Consequences

Consequences

Colossians 3:22–25

22 Slaves, obey those who are your human masters in everything, not with eye-service, as people-pleasers, but with sincerity of heart, fearing the Lord.
23 Whatever you do, do your work heartily, as for the Lord and not for people,
24 knowing that it is from the Lord that you will receive the reward of the inheritance. It is the Lord Christ whom you serve.
25 For the one who does wrong will receive the consequences of the wrong which he has done, and that without partiality. (NASB 2020)

In Colossians 3 Paul is calling the saints toward godly behavior. Such behavior does not impact their eternal state or their ongoing relationship with God, but it does have an effect on other people.

In this passage, Paul is advising those who are in service roles (first-century Roman slavery was unlike slavery in antebellum America) to work hard and sincerely. Their motivation for this is nothing fleshly. It is to be the Lord. They are urged to work well and hard because they are children of God and citizens of heaven who will share in the inheritance of Jesus Christ.

He says that in truth, it is Christ they are serving. This is a key to understanding the passage. How is it that a first-century Roman slave, wife, husband, child, or father is serving Jesus in all they do?

As those who dwell in Christ and in whom Christ dwells, everything we do reflects Jesus to those around us. We are His ambassadors (see 2 Corinthians 5:17-21) and what we do helps others know what He is like.

The final verse in this chapter can seem unsettling, but it simply says that those who do wrong will reap the consequences. If people reject Christ, the consequences are death. If people go around sinning, there are temporal consequences whether they are saved or not. These things are true for all people. If you steal, you are subject to the laws of the land whether you are saved or not. This principle is also found in Matthew 5:45, where it says that God causes the sun to shine on the evil and the good and sends rain on the righteous and unrighteous.

Paul says it another way in Galatians 6:7–10 “Do not be deceived, God is not mocked; for whatever a person sows, this he will also reap. For the one who sows to his own flesh will reap destruction from the flesh, but the one who sows to the Spirit will reap eternal life from the Spirit. Let’s not become discouraged in doing good, for in due time we will reap, if we do not become weary. So then, while we have opportunity, let’s do good to all people, and especially to those who are of the household of the faith.” (NASB 2020)

This passage is not intended to bring fear, doubt, or guilt to believers. It’s simply encouraging us to act like who we are in Christ—holy and blameless children of God.