1. Do you ever get angry? Describe what is different about your anger and God's. Please illustrate.

2. I am sure that you would agree that at some point God shows His anger toward those who reject him-at least in hell. But when does God's anger begin? Only after you die? One minute before you die? A year before you die? When you are born? When you are old enough to know better?

3. Please read the chapter aloud.

4. There is an interesting passage in Psalm 5: 4-6 that speaks of God's anger. Here it is:

For you are not a God who takes pleasure in wickedness, nor shall evil dwell with You. The boastful shall not stand in Your sight; You hate all workers of iniquity. You shall destroy those who speak falsehood; The Lord abhors the bloodthirsty and deceitful man.

On the basis of this verse, do you think God loves "those who do iniquity?" For instance, does God love terrorists?

5. One of the most uncomfortable truths found in the Bible is the fact that God is angry with some people right now. I mentioned three passages (out of many) to show this. Please read those three passages found on page 17 aloud again. A lot of people will tell you that God loves you and never mention that He is angry every day with those who will not come to Him by faith. Have you thought about this before? Do you believe that God has often been misrepresented? What would your friends think if you told them that God actually is angry with people who are not Christians? Why?

6. God's anger grows with people who will not come to Him and persist in going their own way. Read what Romans 2: 4-6 states:

Or do you despise the riches of His goodness, forbearance, and longsuffering, not knowing that the goodness of God leads you to repentance? But in accordance with your hardness and your impenitent heart you are treasuring up for yourself wrath in the day of wrath and revelation of the righteous judgment of God, who "will render to each one according to his deeds" . . .

Do you believe it is possible that God is angrier with some people alive now than others who are already in hell? Would it be true that He is angrier with you than others in hell now?

7. I mention three reasons why God should be angry with you. The first was because of the sheer number of your sins. How many sins would you guess that you commit every day, on average. Go ahead, guess. And don't forget your words, thoughts, motives, and attitudes. Have you ever been ungrateful, for instance, or ever complained, or been unloving? Remember those things you should have done, but didn't, as well as what you shouldn't have done, but did. Then multiply that number times 365 to get the amount for one year. What about ten years, and fifty years? Don't you think God ought to be angry? [Leader, using a calculator for this one will help!]

8. Another reason God should be angry is because you have sinned against the highest being and the greatest command. Please read that section aloud again. (p. 19) Do you understand what I'm saying here? Try to explain it in your own words.

9. The final reason for God being angry is that you have sinned against God's greatest act of love, Christ's death on the cross. By not coming to Him on His terms you are saying with your actions that you don't actually appreciate His loving offer to you enough to do anything about it. Or, you are saying without words that it was unnecessary for Him to come and die because you plan to get to heaven on your own. Therefore, as far as your actions show, He came for nothing. I hope that I have not misrepresented you. Please put what you feel about Christ's death and your need of Him into your own words for the group. But remember, if you say you genuinely do appreciate his death and the offer of salvation by grace, yet have not come to Him, your actions speak louder than your words. Isn't that rebellion, and should it not make God angry with you? Hasn't God's loving good news become your bad news?

10. Finally, explain the idea of "propitiation." Do you believe that propitiation was necessary for you to have a hope of salvation and eternal life? If you believe it was, explain why in your own words.

11. Remember, there is hope for people like you and me.

For next week: Please read chapter four.