The wrath of God will come. Put on love. Let the peace of God rule...

Colossians 3:1-17 from the daily reading in the One Year Bible

Therefore if you have been raised up with Christ, keep seeking the things above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. ² Set your mind on the things above, not on the things that are on earth. ³ For you have died and your life is hidden with Christ in God. ⁴ When Christ, who is our life, is revealed, then you also will be revealed with Him in glory.

⁵ Therefore consider the members of your earthly body as dead to immorality, impurity, passion, evil desire, and greed, which amounts to idolatry. ⁶ For it is because of these things that the wrath of God will come upon the sons of disobedience, ⁷ and in them you also once walked, when you were living in them. ⁸ But now you also, put them all aside: anger, wrath, malice, slander, and abusive speech from your mouth. ⁹ Do not lie to one another, since you laid aside the old self with its evil practices, ¹⁰ and have put on the new self who is being renewed to a true knowledge according to the image of the One who created him— ¹¹ a renewal in which there is no distinction between Greek and Jew, circumcised and uncircumcised, barbarian, Scythian, slave and freeman, but Christ is all, and in all.

¹² So, as those who have been chosen of God, holy and beloved, put on a heart of compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience; ¹³ bearing with one another, and forgiving each other, whoever has a complaint against anyone; just as the Lord forgave you, so also should you. ¹⁴ Beyond all these things put on love, which is the perfect bond of unity. ¹⁵ Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, to which indeed you were called in one body; and be thankful. ¹⁶ Let the word of Christ richly dwell within you, with all wisdom teaching and admonishing one another with psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with thankfulness in your hearts to God. ¹⁷ Whatever you do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks through Him to God the Father.

Thankfully we live under the New Covenant in Christ, the covenant of grace through faith rather than under the law. We have been so long under grace though that some believe there is no judgment against evil and sin. In today’s text Paul says:  Consider the members of your earthly body as dead to immorality, impurity, passion, evil desire, and greed, which amounts to idolatry. For it is because of these things that the wrath of God will come upon the sons of disobedience, and in them you also once walked, when you were living in them.    Paul was convinced that God’s judgment, His wrath would still come against evil. Jesus Himself says:  “Not everyone who says to Me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ shall enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father in heaven.  Many will say to Me in that day, ‘Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in Your name, cast out demons in Your name, and done many wonders in Your name?’  And then I will declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from Me, you who practice lawlessness!’” (Matthew 7:21-23)  In Matthew 13:37-43, Jesus was asked to explain the parable of tares. He says:  “The one who sows the good seed is the Son of Man, and the field is the world; and as for the good seed, these are the sons of the kingdom; and the tares are the sons of the evil one; and the enemy who sowed them is the devil, and the harvest is the end of the age; and the reapers are angels. So just as the tares are gathered up and burned with fire, so shall it be at the end of the age. The Son of Man will send forth His angels, and they will gather out of His kingdom all stumbling blocks, and those who commit lawlessness, and will throw them into the furnace of fire; in that place there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth. Then the righteous will shine forth as the sun in the kingdom of their Father. He who has ears, let him hear.”  And in verses 47-50 He says:   “Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a dragnet cast into the sea, and gathering fish of every kind; and when it was filled, they drew it up on the beach; and they sat down and gathered the good fish into containers, but the bad they threw away. So it will be at the end of the age; the angels will come forth and take out the wicked from among the righteous, and will throw them into the furnace of fire; in that place there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.”     It would seem that Jesus Himself, the one who initiated the covenant of grace through the cross, believed and warned of God’s judgment and wrath against sin. From the very beginning, His message was:  “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.” (Matthew 4:17)  

To repent is to turn both from what you are doing and your way of thinking. It is to turn from sin, immorality, impurity, passion, evil desire, and greed, which amounts to idolatry and also to change the way you think or believe. Changing how we believe is twofold. First we must no longer believe that it is by our own works or righteousness, it is not according to the law, but it is that we believe in Jesus, that our faith is in Him and the cross.    By grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast. (Ephesians 2:8-9)    Changing how we think though is more than only trusting and believing in God’s grace. In today’s text it says:  Set your mind on the things above, not on the things that are on earth. For you have died and your life is hidden with Christ in God.    Jesus says:  “Seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you.” (Matthew 6:33)  The psalmist says:  Trust in the Lord and do good; Dwell in the land and cultivate faithfulness. Delight yourself in the Lord; And He will give you the desires of your heart. (Psalm 37:3-4)   Philippians 4:8 says:  Finally, brethren, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is of good repute, if there is any excellence and if anything worthy of praise, dwell on these things.     Changing the way we think and believe is to not think like or about the things the world does, but rather to think about God and what is good.

Today’s text says:   So, as those who have been chosen of God, holy and beloved, put on a heart of compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience;  bearing with one another, and forgiving each other, whoever has a complaint against anyone; just as the Lord forgave you, so also should you. Beyond all these things put on love, which is the perfect bond of unity. Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, to which indeed you were called in one body; and be thankful. Let the word of Christ richly dwell within you, with all wisdom teaching and admonishing one another with psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with thankfulness in your hearts to God.   We should never presume on God’s grace or forget that there will be judgment against sin. We, like Jesus should tell others: Repent for the kingdom of heaven is at hand. But we should remember what Romans 2:4 says:  Or do you think lightly of the riches of His kindness and tolerance and patience, not knowing that the kindness of God leads you to repentance?    Jesus Himself calls us not to judge, but rather to live as light in and to the world. Matthew 5:14-16 says:  “You are the light of the world. A city set on a hill cannot be hidden; nor does anyone light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on the lampstand, and it gives light to all who are in the house. Let your light shine before men in such a way that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father who is in heaven.”  

God never changes. He is still against sin and evil. Grace may be His free gift to us, but it is not without a price. Grace cost Jesus His life. We will not scare many people into the kingdom of heaven, threatening them with judgment and wrath. Rather, we should show them compassion, God’s love, His mercy and grace, the love and grace He demonstrated in the cross of Christ.  Because of the judgment of God against sin, we should live to change people’s minds, by letting them see the change in us. As Paul says:  Let the word of Christ richly dwell within you, with all wisdom teaching and admonishing one another with psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with thankfulness in your hearts to God. Whatever you do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks through Him to God the Father.      Amen.   Thank You heavenly Father, Lord Jesus Christ and precious Holy Spirit.   Amen.