I am a sinner

Colossians 3:6–8 NASB95

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. But now you also, put them all aside: anger, wrath, malice, slander, and abusive speech from your mouth.

성경전서 개역개정판 3장

이것들로 말미암아 하나님의 1)진노가 임하느니라

7 너희도 전에 그 가운데 살 때에는 그 가운데서 행하였으나

8 이제는 너희가 이 모든 것을 벗어 버리라 곧 분함과 노여움과 악의와 비방과 너희 입의 부끄러운 말이라

Everyone was under the wrath of God (3:6-7)

Trust in the Grace of God (3:8)

1. INTRODUCTION

a. The wrath of God is not a popular topic but one topic we must understand well for us to comprehend the depth of the Gospel. The wrath of God can simply be understood as God’s intense hatred towards all sin. The wrath of God is an uncomfortable topic because it applies to everyone but the believer. Before we were believers, we were all under the judgment of God’s wrath but now as believers, we have received forgiveness and are free from God’s wrath. Again, to understand the Gospel in its fullest capacity, we must understand God’s wrath. We must understand how much God hates sin. And in understanding how much God hates sin, the amazing part is how patient He is despite His angers towards it. This is what causes us to be thankful. Although we are/were guilty of the wrath to come, He has delivered us from this impending judgment.

2. BODY

a. Everyone was under the wrath of God (3:6-7)

i. Paul writes in verse 6 that it is these things that the wrath of God will come upon the sons of disobedience. Now we think about this and we think to ourselves that these things, the things in verse 5, the things our earthly bodies have died to, these are the reasons why the sons of disobedience will receive the wrath of God.

ii. When we read this, we think that this is far from believers. It is true that it is far from the believer, because these things are the reasons that were overcome for the believer. This is why Paul directs his language toward the sons of disobedience. It is those who do not know Christ and reject Christ.

iii. What we see immediately here are two groups of people. By Paul’s writing here, we see the sons of disobedience and if there’s disobedience, then there has to be the sons of obedience. Now what’s important about this distinction is that, I don’t see a difference between the sons of obedience and disobedience. Why? Because the things that are written in verse 5 are still true of the believer.

iv. If we say that these things are not true, then we don’t understand the wretchedness of our souls. This goes back to our fundamental understanding of God’s grace. What is the difference between the believer and the unbeliever? We might know things about God and we might know who God is. But fundamentally, there is no difference between the believer and unbeliever. If we had the power to look at the human mind and soul, there is no difference in the believer and unbeliever. The only thing that sets the unbeliever and the believer apart is one simple fact. It is that the believer trusts in the work of Christ and because the believer believes in the finished work of Christ, we are forgiven.

v. This is what makes the Gospel so beautiful. We must understand that although our sins have been forgiven, we are still sinners. Before we were sinners, we were blind sinners. After we have come to know the grace of God and have been saved by His grace, we are redeemed sinners. The simple fact is, the title that we have has not changed. We are still sinners.

vi. The greatest truth of the Christian faith is that we must understand this point and we must never forget it. If we don’t think deeply about the depth of our sin and our own wretchedness, we take away from the Gospel. If we have a soft view of sin, especially a soft view of my sin, then I don’t have a deep understanding of the Gospel.

vii. I think this is where the believer truly experiences the grace of God. We might know the Gospel and we might know of the great work of Christ, but for us to experience the grace of God in our lives, we must first truly understand the depth and wretchedness of our sin. We must not overlook this part of the Gospel. If we are to truly appreciate the Gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ, we must recognize how far from the Gospel we have strayed away from. We must know that we were once lost, but now we are found.

viii. The greater our view of our sin, the greater the understanding of God’s grace. If we feel cold in our understanding of God and we feel distant from God and we feel like we don’t really know God, it’s because we don’t have a firm view of our sin. Our realization of our sinfulness will help us understand how great a salvation we have received in Christ.

ix. This is why Paul is telling us in verse 6, that it is because of these things, the same things that every believer commits and still lives with, these are the things and reason that the wrath of God will come upon them. You see, if we look at those things on the list, and we look at our own lives, we would have to succumb to the reality that we too are guilty.

x. This is why he writes in verse 7, and in them you also once walked when you were living in them. Look at that statement in verse 7. We too, would fall under the wrath of God. But in the words of Paul, in verse 3, because we have tied in Christ and we are hidden in Christ, we have been forgiven. Paul’s point is, had it not been for His forgiveness, we would also receive the wrath of God. Paul’s statement is universal in that everyone, apart from those who have been called to be children of God, all would receive the wrath of God.

xi. The reality is, there’s no difference visible difference between the believer and the unbeliever. And the encouraging part about verse 7 is that Paul writes it in the past. We once walked and when we were living in them means that was who we were without Christ. It doesn’t mean that we don’t still do those things. Not at all, but that is not our status anymore. Paul is telling us our status has changed and that is why we should strive not to be like this anymore.

xii. Paul’s point here is that, unless we recognize our new position in Christ, we will never stop living our old lives. So much of Christendom is this idea that Christians must not live like unbelievers. While this is true, we must not live like unbelievers, it misses the point of the Gospel. The Gospel is not primarily an outward change, but an inward changes that brings about outward change.

xiii. So many people think that Christians should be outwardly good people and because people are outwardly good people, they must be Christian because that’s what happens when you become Christian. But that’s not necessarily true. A true Christian is a person who has been redeemed from their sins. It is a person who is no longer held responsible for his/her sin because Christ has bore those sins upon Himself on the cross. Their position in Christ has changed because they have become hidden in Christ. This new nature, this status is what saves the Christian and because of this change, the person tries to live according to what Christ has done. The outward behavior is a mere response to the inward change that has occurred. We must not think that once a person has been saved, that this person now must be perfect. No, not at all. Rather, as we grow in our sanctification, we change because our love for Christ grows. Sanctification cannot happen without the growth of one’s love for Christ. We will never turn away from our sins if we don’t grow in our love for Christ. As we grow in our love for Christ, How do we recognize our love for Christ? When we recognize how great His love is for me when He died for my sins on the cross. When we recognize how great our sins are and how great His love is, that is when our sanctification grows. This is what causes me to live my life for Christ.

b. Trust in the Grace of God (3:8)

i. Verse 8 begins with But now. As you know from Pauline literature, “but now” means Gospel. Although you were living in them, you lived like the sons of disobedience, but now. But now is all that has changed. God has done the work. He has made you alive with Christ. Because of Him, now, we are called to put them all aside.

ii. It’s an amazing calling here that God demands out of His children. We are not to make excuses by saying that we can’t. We can’t just say I am a sinner and I have no control over these things. No, we are supposed to trust and rely on the finished work of Christ and trust that through Him, we can turn away from these things.

iii. Remember, nothing has changed except the but now. Now, because of Christ, we are called to put aside these things. You must put to death these things and it is only through His strength that we can put away these things.

iv. Paul uses the first three words to describe the inward change that must take place in the believer. Paul uses anger, wrath, and malice. Paul’s purpose here is to explain the attitude of anger and ill will towards others that leads to hasty and nasty speech. Paul is attacking the heart because that’s where all change must happen. Christianity is not merely a change in the outside but a complete change in the heart. Through the change and new birth of the heart, the outward actions change. This is why Paul follows the inward condition with slander and abusive speech.

v. This goes against much of the world religions today that believe that the purpose of all religion is merely to be better people. Christians even think that being a Christian means being a better person, a more moral person. But Paul is telling us otherwise. Paul is telling us that our hearts must be changed. It is only through the new birth, the work of the Lord Jesus Christ and the work of the Holy Spirit that the inward man is renewed and can result in outward change. If the inward man is not changed, the outward change will not last.

vi. Paul reminds us that the “but now” is what changes us. Although we were dead in our sins, but now, through the finished work of Jesus Christ on the cross and through His resurrection, we have the ability to change because of Him. This is why we must trust in Him, continually because apart from Him, we will continually fail in our flesh.

3. CONCLUSION