Colossians 3:12-17
Put on then, as God's chosen ones, holy and beloved, compassionate hearts, kindness, humility, meekness, and patience. Bearing with one another and, if one has a complaint against another, forgiving each other, as the Lord has forgiven you, so you also must forgive. And above all these put on love, which binds everything together in perfect harmony. And which indeed you were called in one body. And be thankful. Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly, teaching and admonishing one another in all wisdom, singing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, with thankfulness in your hearts to God. And whatever you do, in word or deed, do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him.
In the previous post we talked about the change that takes place if we are true "Followers of Jesus Christ". If we truly have had that "Godly Sorrow" that comes from the convicting power of the Holy Spirit to come upon us. Then through that "Godly Sorrow" we are led to repentance of our sins and asking God to save us. Believing and trusting fully in Jesus Christ as our Lord. If that has truly happened there is a lifestyle that we die to. The Apostle Paul clearly states in verses 5 through 11 that there are sinful desires that must be "Put to Death". This can be accomplished as we allow the power of the Holy Spirit to work within us. In Romans Chapter 8 verses 10 and 11 we can read:
But, if Christ is in you, although the body is dead because of sin, the Spirit is life because of righteousness. If the Spirit of him (God) who raised Jesus from the dead dwells in you, he who raised Christ Jesus from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through his Spirit who dwells in you.
Wow! We have the same spirit within us that raised Jesus from the dead! Amazing to think about isn't it? But we so many times walk around defeated and we are so easily entangled with sins that we should have put to death long ago. We read in verses 5 through 11 the sins that we are to "Put to Death" or to put off. But just as we are to put these sins off we are to put something on that helps us combat the temptations that Satan continuously comes after us with. The following is an example of the change that occurs if we truly are saved and allowing the power of the Spirit of God to work in our lives.
First, Paul tells us in verse 12 our position in Jesus Christ. We are one of God's. We reference Romans Chapter 8 again starting with verse 14 and going through verse 17:
For all who are led by the Spirit of God are sons of God. For you did not receive the spirit of slavery to fall back into fear, but you have received the Spirit of adoption as sons, by whom we cry, "Abba Father!" The Spirit himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God. And if children, then heirs--heirs of God and fellow heirs with Christ, provided we suffer with him in order that we may also be glorified with him.
As God's beloved children we are to put on Holiness. We are not to allow anything to impede that holiness that should be exhibited with in our lives. We demonstrate this holiness through having a compassionate heart, kindness, humility, meekness and patience. Do those traits sound familiar? In Galatians chapter 5 verses 22 and 23 it states that the "Fruit of the Spirit" are love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control; against such things there is no law.
True salvation exhibits a new life. Our thoughts, our desires and our actions are totally different. Jesus tells us in Matthew Chapter 7 that we will know not only "Followers of Christ" but people who confess to be "Followers of Christ" by the fruit they bear. Let's do some fruit inspecting. Is your or my life demonstrating the fruits that were mentioned above and in these verses we are looking at?
In verse 13 Paul makes a great statement we all should take heed of. Remember Paul is writing to Christians here and for him to make this statement in verse 13 there must be some conflict going on. Paul states along with the characteristics we should have in verse 12 that we also should "be bearing with one another". We should be patient with one another, we should be forgiving towards one another because of what the Lord has forgiven us for.
Evidently the same situations that occur today occurred back then. Sometimes when I witness to someone this is a topic that comes up. There is so much fighting between so called Christians why would I want any part of that. God wants unity amongst his people. Read Ephesians Chapter 4 and see the desire for unity. Read Jesus' priestly prayer recorded in the Gospel of John Chapter 17 as Jesus cries out to God the Father in desiring that all his followers become one as Jesus and the Father are one.
Jesus teaches us in Mark Chapter 3:25 that even though he is being accused of being possessed by the devil and casting out demons by satan, Jesus states a house divided cannot stand. This would hold true to the Christian Church too. What brings this unity to fruition? One word "Love". In verse 14 above everything else put on LOVE! This binds all other things together. and brings in perfect harmony. This does not mean we forsake principle but we do all things with Love at the forefront.
How does this come about? Well, let's look at verses 15 to 17.
In Christ Alone,
Dale A. Jennings
Put on then, as God's chosen ones, holy and beloved, compassionate hearts, kindness, humility, meekness, and patience. Bearing with one another and, if one has a complaint against another, forgiving each other, as the Lord has forgiven you, so you also must forgive. And above all these put on love, which binds everything together in perfect harmony. And which indeed you were called in one body. And be thankful. Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly, teaching and admonishing one another in all wisdom, singing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, with thankfulness in your hearts to God. And whatever you do, in word or deed, do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him.
In the previous post we talked about the change that takes place if we are true "Followers of Jesus Christ". If we truly have had that "Godly Sorrow" that comes from the convicting power of the Holy Spirit to come upon us. Then through that "Godly Sorrow" we are led to repentance of our sins and asking God to save us. Believing and trusting fully in Jesus Christ as our Lord. If that has truly happened there is a lifestyle that we die to. The Apostle Paul clearly states in verses 5 through 11 that there are sinful desires that must be "Put to Death". This can be accomplished as we allow the power of the Holy Spirit to work within us. In Romans Chapter 8 verses 10 and 11 we can read:
But, if Christ is in you, although the body is dead because of sin, the Spirit is life because of righteousness. If the Spirit of him (God) who raised Jesus from the dead dwells in you, he who raised Christ Jesus from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through his Spirit who dwells in you.
Wow! We have the same spirit within us that raised Jesus from the dead! Amazing to think about isn't it? But we so many times walk around defeated and we are so easily entangled with sins that we should have put to death long ago. We read in verses 5 through 11 the sins that we are to "Put to Death" or to put off. But just as we are to put these sins off we are to put something on that helps us combat the temptations that Satan continuously comes after us with. The following is an example of the change that occurs if we truly are saved and allowing the power of the Spirit of God to work in our lives.
First, Paul tells us in verse 12 our position in Jesus Christ. We are one of God's. We reference Romans Chapter 8 again starting with verse 14 and going through verse 17:
For all who are led by the Spirit of God are sons of God. For you did not receive the spirit of slavery to fall back into fear, but you have received the Spirit of adoption as sons, by whom we cry, "Abba Father!" The Spirit himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God. And if children, then heirs--heirs of God and fellow heirs with Christ, provided we suffer with him in order that we may also be glorified with him.
As God's beloved children we are to put on Holiness. We are not to allow anything to impede that holiness that should be exhibited with in our lives. We demonstrate this holiness through having a compassionate heart, kindness, humility, meekness and patience. Do those traits sound familiar? In Galatians chapter 5 verses 22 and 23 it states that the "Fruit of the Spirit" are love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control; against such things there is no law.
True salvation exhibits a new life. Our thoughts, our desires and our actions are totally different. Jesus tells us in Matthew Chapter 7 that we will know not only "Followers of Christ" but people who confess to be "Followers of Christ" by the fruit they bear. Let's do some fruit inspecting. Is your or my life demonstrating the fruits that were mentioned above and in these verses we are looking at?
In verse 13 Paul makes a great statement we all should take heed of. Remember Paul is writing to Christians here and for him to make this statement in verse 13 there must be some conflict going on. Paul states along with the characteristics we should have in verse 12 that we also should "be bearing with one another". We should be patient with one another, we should be forgiving towards one another because of what the Lord has forgiven us for.
Evidently the same situations that occur today occurred back then. Sometimes when I witness to someone this is a topic that comes up. There is so much fighting between so called Christians why would I want any part of that. God wants unity amongst his people. Read Ephesians Chapter 4 and see the desire for unity. Read Jesus' priestly prayer recorded in the Gospel of John Chapter 17 as Jesus cries out to God the Father in desiring that all his followers become one as Jesus and the Father are one.
Jesus teaches us in Mark Chapter 3:25 that even though he is being accused of being possessed by the devil and casting out demons by satan, Jesus states a house divided cannot stand. This would hold true to the Christian Church too. What brings this unity to fruition? One word "Love". In verse 14 above everything else put on LOVE! This binds all other things together. and brings in perfect harmony. This does not mean we forsake principle but we do all things with Love at the forefront.
How does this come about? Well, let's look at verses 15 to 17.
- Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts. It is not about us or our desires or our wants. It is all about Jesus. We take our life and exchange it for his allowing him to have rule over our hearts. This means to allow him to lead, allow him to move us in his direction for the best of the Kingdom.
- Let the Word of Christ dwell in you richly, teaching and admonishing one another in all wisdom. Get in the Bible! Read it, Study it and submerse yourself in it. It is the way of life. God gave us his precious Word to reveal his character to us but also to show us what it looks like in glorifying him through our life.
- Worship and be Thankful. Praise God for who he is. Worship him in song, voice and lifestyle. Be thankful in that he saved you from the pits of Hell. God poured the punishment for our sin upon his own son on the cross of Calvary.
- Serve. Be a servant. In 2 Corinthians we read that God has given us the ministry of reconciliation. Therefore we are ministers of reconciliation and ambassadors of Jesus Christ as if God is making his appeal through us. Through our speech and our deeds God should be glorifed that others will come to know Jesus Christ as Lord.
In Christ Alone,
Dale A. Jennings
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