About the Author

Thomas Ray Floyd was born in 1953 in Simpson County, Mississippi, the son of Roy Thomas Floyd and Lina Sue Shows Floyd. Thomas Ray's mother was a member of a Primitive Baptist church, and he cut his teeth on the doctrines of distinguishing grace.

When he was a small boy, his father was converted to Christ and became a member of a Missionary Baptist Church. Thomas Ray joined the church of his father when he was 13 years old, and thought of himself as a Christian. The doctrines of grace that he had heard as a child continued to be precious to him and when he became an adult, he joined a Primitive Baptist Church. When he was 27, Thomas Ray made his first effort to preach the gospel in public and was ordained to the full functions of the ministry in 1985. In 1986 he was convinced under the preaching of Rolfe Barnard (by tapes from Mt. Olive Tape Library), the written sermons of Spurgeon, and the ministry of Elder Zack Guess that he had been a false professor and cried out in agony of soul to the Lord Jesus Christ to have mercy and truly save him. And He did! Floyd then began to preach the gospel as he had been taught of the Lord.

Floyd has pastored churches in Mississippi, Louisiana, and Tennessee and until recently was pastor of a church plant known as "Particular Baptist Fellowship." He and his wife Brenda presently attend Zion Baptist Church at Polkville, Mississippi, pastored by Elder Glen Hopkins. The pulpit ministry of Zion Baptist Church can be heard at Sermonaudio.com.

Sunday, July 10, 2011

God’s Holy and Just Wrath

(Article for publication week of 7-13-2011 AD)


“See now that I, even I am He, and there is no god with me: I kill, and I make alive; I wound, and I heal: neither is there any that can deliver out of my hand. For I lift up my hand to heaven, and say, ‘ I live forever.’ If I whet my glittering sword, and mine hand take hold on judgment; I will render vengeance to mine enemies, and will reward them that hate me” (Deuteronomy 32:39-41).

God’s wrath is the execution of His holy justice upon His enemies in righteous indignation for their sins. God’s wrath is consistent with all His perfections. You may ask, “How can a God of love and grace also be a God of wrath?” This is easily illustrated by the example of a good and wise earthly father. A good man will be merciful and kind to his own children, but he will be stirred to wrath against any who attempt to hurt his children. We may also illustrate it by a good judge (a rarity these days and in these parts). A good judge wants the best for the commonwealth and so he is ready to execute the penalty of the law on criminals. So a good man is both merciful and wrathful. God Who is thrice holy is infinitely greater and purer than these examples, so we should not be surprised to read of His vengeance upon sinners who are cosmic rebels and law breakers.

Our text says that God kills people. The sword of His wrath is sharpened and prepared to punish you my sinner friend. Sinner, you are an enemy of God.

Now, I know that many of you reading this do not consider yourself to be a sinner, nor an enemy of God. Some of you are very respectable people. But neighbour, if you are not born again, you are an enemy of God. You may be respectable, and even religious, but if you are not a believer in Christ you are an enemy of God (John 5:23).

God’s vengeance is oft times slow in its execution, but it is certain. You may not see the Lord sharpening His sword, but be sure the Bible says that He is. God’s sword is being prepared for you my unconverted friends. You may try to put it out of your mind, but it certainly awaits you. You think that “out of sight is out of mind”, but hell gapes its infernal jaws for you even as you read these words. Except you repent and believe in the only Saviour of sinners, hell will be your eternal home. God will not feel sorry for you if you refuse His remedy for sin and sinners. You can hide behind a religious veneer, but God’s wrath will catch up with you. You can console yourself with false ideas of a god who is too weak and pitiful to punish sinners, but your imagination will not make God’s wrath go away. You can go to a psychiatrist who will help you make excuses for your sin (for that is all psychology is), but God’s glittering sword will not go away.

There is somebody reading this week who needs to contact me so I can tell you how to be saved and escape the wrath of God. May God spare you before it is everlastingly too late.

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