The Atonement – Is Jesus the Good Cop?

I think all too often we have portrayed the God of the Old Testament as a God of anger and Jesus as the “good cop” to God’s “bad cop.” The reality is far from that.

As we have already said, God is IN CHRIST reconciling the world, but also Jesus is seen as a God of wrath. It is Jesus who will judge the world. We must understand that the very same God who is full of wrath has graciously provided for us a refuge from that wrath in Himself.

I love the way this is stated in Psalm 2 in the closing verse. We are told that God is an angry God, and yet we are to take refuge in Him. I normally run away from someone who is angry. Without the penal view of the atonement, I cannot see how God can be both the source of the wrath and the place where we can hide from it.

Serve the Lord with fear,
and rejoice with trembling.
Kiss the Son,
lest he be angry, and you perish in the way,
for his wrath is quickly kindled.
Blessed are all who take refuge in him.
(Psalm 2:11-12)