Here is a question the Desiring God blog asked today (2-14-07) (www.desiringgod.org)

“What difference does it make whether we have a right view of God's wrath? What happens to the gospel if we ignore that God is very angry at sin? How can knowing this make us happier, more loving people?” – Desiring God Blog

My response:

       Corinthians 3:18 states the more you behold God's Glory the more you are transformed into the image of Christ. The wrath of God is one of God's Glories. Just as when wrath or vengeance of a good government can be see when administered on evil people, so that justice is severed. When we see this we see the beauty and or Glory of justice and hatred of evil. Again the point is the wrath and hatred are Glories which belong to God. In order to love my must hate and experience wrath. Example because you love your child you would hate the person who sexually abused your little child. In this case wrath of the evil is the proof that your love for your child is sincere. God loves Himself above and things, and also loves His children He created. Therefore God has wrath against those things, which opposes the things He loves. The conclusion of this thought is this: (1) because we love God and wish to be changed into the image of Christ, and (2) because God's wrath is one of His Glories, (3) then we must admire God for His Wrath and behold this Glory of His by the eyes of our mind, heart and faith.

       Also, NKJ Revelation 19:1, "After these things I heard a loud voice of a great multitude in heaven, saying, "Alleluia! Salvation and glory and honor and power belong to the Lord our God! 2 "For true and righteous are His judgments, because He has judged the great harlot who corrupted the earth with her fornication; and He has avenged on her the blood of His servants shed by her." 3 Again they said, "Alleluia! Her smoke rises up forever and ever!"

       This means even the gentlest grandmother one day will sing praise to God and shout in joy to see the wrath of God visibly administrated on the wicked. It serves us well then to train and fit ourselves for Heaven to meet our King, while on earth. This means we should read and study about the wrath and justice of God now and learn to admire Him for it. (Example: Reading the "Attributes of God" by A. W. Pink) It is a contradiction to say you love God and not hate the things He hates. We must hate all sin and wickedness and all things, which oppose God and futhermore admire our God when we see His wrath toward these things. This is true friendship and conformity to Christ. "For it is the necessary consequence of true esteem and love, that we value others' esteem of the same object, and dislike the contrary. For the same reason, God approves of others' esteem and love of himself." (Jonathan Edwards, "The End for which God Created the World", Banner of Truth Trust, Works of Jonathan Edwards, 1995)

       Any knowledge about God, in itself, will make us happier. The reason for this is that God is infinitely beautiful. If the wrath of God does not seem to be beautiful to us, then it due to our inner corruption and not because of God's divine character. But in a more practical since the knowledge about the wrath of God should spur us into stronger personal holiness, because it should stir in us a healthy fear of God. Likewise it should spur us to share the Gospel to others so that no person has to endure the fate of the fierceness of the Wrath of God. For I believe few ponder what it will be to have a Being who as "infinite" power to be your enemy!

      If we ignore the wrath of God the shimmer and true beauty of God's mercy is diminished. This is a major problem, seeing that it is our praising God for His mercy and grace, which is why God came in the first place to save us. (Ephesians 1:6, Romans 15:9, "Christ became a servant... that the Gentiles might glorify God for His mercy.")