to God: they are even like dust:

Isaiah 40:15: Behold, the nations are like a drop from a bucket, and are accounted as the dust on the scales; behold, he takes up the coastlands like fine dust.

b. God holds the vast oceans on which battleships sail in the palm of His hand:

Isaiah 40:12: Who has measured the waters in the hollow of his hand and marked off the heavens with a span, enclosed the dust of the earth in a measure and weighed the mountains in scales and the hills in a balance?

c. The men and women who designed this ship and sailed her and served on her are all dead or will die. This ship needs constant repair and refurbishing and will eventually totally deteriorate, but God and His Word last forever and need no help or anything else from anyone:

Isaiah 40:8: The grass withers, the flower fades, but the word of our God will stand forever.

Acts 17:24-25: The God who made the world and everything in it, being Lord of heaven and earth, does not live in temples made by man, nor is he served by human hands, as though he needed anything, since he himself gives to all mankind life and breath and everything.

d. When you are out in the middle of the ocean on a ship like this, you can see the stars more clearly because there is no background light. It’s an amazing view that reminds us of the greatness of God:

Isaiah 40:26: Lift up your eyes on high and see: who created these? He who brings out their host by number, calling them all by name, by the greatness of his might, and because he is strong in power not one is missing.

e. Rulers of the earth (kings and presidents) sent these ships to obey their orders to protect and defend, but God is the Ruler above all rulers: the President of presidents! He is King of kings and Lord of lords!

Isaiah 40:21-23: Do you not know? Do you not hear? Has it not been told you from the beginning? Have you not understood from the foundations of the earth? It is he who sits above the circle of the earth, and its inhabitants are like grasshoppers; who stretches out the heavens like a curtain, and spreads them like a tent to dwell in; who brings princes to nothing, and makes the rulers of the earth as emptiness.

f. Many men and women served on this ship in the vigor and strength of their youth. Even they grew weary in various battles, but our God never grows tired or weary:

Isaiah 40:28-31: Have you not known? Have you not heard? The LORD is the everlasting God, the Creator of the ends of the earth. He does not faint or grow weary; his understanding is unsearchable. He gives power to the faint, and to him who has no might he increases strength. Even youths shall faint and be weary, and young men shall fall exhausted; but they who wait for the LORD shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings like eagles; they shall run and not be weary; they shall walk and not faint.

2. Remember our greatest battle has been won by Jesus through His death and resurrection

Battleships were created to protect nations from their enemies and to fight against and destroy the greatest threats any nation faced to ensure they could live in peace. Our greatest threats are not physical enemies or warring nations, but the world, the flesh (our own sin), and the devil. We needed to be delivered from the threat of God’s wrath because of our sin. God so loved sinners that He sent Jesus to deliver us from all of these threats and enemies by dying on the cross for our sins, bearing the wrath and curse of God, and rising from the dead. Like Noah’s ark (another kind of ship) saved God’s people from God’s wrath in Noah’s day, so Jesus is like our great battleship Who absorbed God’s wrath so we might be saved!

Romans 5:8: God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.

Colossians 2:13-15: And you, who were dead in your trespasses and the uncircumcision of your flesh, God made alive together with him, having forgiven us all our trespasses, by canceling the record of debt that stood against us with its legal demands. This he set aside, nailing it to the cross. He disarmed the rulers & authorities and put them to open shame, by triumphing over them in him.

1 John 3:8: Whoever makes a practice of sinning is of the devil, for the devil has been sinning from the beginning. The reason the Son of God appeared was to destroy the works of the devil.

Hebrews 2:14-15: Since . . . the children share in flesh and blood, he himself likewise partook of the same things, that through death he might destroy the one who has the power of death, that is, the devil, and deliver all those who through fear of death were subject to lifelong slavery.

Romans 5:1: Therefore, since we have been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ.

Acts 17:30-31: now he commands all people everywhere to repent,  because he has fixed a day on which he will judge the world in righteousness by a man whom he has appointed; and of this he has given assurance to all by raising him from the dead.

1 Cor. 15:25-26, 55-58: For he must reign until he has put all his enemies under his feet. The last enemy to be destroyed is death . . . "O death, where is your victory? O death, where is your sting?" The sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is the law. But thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ. Therefore, my beloved brothers, be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that in the Lord your labor is not in vain.

3. Remember we are fighting in a battle to be more like Jesus

Battleships were made for war. They were made to fight enemies. As Christians, we have enemies. Because Jesus has won the major battle against sin and the devil, and because we have been united to Christ by faith and have His Holy Spirit dwelling in us, we are in a daily battle to fight against the temptations of the world, the flesh, and the devil. Battleships are covered with thick, steel armor for protection from their enemies. We too must put on our armor – the full armor of God.

Ephesians 6:10-18: Finally, be strong in the Lord & in the strength of his might. Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the schemes of the devil. For we do not wrestle against flesh & blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers over this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places. Therefore take up the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, & having done all, to stand firm. Stand therefore, having fastened on the belt of truth, & having put on the breastplate of righteousness, &, as shoes for your feet, having put on the readiness given by the gospel of peace. In all circumstances take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming darts of the evil one; & take the helmet of salvation, & the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God, praying at all times in the Spirit, with all prayer and supplication.

2 Corinthians 10:3-5: For though we walk in the flesh, we are not waging war according to the flesh. For the weapons of our warfare are not of the flesh but have divine power to destroy strongholds. We destroy arguments and every lofty opinion raised against the knowledge of God, and take every thought captive to obey Christ

4. Remember you must exercise self-control and discipline as you fight to grow in Christ

The military personnel who served on this battleship had to be disciplined. Military training and military life demands discipline and self-control. Those who stand watch must keep awake, alert, and watchful. In the same way, those who follow Christ must, by the power of the Holy Spirit and by reliance on God, exercise self-control and discipline themselves for godliness. They must be watchful to avoid temptation, pursue God in His Word and in prayer, and seek the help, fellowship, and oversight of the local church.

1 Timothy 4:7-8: Have nothing to do with irreverent, silly myths. Rather train yourself for godliness; for while bodily training is of some value, godliness is of value in every way, as it holds promise for the present life and also for the life to come.

1 Corinthians 9:24-27: Do you not know that in a race all the runners compete, but only one receives the prize? So run that you may obtain it. Every athlete exercises self-control in all things. They do it to receive a perishable wreath, but we an imperishable. So I do not run aimlessly; I do not box as one beating the air. But I discipline my body and keep it under control, lest after preaching to others I myself should be disqualified.

Galatians 5:22-23: But the fruit of the Spirit is . . . self-control

1 Corinthians 16:13: Be watchful, stand firm in the faith, act like men, be strong.

Colossians 4:2: Continue steadfastly in prayer, being watchful in it with thanksgiving.

5. Remember that Jesus Christ must have control of all parts of your life as Lord and King

As you walk through the battleship, notice that it is “compartmentalized.” The ship is made up of numerous smaller compartments that can each be sealed off and made watertight so that if one or two compartments are damaged in battle, those compartments can be sealed shut so that water damage will not spread (notice the hatches – doors – that can be sealed shut and made watertight). This is great for ships to help them sustain damage and still remain afloat. But if you do this with your life in Christ, you will not last long in the Christian fight to be more like Christ. We must never “compartmentalize” our lives with Christ. Robert Munger’s little booklet, “My Heart Christ’s Home” really helped me see this clearly. When you trust in Jesus Christ, He must have access and control over all of your life, not just parts of it. He wants all of you to come under His rule and Lordship: your heart, your intellect, your will, your emotions, your body, your sex life, your life at home, your life at work, your life at school, your life with money, your life on the internet, your life in all of your relationships – all of it! Jesus will not allow you to say to Him: “Not that compartment – I can handle that on my own Jesus!” You must open up every compartment and aspect of your life to Him and submit to His Lordship in every area. You also cannot hide sin and cherish sin and expect to grow in Christ-likeness.

Acts 16:31: Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved

Psalm 139:23-24: Search me, O God, and know my heart! Try me and know my thoughts! And see if there be any grievous way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting!

Luke 9:23-24: If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me. For whoever would save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake will save it.

Proverbs 28:13: Whoever conceals his transgressions will not prosper, but he who confesses and forsakes them will obtain mercy.

Psalm 66:18: If I had cherished iniquity in my heart, the Lord would not have listened.

1 John 1:8-9: If we say we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.

Philippians 3:7-8: But whatever gain I had, I counted as loss for the sake of Christ. Indeed, I count everything as loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. For his sake I have suffered the loss of all things and count them as rubbish, in order that I may gain Christ

6. Remember we are under authority and must submit to and respect authority

Battleships represent the powerful authority of the state or civil government. God has placed us all under authority. First and foremost we are under His authority. But He has also placed us under other authorities like parents, other family members, teachers, church leaders, and civil authorities (police, government leaders, etc.). We should seek to respect and obey those authorities, as long as they do not contradict God and His Word. We must always obey God rather than men if we must choose between the two.

Romans 13:1-7: Let every person be subject to the governing authorities. For there is no authority except from God, and those that exist have been instituted by God. Therefore whoever resists the authorities resists what God has appointed, and those who resist will incur judgment. For rulers are not a terror to good conduct, but to bad. Would you have no fear of the one who is in authority? Then do what is good, and you will receive his approval, for he is God's servant for your good. But if you do wrong, be afraid, for he does not bear the sword in vain. For he is the servant of God, an avenger who carries out God's wrath on the wrongdoer. Therefore one must be in subjection, not only to avoid God's wrath but also for the sake of conscience. For the same reason you also pay taxes, for the authorities are ministers of God, attending to this very thing. Pay to all what is owed to them: taxes to whom taxes are owed, revenue to whom revenue is owed, respect to whom respect is owed, honor to whom honor is owed.

Acts 5:29: But Peter and the apostles answered, “We must obey God rather than men.”

7. Remember the gift of living in a free country and be thankful

One powerful memory I have from my high school years was listening to the national anthem before one of my wrestling matches and being overwhelmed with thankfulness that I was born in a free country. We enjoy numerous freedoms in the United States that many others do not enjoy. Most importantly, we have the freedom to worship the one true and living God according to His Word. We have the freedom to worship and serve the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. We have the freedom to meet with other Christians to pursue God together in the local church. This is a rich blessing that we should never take for granted. Many other people all over the world do not have this same freedom. Men and women, like those who served on this battleship, died so that we might have that freedom. Be thankful.

1 Thess. 5:18: give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.

8. Remember that God is a warrior – delight in Him and fear Him

Battleships are mighty war machines. They are strong fortresses and safe places for those who take refuge within them, but they are a horrific terror to those who fight against them. God is described in the Bible as a mighty warrior (think of how he fought against Pharaoh and the Egyptians to set His people free from slavery), and Jesus is coming back to make war on all His and our enemies. We should rejoice in our mighty warrior God – He is a refuge of safety for us. And we should fear ever turning away from Him to go our own way. On the last day, we want to be on His side by trusting wholly in Christ alone by grace alone through faith alone according to the Bible alone and all for the glory of God alone!

Exodus 15:2-3: The LORD is my strength and my song, and he has become my salvation; this is my God, and I will praise him, my father's God, and I will exalt him. The LORD is a man of war; the LORD is his name.

Isaiah 42:13: The LORD will march out like a mighty man, like a warrior he will stir up his zeal; with a shout he will raise the battle cry and will triumph over his enemies.

Proverbs 18:10: The name of the LORD is a strong tower; the righteous man runs into it and is safe.

Hebrews 12:28-29: let us be grateful for receiving a kingdom that cannot be shaken, and thus let us offer to God acceptable worship, with reverence and awe, for our God is a consuming fire.

Revelation 19:11-16: Then I saw heaven opened, and behold, a white horse! The one sitting on it is called Faithful and True, and in righteousness he judges and makes war. His eyes are like a flame of fire, and on his head are many diadems, and he has a name written that no one knows but himself. He is clothed in a robe dipped in blood, and the name by which he is called is The Word of God. And the armies of heaven, arrayed in fine linen, white and pure, were following him on white horses. From his mouth comes a sharp sword with which to strike down the nations, and he will rule them with a rod of iron. He will tread the winepress of the fury of the wrath of God the Almighty. On his robe and on his thigh he has a name written, King of kings and Lord of lords.

9. Remember we are all made in God’s image and Jesus died and rose for all nations

While this battleship was in service, our African-American brothers and sisters were not treated with love, equality, and dignity. Racism, segregation, and white supremacy ruled and was protected by law while this ship served. Many African-Americans fought for their country, but their country did not love and respect them in return. We must reject all of this evil racism. We must always remember that God created every human being in His own image, equal in value and dignity. And Jesus died to save sinners from every tribe and language and people and nation in order to make us one in Christ.

Genesis 1:26-27: Then God said, “Let us make man in our image, after our likeness. And let them have dominion over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the heavens and over the livestock and over all the earth and over every creeping thing that creeps on the earth.” So God created man in his own image, in the image of God he created him; male and female he created them.

Acts 17:26: And he made from one man every nation of mankind to live on all the face of the earth, having determined allotted periods and the boundaries of their dwelling place

Matthew 22:37-39: And he said to him, “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. This is the great and first commandment. And a second is like it: You shall love your neighbor as yourself.”

Ephesians 2:14-16: For he himself is our peace, who has made us both one and has broken down in his flesh the dividing wall of hostility by abolishing the law of commandments and ordinances, that he might create in himself one new man in place of the two, so making peace, and might reconcile us both to God in one body through the cross, thereby killing the hostility.

John 17:20-22: I do not ask for these only, but also for those who will believe in me through their word, that they may all be one, just as you, Father, are in me, and I in you, that they also may be in us, so that the world may believe that you have sent me. The glory that you have given me I have given to them, that they may be one even as we are one . . . .

Colossians 3:11: Here there is not Greek and Jew, circumcised and uncircumcised, barbarian, Scythian, slave, free; but Christ is all, and in all.

Revelation 5:9: And they sang a new song, saying, “Worthy are you to take the scroll and to open its seals, for you were slain, and by your blood you ransomed people for God from every tribe and language and people and nation”

10. Remember to pray for peace in the world, the salvation of sinners, and the return of Christ

A Battleship is a sad reminder of the fact that this world is fallen and not the way it’s supposed to be. There is sin in the world which leads to violence, hatred, murder, war, and death. May your visit remind you to pray for an end to violence, oppression, evil, injustice, and war around the world. May your visit remind you to pray for the salvation of sinners through the shed blood of the Lord Jesus Christ – He is the only true and final answer to all of these evils. And may your visit remind you to pray for Jesus to return and to return quickly. Only when He returns will there be true and lasting peace on earth.

Luke 18:1: they ought always to pray and not lose heart.

1 Thessalonians 5:17: pray without ceasing

Romans 5:12: Therefore, just as sin came into the world through one man, and death through sin, and so death spread to all men because all sinned

Romans 6:23: For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.

Isaiah 9:6: For to us a child is born, to us a son is given; and the government shall be upon his shoulder, and his name shall be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.

Revelation 21:1-4; 22:1-5, 20: Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away, and the sea was no more. And I saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband. And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, “Behold, the dwelling place of God is with man. He will dwell with them, and they will be his people, and God himself will be with them as their God. He will wipe away every tear from their eyes, and death shall be no more, neither shall there be mourning nor crying nor pain anymore, for the former things have passed away.” . . . Then the angel showed me the river of the water of life, bright as crystal, flowing from the throne of God and of the Lamb through the middle of the street of the city; also, on either side of the river, the tree of life with its twelve kinds of fruit, yielding its fruit each month. The leaves of the tree were for the healing of the nations. No longer will there be anything accursed, but the throne of God and of the Lamb will be in it, and his servants will worship him. They will see his face, and his name will be on their foreheads. And night will be no more. They will need no light of lamp or sun, for the Lord God will be their light, and they will reign forever and ever . . . He who testifies to these things says, “Surely I am coming soon.” Amen. Come, Lord Jesus!

11. Remember to boast only in the cross

I served in the United States Navy for five years after I graduated from college. It was one of the hardest, most humbling times of my life. God used many experiences while I was in the Navy to show me that I truly have nothing to be proud about or to boast in, in and of myself. God used the Navy to show me that “I’m a poor sinner, and nothing at all. But Jesus Christ is my all in all.” That is a lesson I’m still learning today, and a lesson I must fight to remember every moment of every day.

James 4:6: But he gives more grace. Therefore it says, “God opposes the proud, but gives grace to the humble.”

Isaiah 57:15: For thus says the One who is high and lifted up, who inhabits eternity, whose name is Holy: “I dwell in the high and holy place, and also with him who is of a contrite and lowly spirit, to revive the spirit of the lowly, and to revive the heart of the contrite.”

Jeremiah 9:23-24: Thus says the LORD: “Let not the wise man boast in his wisdom, let not the mighty man boast in his might, let not the rich man boast in his riches, but let him who boasts boast in this, that he understands and knows me, that I am the LORD who practices steadfast love, justice, and righteousness in the earth. For in these things I delight, declares the LORD.”

1 Corinthians 1:31: Therefore, as it is written, “Let the one who boasts, boast in the Lord.”

Galatians 6:14: But far be it from me to boast except in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, by which the world has been crucified to me, and I to the world. 

God And The Gospel

To learn more about the great and true Triune God, the God-Man, Jesus Christ, His cross, and His glorious Gospel message and everlasting Kingship, please watch American Gospel: Christ Alone. You can watch the full documentary here and here for free!

Don't Propitiate Propitiation

If you propitiate propitiation, it is no longer propitiation.

If you propitiate (remove the personal anger of God) from propitiation (the removal of God's personal anger through the death of Christ), then propitiation is no longer removing anything (there's nothing left to be removed).

If you propitiate propitiation, propitiation doesn't propitiate anymore. It's propitiation no longer because you've castrated the word of all of its meaning.

The cross would become absolutely unnecessary and pointless.

In other words, if you remove the personal anger of God from the doctrine of propitiation, then the doctrine of propitiation no longer means the removal or satisfaction of anger because there is no more anger to be removed or satisfied. You've already removed it by saying that the Father could never be personally angry with His Son.

You yourself, with fallen human reason, have removed God's anger from the equation by a faulty understanding of the Mediator's work on the cross and by a faulty application of trinitarian theology. God's anger wasn't meant to be removed that way.

Our only hope is that on the cross, the personal Jesus was made our personal sin, and therefore bore the personal anger of the personal God Who takes our sin very personally and then personally rose from the dead so that we might be personally saved from a personal hell where God is very personally angry at personal sinners forever and ever. Jesus personally saved us from that!

Hallelujah! What a personal Savior!

The Earthquake At The Cross

Earthquakes are a sign of God's very personal wrath and anger all over the Bible. And the earth quaked when Jesus died on that cross:

"Therefore I will make the heavens tremble, and the earth will be shaken out of its place, at the wrath of the Lord of hosts in the day of his fierce anger." Isaiah 13:13

"For in my jealousy and in my blazing wrath I declare, On that day there shall be a great earthquake in the land of Israel." Ezekiel 38:19

"O God, you have rejected us, broken our defenses; you have been angry; oh, restore us. You have made the land to quake . . . ." Psalm 60:1-2

"Then the earth reeled and rocked; the foundations also of the mountains trembled and quaked, because he was angry." Psalm 18:7

"The earth is utterly broken, the earth is split apart, the earth is violently shaken. The earth staggers like a drunken man; it sways like a hut; its transgression lies heavy upon it, and it falls, and will not rise again. On that day the Lord will punish . . . ." Isaiah 24:19-21

"He who removes mountains, and they know it not, when he overturns them in his anger, who shakes the earth out of its place, and its pillars tremble . . . ." Job 9:5-6

"And Jesus cried out again with a loud voice and yielded up his spirit. And behold, the curtain of the temple was torn in two, from top to bottom. And the earth shook, and the rocks were split." Matthew 27:50-51

On that cross, Jesus endured the earth-shaking personal wrath and anger of God, so that we might enjoy the peace and stability of God's mercy, grace, and forgiveness!

Hallelujah! What a Savior!

Darkness At The Cross

Darkness is a sign of God's very personal wrath and anger all over the Bible. And darkness consumed Jesus at the cross:

"Who can stand before his indignation? Who can endure the heat of his anger? His wrath is poured out like fire, and the rocks are broken into pieces by him . . . with an overflowing flood he will make a complete end of the adversaries, and will pursue his enemies into darkness." Nahum 1:6, 8

"From the sixth hour until the ninth hour darkness came over all the land." Matthew 27:45

On that cross, Jesus endured the darkness of the personal wrath and anger of God, so that we might enjoy the light of God's mercy, grace, and forgiveness!

Hallelujah! What a Savior!

The Prophets And The Cross

The prophets are so helpful in understanding exactly what Jesus endured on the cross for sinners. 

Since Jesus was made sin (law-breaking and idolatry) on the cross (2 Corinthians 5:21), the favor of His Father was withdrawn from Him; He was not pitied or spared (Romans 8:32), the sword of the LORD was raised against Jesus (Zechariah 13:7); He was made a reproach and a taunt in the sight of all who passed by (Mark 15:29); He was punished in ANGER; and all God's wrath and ANGER was spent on Christ on the cross. Only then was the Father's anger turned away from us. That's penal substitution. That's the Gospel. No hope without it.

"You have been more unruly than the nations around you and have not followed my decrees or kept my laws . . . I myself will withdraw my favor; I will not look on you with pity or spare you . . . I will scatter to the winds and pursue with drawn sword. Then my anger will cease and my wrath against them will subside, and I will be avenged. And when I have spent my wrath upon them, they will know that I the LORD have spoken in my zeal. I will make you a ruin and a reproach among the nations around you, in the sight of all who pass by. You will be a reproach and a taunt, a warning and an object of horror to the nations around you when I inflict punishment on you in anger and in wrath and with stinging rebuke. I the LORD have spoken." Ezekiel 5:7,11,12-15