In The Dog House

ATONEMENT - An Offering That Turns Away Wrath

Have you ever been on someone’s bad side? Maybe it was your husband or your wife? Or a parent or a child? A best friend in school or a neighbor across the street? Maybe it was because of something you did. Maybe it was because of something you didn’t do. Perhaps you shared a secret that you didn’t know was a secret. Or, did you make an untimely comment about their weight? Or their hair? Or their shoes? Perhaps you forgot the anniversary of the first time you got a soda together. Perhaps you made light of something that was important to them. And now... you are in the dog house. You are on their bad list. They’re not talking with you. They want nothing to do with you.

You didn’t do it intentionally (or, maybe you did). Does it matter? They’re hurt. They’re mad.

Now what do you do?

IS IT WORTH IT?

There are some relationships that we just write off. We say, "Oh well." and quickly move on. Some people are just too hard to please and we rightly, or wrongly, conclude - they’re just not worth the effort.

IS IT FAIR?

Sometimes, it’s not about making an extra effort to please them. Sometimes, deep down inside, we know they have every right to be angry with us. We wronged them. Regardless of whether it was intentional or not - we deserve their wrath.

IS IT SALVAGEABLE?

So, when we determine the relationship is worth the effort... When we conclude that we were wrong and we need to go the extra mile to make it right... When we have a hope that there is a way to right the wrong... What do we do? How do we make atonement for the wrong that we have inflicted on another?

Often we try to make things right with our words. We say we are sorry. We beg for forgiveness. If that doesn’t get the job done, we then try to prove the sincerity of our remorse with our actions. We buy them flowers and candy. We clean the dishes. We bake cookies. We do whatever we can to satisfy their wrath so that we can eventually come out of the dog house and resume living the good life.

Have you ever been in the dog house with God? Have you ever felt that He may be upset with you? Have you ever seen all those verses in the Bible that talks about God’s wrath and realize He’s talking about His relationship with you? Verses like how God’s wrath is being revealed against men who suppress the truth (Romans 1:18)... against people who pass judgement on others (Romans 2:1)... against people who refuse to repent (Romans 2:5)... against people who are self-seeking (Romans 2:8).

If so, take yourself through the same process. Is it worth being right with God? Is He just too demanding? Perhaps you think He’s just not worth the effort. After all, He’s just God - our Creator and Provider.

Is it fair? Does God have a right to be upset with you. You can’t help it if you can’t obey. You can’t help it that you don’t want to listen to Him and live for Him. You can’t help it if you think that the world revolves around you. Maybe... hopefully... deep down inside you do realize, "God is fair. I am wrong."

So, now what? How do you satisfy the wrath of God? How do you make atonement? Do you buy Him flowers? Do you go to church? Do you say a bunch of "Hail Marys"? Do you try to keep the 10 commandments? Do you just hope and pray that He will forget? Or that His anger will subside?

The truth is - you can’t satisfy the wrath of God. No flowers, no words, no deeds of any kind (on our part) will satisfy the wrath of God. We deserve death. God wouldn’t be fair if He made an exemption for us - but punished other sinners by death. God wouldn’t be righteous if He simply forgave everybody. There is no way you can make atonement. God’s wrath demands justice.
But the good news is this - "Righteousness from God comes through faith in Jesus Christ to all who believe... we are justified freely by His grace that comes through the redemption that came by Christ Jesus. God presented Him as a sacrifice of atonement, through faith in His blood." (Romans 3:22-25).

The bad news is: God’s wrath demands justice.

The good news is: God’s grace provides justice. Because of Jesus taking our punishment by dying on the cross (the atonement), we are forgiven! We can come out of the dog house and live the good life that God intended for us to live!

Go Bless,

Pete Baumgartle, Lanesville IN


This is love: not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins. - 1 John 4:10