Ready or Not
The third chapter of Colossians lists activities connected with "your earthly nature" that are to be "put to death." The Apostle Paul, who wrote this letter to the believers in Colossia, instructed the reader to no longer be involved in "sexual immorality, impurity, lust, evil desires and greed." He also included the instruction to get "rid" of "anger, rage, malice, slander, and filthy language from your lips." According to the Apostle, these sins were the reason why "the wrath of God is coming."
I must admit that when I consider Colossians 3, this section of the chapter is normally my focus. I tend to overlook the encouragement to "clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience." No matter how much I try to become more Christian, I continue to focus more on my faults and those things I should not be doing rather than Paul's admonishment to "Forgive as the Lord forgave you."
But this morning, the Holy Spirit graciously directed my attention to the first part of Colossians 3. Whenever I follow the Spirit, I get blessed. The first couple of sentences of this chapter tell us to set our hearts and our minds "on things above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God." If you have regularly attended church, you have likely heard that scripture.
We know that Jesus Christ, the Son of God, joined us humans here on earth to glorify the Father by living a sinless human life, dying as a sacrifice for the sins of all the rest of us humans, and rising from the grave on the third day. After rising to life, defeating hell and the grave, our victorious Savior ascended to heaven, and God gave Him a seat at His right hand. Paul says that we should focus our hearts and minds on things associated with our Christ and the Father God above. In other words, there are many things for us to focus on in this life, but what we should be spending our thoughts and devotion on are God's Kingdom and the Lord who rules over that kingdom.
But that is not the best part. The best part comes in verse three: "For you died, and your life is now hidden with Christ in God." I will admit that the verse does not start with a bang. All that about you dying and such. But since you died with Christ, you are hidden with Him as well in God. What does that mean?
Those who have believed on Jesus Christ as their Lord are hidden with Christ in God. But what are they hidden from?
Believer, when you place your faith in the Lord Jesus Christ, you identify with Him in His death. In essence, you said, "Jesus, I acknowledge that you died a death that I should have died. The penalty for sin should have been on me, but instead I put down my pride and acknowledged that You died for me, because I could not save myself." Once you have done that, you die with Him. But then, if you died with Him, you were also raised with Him. Your willingness to identify with Christ Jesus in death also connects you to His resurrection. Just as Jesus defeated death and the grave, you also, through the same power that raised Christ from the dead, are raised to new life in Him. You are no longer your own. You belong to Him.
For some, belonging to Christ Jesus might sound a little nauseating. We want to be our own. We want to be in control. We don't want to be owned. We don't want to be slaves or servants or even children. We want to be parents. If that is you, I encourage you to check your pride. It might lead you right to hell. That's heavy for this good news. Let's get back to it.
Your new life is hidden with Christ, and Christ is hidden in God. Hidden from what? Are we hidden from sin? Not at all. Sin is still committed. How about the devil or evil? Nope. We have plenty of that right here in the world. Are we hidden from trial and tribulation? Absolutely not!
What is the believer's life hidden from when faith is placed in the Lord Jesus Christ? What was it that Paul wrote about all those things we should put to death, sexual immorality, greed, lust, and the rest? What are they calling forth? "Because of these, the wrath of God is coming." The believer is hidden from the wrath that is to come. The penalty for sin is death. Holiness cannot exist with corruption. Perfection will not exist eternally with the defiled. The wrath of God will come and rectify every wrongdoing.
When that wrath comes, the believer will be hidden from it. Why? Because of Jesus! The wrath of God has no power over Christ Jesus. So when the wrath is going throughout all creation to find all unholy things, it won't find you.
God, in His loving kindness, has given us an illustration of the principle of being hidden from wrath. The death angel that visited Egypt during Pharaoh's rebellion against God went throughout the land and took the lives of every firstborn. But God had instructed the Jews to take the blood of a lamb and spread it on the doorpost of their homes. That night, when the angel came to take the firstborn, if the angel saw the blood on the doorposts, it would pass over the house and not enter it. The people within that home were hidden from the wrath that was being poured out on Egypt due to Pharaoh's hard heart.
In the same manner, Christian, your life in Christ is hidden. When the ultimate wrath of God is poured out on all creation to purify it for eternity, you will be hidden with Christ in God. The wrath will look for impurity, but what it will see instead is the blood of the spotless, perfect, holy Lamb of God sacrificed for you. That means you will not face God's wrath or the ultimate penalty - death. Praise the Lord! Hallelujah! Amen and Amen!
Our Lord is great and greatly to be praised! And there is more! Paul goes on to state, "When Christ, who is your life, appears, then you also will appear with him in glory." Believer, you are hidden in Christ. The wrath of God will not come against you. But when it is time for Christ to appear, like an eagle who unfurls his wings, Jesus will raise His arms in glory, and there you will be revealed with Him in His glory! When Christ, the King of kings and Lord of lords, appears, you, once hidden with Him in God, will be revealed in the glory of your Savior and Lord. What a wonderful picture. I can't wait.
If you are not a believer, I encourage you to seek God with your whole heart. You alone cannot stand against the wrath of God to come. Jesus Christ died for you so that you would not have to. Place your faith and trust in Him and get the best hiding place there is in the whole universe!