In response to the controversy within the church over the character of God, Pacific Press has released a new book co-authored by TV evangelist Steve Wohlberg and Chris Lewis, a surgeon at Loma Linda University. In nine chapters with questions for reflection and conversation after each chapter, the authors set out to refute the claim that because of His love God doesn’t kill or directly punish evil. Sin punishes itself, it is said, or Satan does the punishing as soon as God removes His protective hand.

Long ago Ellen White wrote, “It is Satan’s constant effort to misrepresent the character of God, the nature of sin, and the real issues at stake in the great controversy” (GC 569). The book The Character of God seeks to demonstrate that God’s character is a blend of love, mercy, holiness, and justice. And His justice demands the punishment of sinners; thus God’s wrath against evildoers is not a passive withdrawal of His protection but an active dealing with sin and sinners.

After describing the fall of Satan in heaven (ch. 1) and the revelation of God’s character to Moses in Exodus 34 (ch. 2), the authors use the golden-calf episode in Exodus 32 to show that the death of the three thousand men (v. 28) was the result of God’s direct order. Moses told the Levites, “Thus says the LORD God of Israel: ‘Let every man put his sword on his side, and go in and out from entrance to entrance throughout the camp, and let every man kill his brother, every man his companion, and every man his neighbor.’ So the sons of Levi did according to the word of Moses” (vv. 27, 28). In addition, the authors quote Ellen White who wrote, “Those who performed this terrible work of judgment were acting by divine authority, executing the sentence of the King of heaven” (PP 324).

In the same chapter (ch. 3), Wohlberg and Lewis explain the often-cited statement of Ellen White who said, “God destroys no man. Everyone who is destroyed will have destroyed himself” (COL 84). While this seems to support the God-does-not-kill position, the authors explain that because all those who are destroyed have refused the offer of mercy, therefore, their death is their own fault (p. 45). And it is in this sense that they understand Ellen White’s statement in Christ’s Object Lessons.

God-does-not-kill advocates claim that the wrath of God “merely means that the Lord decides to stop restraining the fury of nature, or the effects of sin upon sinners, or the machinations of the devil himself” (p. 51). While it is certainly true that God at times expresses His wrath by hiding His face and removing His protection (Deut 31:16, 17; Rom 1:24-28), this does not mean that He always responds in this way. In the case of the Sodomites, for example, God gave them up to their sexual perversions, but after a time He also punished them. The Bible says, “Then the LORD rained brimstone and fire on Sodom and Gomorrah, from the LORD out of the heavens” (Gen 19:24). It was clearly God’s action that destroyed Sodom and Gomorrah.

Wohlberg and Lewis cite several other biblical cases of God’s direct action in the punishment of sinners (pp. 58-63): (1) Nadab and Abihu – After they had offered profane fire contrary to God’s specific instructions, “fire went out from the LoRd and devoured them, and they died before the LoRd” (Lev 10:2). It was the LoRd who sent the fire, not Satan; (2) Ananias and Sapphira – They lied to Peter and fell down dead (Acts 5:5, 10). It is evident that their death was not due to natural causes. Commenting on their death, Ellen White wrote, “Infinite Wisdom saw that this signal manifestation of the wrath of God was necessary to guard the young church from becoming demoralized” (AA 73); (3) Herod – The Bible clearly states that “an angel of the Lord struck him, because he did not give glory to God. And he was eaten by worms and died” (Acts 12:23). In each case, “God acted justly against willful, blatant sin” (p. 63).

Other chapters in the book deal with the law of God as the standard by which the lives of men will be tested in the judgment (ch. 5); with the death of Jesus as our Substitute (ch. 6); and what the righteousness of Christ means for us individually (ch. 7). The last two chapters deal with the close of probation (ch. 8) and the final judgment (ch. 9). The seven last plagues after the close of probation are declared to be “the seven bowls of the wrath of God” (Rev 16:1), His judgments (16:9) over which He has power (16:9). And at the executive judgment after the millennium “fire came down from God out of heaven and devoured them” (20:9). In other words, “the final retribution comes ‘from God’ not from sin, sinners, or Satan” (p. 148).

The Character of God is a well-written volume that takes Scripture and the writings of Ellen White seriously. It presents a consistent picture of God and is not afraid to deal with tough questions. It deals comprehensively with God’s character, His love, mercy, and righteousness, as well as with His justice and wrath. While not all readers will agree with the conclusions reached, every minister and church member confronted with the God-does-not-kill argument will benefit from a prayerful study of this book.