By Elizabeth Peak

 "Because of these things the wrath of God is coming upon the sons of disobedience, in which you yourselves once walked when you lived in them."  (Colossians 3: 6-7)

Unbelievers make up the sons of disobedience, as do erring Christians. The Hebrew writer states in Hebrews 3:18-19:

"And to who did He swear that they should not enter His rest, but to those who were disobedient? And so we see that they were not able to enter because of unbelief."

Unbelief and disobedience will keep us from Heaven. Throughout the scriptures we read about the wrath of God. His wrath will be unleashed on the sons of disobedience at the judgment. To be certain, without God’s justice, His mercy loses it’s meaning.

"You once walked", is a reminder from Paul of the spiritual condition of folks at Colosse before they became Christians. It serves as a reminder to Christians today to be steadfast in “walking in the light".

"But if we walk in the light as He is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus Christ cleanses us from all sin." (1 John 1:7)

Jesus told Nicodemus in John 3:18:

"He who believes in Him is not condemned; but he who does not believe is condemned already, because he has not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God."

Only when one believes, repents, confesses that Jesus is the Son of God, is baptized, and is raised to walk in newness of life, can he be assured of a home in Heaven when this life is over.

When a person realizes that God’s mercy, grace, and love has blotted out his sins, then he can truly rejoice. The memory of those sins may stay with the person, but the guidance he receives from the Word of God will help him walk in the light.