ECCLESIOLOGICAL ETCHINGS
August 6, 2025
In Sunday’s sermon based on Colossians 3, there were a number of things I would have enjoyed discussing if I could have preached for two hours. One of the lines that often catches the ear of the listener is from vs. 6 where we read, “On account of these, the wrath of God is coming on those who are disobedient.” The Apostle Paul (or possibly one of his students writing after Paul’s death) listed some not-so-good behaviors and then brought down the wrath of God on the disobedient. What exactly is the wrath of God? The quick answer from your average person will probably include some fire and anger that seek to crush the one who has made poor choices. The Greek word we translate as wrath comes from the Greek verb that means to swell or push against. For some people, it is thought to mean that God is about ready to unleash whatever anger is brewing inside of God. Though the scriptures speak of God’s anger on many occasions, I don’t necessarily believe God is angry. In fact, 1st John 4 speaks of perfect love casting out all fear. I believe God’s love is perfect, so it seems logical that God’s perfect love and anger could not exist within God. I would also suggest that wrath is actually God’s perfect love expanding to the point of it brushing up against certain aspects of our lives that do not align with God. Have you ever done something that did not align with God, yet you made excuses, danced around the implications, or stood strong in your denial? In time, was there an uncomfortableness about the experience? Did you feel a weight on your conscience? I believe wrath is in fact love, but there are times when our inability to acknowledge our choices that go against God can leave us feeling the weight of that love to the point of discomfort. At no point was God anything but loving, but love can sure cause some internal agony. A lot of churches like to toss around the wrath of God to stir some fear among the congregants. Intimidation dressed in anxiety-producing images of God is always an excellent tool to keep the masses in line, but I do not believe such things align with Jesus, who was described as the visible sign of the invisible God. Take Zacchaeus for instance. He was a tax collector who had taken advantage of people, yet Jesus did not unleash fire from heaven upon him. Jesus shared a meal, and I have a feeling that the love pushed hard on the soul of Zacchaeus. In fact, it changed him, and before the second course of the lunch, he was making amends and promising to pay back double what he had taken from people. Pure love can confront us in a pretty dramatic way, often causing discomfort. Yet in the end, it is only seeking our redemption. That is a pretty different understanding of wrath than what most people might have.
Your loving kindness is beyond amazing, except in those moments when I don’t like how it is challenging my sense of faithfulness. O God of Heaven, I trust that you want only the best for me, which might include some moments when my judgmental or even unjust actions come up against your immeasurable love. Thank you for always loving me, even when I have yet to acknowledge my need for real change. Amen.
