According to Webster, a conundrum is any puzzling question or problem. The Bible is filled with conundrums: things which appear to be contradictory, things which are difficult to understand, things which we cannot fully understand. Our God is a conundrum. He has chosen to reveal Himself to us in several ways: creation, angelic messengers, His interaction with various individuals in history, the holy scriptures and, of course, Jesus His Son. Despite all of this, God remains a great mystery. Without doubt, we know less about Him than there is to be known (Romans 11:33-35; Ephesians 3:16-19).
One such significant conundrum about God is found in Romans 5:9. (Please take a moment to read.) Now think about what you read. Do you see it? We teach this and preach this all the time, but often fail to see the tension, the head-scratching conflict here.
The more obvious truth is that it is by the blood of the Christ that a person is justified or declared righteous. In Christ (through faith, repentance, baptism), a person is forgiven sins and brought into a harmonious relationship with God. Salvation is made possible by the sacrificial death of the Son of God.
Now the tension. Salvation from what? Salvation from the wrath of God! So, we have the wrath of a holy God which is coming to bring destruction on mankind being turned away by the bloody death of the Son of this same God! And it is the same God who sent His Son to effect this salvation, this turning away of His wrath!
Is God confused? Is God unsure of what He wants to do with the human race? Is it “wrath,” or is it “salvation”?
This tension arises from the person of God Himself. God is holy (1 Peter 1:16), but He is love as well (1 John 4:8). His holiness calls for justice to be served on the evil doer. His love for the human race calls for mercy to be extended.
Our God is amazing, marvelous, wonderful and indescribable - He alone is God, and there is no other (Isaiah 44:6-8).
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