Warnings of judgment are not exactly exciting or what we want to hear when we come together for worship as God’s church on a Sunday. We want to be told of God’s love, we want to hear the good news of God’s blessing, we want to be comforted. But before we dismiss Amos as a relic of the past, a message from the so‑called God of the Old Testament and not the God of the New Testament, we should realize that the New Testament contains the same teaching. Privilege will not save you from God’s judgment and judgment is certain for those who ignore God.

In the letter written to the Hebrews there are repeated warnings about the deceitfulness of sin. Be careful that you do not have an unbelieving heart leading you to fall away from the living God (Hebrews 3:12). Beware that you are not someone who has tasted the goodness of God’s word and the powers of the age to come—there is no salvation if you should fall away (Hebrews 6:4–6). Do not be like those who shrink back and are destroyed (Hebrews 10:39). From this we see that knowledge of the gospel is not the same as true faith. (For a clear definition of what true faith is, see Heidelberg Catechism Lord's Day 7.) Jesus himself, when speaking to his disciples, said something similar. In John 15:1–27 he talked about branches that are cut off and thrown into the fire when they bear no fruit. In the letters of Revelation that warning is also given in the letters to the churches.

Amos’s message of judgment is somewhat repetitive and unwelcome but that repetition is necessary. We need to hear this warning. And like Israel, we need to hear this warning again and again and again so that the Holy Spirit may convince us of its truth because it is a message which we struggle to accept. We would much rather convince ourselves that the love of God excuses us from the need for any kind of obedience or repentance. We are quick to believe the lie that says our privileges will save us from God’s judgment. As long as I go to church, as long as I am present whenever we celebrate holy communion and I give my tithe, well then I will be okay. That is all God really wants from me, the rest of the time I can do as I please. Love wins is the message on T‑shirts and bumper stickers. We do not need to be scared of warnings of judgment, we have moved beyond such times; let us focus instead on those comforting promises.

It is certainly true that we must emphasize the promises of God in our preaching. We must encourage hearers to know that there really is forgiveness of sins where there is true faith in Jesus Christ. But this promise must not stop us from also sounding the warning of Amos: there is no salvation for those who live in sin and unbelief.