From J. C. Philpot's Daily Portions
August 19 "The Lord is merciful and gracious, slow to anger, and
plenteous in mercy; he will not always accuse; neither will he harbor his
anger forever." Psalm 103:8, 9 God is angry and justly angry with the sins of his
people. He hates sin with a perfect hatred. He cannot but entertain
unceasing wrath against it. It is so contrary to the purity and perfection
of his holy nature, that wherever he meets with sin his indignation flashes
out against it. And until we have some discovery and manifestation of Christ
to assure us of a saving interest in his precious blood and finished work,
we cannot separate the anger of God against our sins from the anger of God
against our persons. But when the Lord is pleased to reveal a sense of his
goodness and mercy in the Person and work of his dear Son, then we can see
by the eye of faith that though he is angry with our sins, he is not angry
with our persons, but accepts us in the Beloved, having chosen us in him
before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame
before him in love. Thus he retains not his anger forever. And why? Because
it is atoned for, put away, not retained so as to burn to the lowest hell.
The blessed Lord has offered a sacrifice for sin; put away the punishment
and penalty due to transgression, propitiated and appeased, and thus put
away his indignation and fiery displeasure against the sins of his people;
for all the anger of God due to their sins and to their persons was
discharged upon the Person of Jesus as he stood our representative and hung
upon the cross a bleeding sacrifice, putting away sin by the offering of
himself. This is the reason why he retains not his anger forever, it being
appeased and put away through the atonement of our blessed Lord, that it
should not burn against the persons of the people of God, nor consume them
with the fiery indignation that shall burn up the wicked.