Ephesians 5:6
“See that no one deceives you with empty words, for because of these things the wrath of God comes upon the sons of disobedience.”
"Because of these things the wrath of God comes". What things? This chapter begins with how we are to walk in love and that sexual immorality, impurity and greed aren't to be mentioned among us. These things are bringing the wrath of God.
God is holy, which means clean and right in Christ. These things go against God's design. Using a flashlight as a hammer will damage it. When we go against God's design we get damaged. That damage is one form of God's wrath. It's a more merciful form as it happens in this life. It's intended to warn us against the eternal wrath on the other side, so we will repent.
Sowing and reeping is another merciful manifestation of the wrath of God. We may be unkind. If so, we will be treated unkindly. This hurts and is intended to turn us to God for healing. As we receive it, we learn that we are to be kind.
Some don't take that warning, but harden their hearts and double down on their unkindness. Jesus says this will especially be the case in the end times. "But because lawlessness is to be multiplied, the love of the many will grow cold", (Matthew 24:12).
Many will not accept this scriptural logic, that the wrath of God is coming because of this. They try to say that God is a fairy tale as well as His commands. They repeat it so much that they believe it. They deceive themselves.
God is trying to reach everyone. Believers have opened their hearts to Him. We are walking with Him daily. As long as we are on this earth, we will have areas that need work. He patiently works on them. He brings our attention to them and assists us to work them out. We may have areas worthy of wrath, but He helps us remove them. Believers have been forgiven, so even though we still struggle with sin, we aren't under judgement, but grace. He completely accepts us, even while He works sin out of our lives. That's a big difference in christianity. We don't have to worry about being struck down. We are walking in grace.
He also reaches out to nonbelievers in love. They may be hostile towards Him, He still has a loving arm reached out (Romans 5:10).
There are some things that provoke His wrath; hurting the innocent and powerless. The scripture speaks much about how God looks out for the widow and the orphan. Psalm 146:9 says, "For the LORD protects foreigners; He sustains the fatherless and the widow, but the ways of the wicked He frustrates." Taking advantage of the helpless will bring God's wrath upon us. We are to reach out and help them.
Lord, thank You that You've forgiven us and spared us from Your wrath. Help us to walk in Your grace.