It is important to remember that sin has to be punished, and that man is completely accountable to God for his sin, since he was created in the image of God. Revelation 1:18 tells us, “I am he that liveth, and was dead; and, behold, I am alive forevermore, Amen; and have the keys of hell and of death.” Simply put, God is indisputably in control of life and death, Heaven and Hell, and is in control of this universe, which he brought into existence by His Word.
Deuteronomy 32:39-41 paints a terrifying description: “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 for ever. 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.”
As a just Ruler or Judge, God must punish sin, which the Bible defines as “transgression of the law” in 1 John 3:4. The first time Christ put in his appearance was as the babe in a manger as the Savior of His people. The second time, Christ will come to execute judgment, as we also read in Jude 1:14-15, “And Enoch also, the seventh from Adam, prophesied of these, saying, Behold, the Lord cometh with ten thousands of his saints, To execute judgment upon all, and to convince all that are ungodly among them of all their ungodly deeds which they have ungodly committed, and of all their hard speeches which ungodly sinners have spoken against him.”
Because God is unbelievably patient with mankind, does not in any way diminish the fact that He hates sin and hates sinners. He absolutely will judge and punish all who are not His children in Hell. 2 Peter 2:9 states, “The Lord knoweth how to deliver the godly out of temptations, and to reserve the unjust unto the day of judgment to be punished” We also read in Psalm 7:11 “God judgeth the righteous, and God is angry with the wicked every day.”
Revelation 19:15 graphically portrays God’s wrath: “And out of his mouth goeth a sharp sword, that with it he should smite the nations: and he shall rule them with a rod of iron: and he treadeth the winepress of the fierceness and wrath of Almighty God.”