Jesus is either incredibly merciful, or seemingly incredibly unjustly full of wrath.

One type of person realizes Jesus is incredibly merciful. This person knows they sin, and sin often. They understand they have no ability to come to God on their own. They are broken, ashamed, and helpless before a holy God. They have done nothing worhty of anything God would give them, except His right wrath. 

But instead of giving this person what they deserve, Jesus gives them grace. He paid for their sin-debt so that they would not have to suffer the wrath of God. Jesus suffered His wrath in their stead. This is incredibly merciful.

Another person is good at following rules. So they think. They haven't done a lot wrong in their mind. They are a good person. They give money to charities, they love their kids, they respect their parents, whatever. They've never killed anyone, they try to treat others the way they want to be treated. And when they are faced with Jesus, they don't really believe they need Him. They've been good enough on their own. In their mind, if they could just do more good things than bad, then God would love them. Or maybe if they could just be better than anyone else they know, then God would accept them.

When this person stands in judgment, Jesus' wrath on them would seem unjust. They tried their best. They worked their hardest. But Jesus still condemned them and poured out His wrath on them.

The thing they didn't realize is that people are not supposed to just be better than other people or just good enough in order to be with God. No, people have to be as good as God in order to be with Him.

Jesus is either incredibly merciful, or seemingly incredibly wrathful.

I guess this is why the old saying goes, "People have to be lost before they're found."

Jacob