Living Life as a Christian

Welcome

We woke this week to a brutal attack on Israel with thousands injured and dead after early morning rocket attacks and fighting broke out. We lift up Israel before Father God this morning that he will intervene and bring peace to his people. We’ll pray for this in a few moments after we read our text for this morning.

We are continuing our study in the Book of Colossians this morning. Last week we looked at the first part of chapter 3 and studied the concepts of seeking the things above, dying to our sinful selves, and hiding our lives in Christ.

We looked at many of the sinful practices and characteristics that we need to ‘put off’ and this week we will focus on the traits and characteristics that we must ‘put on’ in order to live life as a Christian, which is to say a believer in Jesus Christ...

Colossians 3:12–17 CSB

12 Therefore, as God’s chosen ones, holy and dearly loved, put on compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience, 13 bearing with one another and forgiving one another if anyone has a grievance against another. Just as the Lord has forgiven you, so you are also to forgive. 14 Above all, put on love, which is the perfect bond of unity. 15 And let the peace of Christ, to which you were also called in one body, rule your hearts. And be thankful. 16 Let the word of Christ dwell richly among you, in all wisdom teaching and admonishing one another through psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs, singing to God with gratitude in your hearts. 17 And whatever you do, in word or in deed, do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him.

[pray]

I. Chosen by God, Holy & Dearly Loved

Part of the purpose of Paul’s letter to the church at Colossae was to encourage the believers to live a holy life, a life that could be considered worthy of the gospel of Jesus Christ. He gives us in this passage an illustration of putting on characteristic of the Christian, like garments that we put on in the morning as we get dressed.

Our text this morning focuses on the motivations that we have to make these changes in our lives.

Why do we go about this transformation in our lives?

How do we go about giving up the habits and practices of our old selves, dead in sin?

How do we begin to take up the new habits an practices, those of one who is alive in Christ?

Paul writes in verse 12...

Colossians 3:12 CSB

12 Therefore, as God’s chosen ones, holy and dearly loved, put on compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience,

Paul begins with the word, ‘therefore’, which of course means that he is basing his following arguments on statements that he made previously.

He reminds the believers that they were chosen by God, and that they are “holy and dearly loved” by God.

This is not just the Colossian believers, brothers and sisters. This is also for you and me.

We are God’s chosen ones, holy and dearly loved!

When we say that we are ‘chosen by God’ this is much more than simply a doctrinal position. This is not about Calvinism or Armenianism. The Bible is very clear that God chooses those whom he would save. This is called ‘election’ in theological circles.

This is true, of course, for the Israelites:

Deuteronomy 7:7–8 CSB

7 “The Lord had his heart set on you and chose you, not because you were more numerous than all peoples, for you were the fewest of all peoples. 8 But because the Lord loved you and kept the oath he swore to your ancestors, he brought you out with a strong hand and redeemed you from the place of slavery, from the power of Pharaoh king of Egypt.

God chose Israel, but not because of their greatness, but because he loved them and had promised them that he would watch over them.

In the same way, we are told that God chooses us for salvation. There are too many passages to study, so I’ll pick and choose a few for you this morning.

Another word for chosen and election is ‘predestined’ which we fine in Romans 8...

Romans 8:28–30 CSB

28 We know that all things work together for the good of those who love God, who are called according to his purpose. 29 For those he foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son, so that he would be the firstborn among many brothers and sisters. 30 And those he predestined, he also called; and those he called, he also justified; and those he justified, he also glorified.

2 Timothy 1:9 CSB

9 He has saved us and called us with a holy calling, not according to our works, but according to his own purpose and grace, which was given to us in Christ Jesus before time began.

God chose each one of us who believe for his own reasons (much like the Israelites). He sent his son, Jesus Christ, to die on the cross so that we would be provided with a path to forgiveness—a path to salvation.

Today, we have the Spirit, who draws us to Christ and binds us to Christ. It is Christ who binds us—unites us with God.

Colossians 3:12 CSB

12 Therefore, as God’s chosen ones, holy and dearly loved, put on compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience,

Furthermore, we can see that we are loved by God.

John 3:16–17 CSB

16 For God loved the world in this way: He gave his one and only Son, so that everyone who believes in him will not perish but have eternal life. 17 For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him.

We are made holy by Christ’s work and we have a chance at salvation because God loved us enough to make a way for us.

II. As His Chosen, We Have a Responsibility

Additionally, because we are chosen by God and secured by Christ, we have a responsibility to fulfill...

Colossians 3:12–13 CSB

12 Therefore, as God’s chosen ones, holy and dearly loved, put on compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience, 13 bearing with one another and forgiving one another if anyone has a grievance against another. Just as the Lord has forgiven you, so you are also to forgive.

Just as Paul reminded us in last week’s text that there are several things that we should not do. Things that we once walked in when we were living in them, but we should put behind us… anger, wrath, malice, slander, filthy language, and lying. This week he proposes that there are several things that we should take up as chosen ones of God, believers in Christ and his resurrection.

As a reminder several of these are closely connected with the Fruit of the Spirit, which we have said is the character of Christ that we receive at the time of our salvation. However, even though we have received these characteristics, it is the work of our life to see these characteristics grow and blossom and bear fruit in our lives. This is the process of sanctification—that is the process of being made holy and righteous in God’s eyes.

1. Put On Compassion

Compassion is closely connected with mercy and can be defined as being “deeply aware of and having sympathy for another’s suffering.”

We know that God is merciful and compassionate. This is a byproduct of his love and can best be seen in his predisposition of compassionate forgiveness towards his people (those he has chosen to call his own), especially in light of the distressful and dire circumstances that his people endure.

It was compassion that drove Christ to the cross.

We are to have a similar compassion for others. If we are to emulate the character of Jesus Christ, we can easily see that he had compassion for sinners and chose to encourage the best in them to follow him and take on his practices.

Principle: God has compassion because he loves us. We can have compassion by choosing to love those that God loves.

2. Put on Kindness

Kindness is a “quality of being warmhearted, considerate, humane, gentle, and sympathetic.”

Kindness and compassion are closely related. We see many examples of kindness in scriptures, whether it be with relatives and friends or slaves—which we might interpret in today’s context as employees and coworkers. We can see this displayed in scripture through marriage relationships or even with strangers and refugees, whether they be invited into our home or present in our land.

Kindness is a characteristic that is closely related to love. One might say that to be loving to another is to be kind, as well as compassionate with them.

When we withhold this characteristic from others, we are not displaying the characteristics of Christ in our lives.

Furthermore, Christ promised to reward those who are kind and compassionate with those in need...

Matthew 25:34–36 CSB

34 Then the King will say to those on his right, ‘Come, you who are blessed by my Father; inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world. 35 “ ‘For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat; I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink; I was a stranger and you took me in; 36 I was naked and you clothed me; I was sick and you took care of me; I was in prison and you visited me.’

3. Put on Humility

Humility is having the quality of keeping your view of yourself in perspective. It is avoiding the temptation to think too highly of yourself buy keeping a humble self-view. It is an absence of pride or arrogance.

Humility is important in the way that we relate to God. Our culture tells us that the world revolves around us and should be bent to our will so that we can get what we want out of life. There are theological perspectives that teach the very same thing. We hear that “God wants you to be rich!” and that we should “Manifest our destiny!” but these are lies by the evil one, who seeks to consume our minds and distract us from the fact that we are chosen by God and dearly loved.

This word humility comes from the act of bowing oneself low to the ground in an expression of submission before God.

We don’t like submission. We much prefer to be the guy in charge telling others what to do.

But Christ came to be one who was a humble servant leader. In fact, Paul wrote to the Philippian church, saying...

Philippians 2:5–11 CSB

5 Adopt the same attitude as that of Christ Jesus, 6 who, existing in the form of God, did not consider equality with God as something to be exploited. 7 Instead he emptied himself by assuming the form of a servant, taking on the likeness of humanity. And when he had come as a man, 8 he humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death— even to death on a cross. 9 For this reason God highly exalted him and gave him the name that is above every name, 10 so that at the name of Jesus every knee will bow— in heaven and on earth and under the earth— 11 and every tongue will confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.

The believer is to have the same attitude with others, one of humility that does not seek self promotion, nor ambition, but the edification of others...

Philippians 2:3–4 CSB

3 Do nothing out of selfish ambition or conceit, but in humility consider others as more important than yourselves. 4 Everyone should look not to his own interests, but rather to the interests of others.

4. Put on Gentleness

Gentleness is a word that describes a manner that is gentle, mild, and even-tempered.

While the word is closely related to humility, it also gives the sense of “meekness” which describes a calm way that is not easily provoked.

You could say that meekness describes an inward attitude or way of thinking, where gentleness is expressed outwardly with others through our actions.

Psalm 37:11 CSB

11 But the humble will inherit the land and will enjoy abundant prosperity.

This saying is repeated by Jesus in his Beatitudes (Matt 5:5).

Paul shows his gentleness in his words about contentment...

Philippians 4:11–13 CSB

11 I don’t say this out of need, for I have learned to be content in whatever circumstances I find myself. 12 I know how to make do with little, and I know how to make do with a lot. In any and all circumstances I have learned the secret of being content—whether well fed or hungry, whether in abundance or in need. 13 I am able to do all things through him who strengthens me.

We can learn to be the same way in our actions. But this requires our next characteristic...

5. Put on Patience

Patience is best described by the old term—now little-used—long-suffering. Our common word for this is endurance, sometimes called ‘perseverance.’

I like the definition that Baker gave this word: the “ability to take a great deal of punishment from evil people without losing one’s temper, without becoming irritated and angry, or without taking vengeance. It includes the capacity to bear pain or trials without complaint, the ability to forbear under severe provocation, and the self-control which keeps one from acting rashly even though suffering opposition or adversity.”

I wish I could say that I was better in this area than I am. I know that I have had many opportunities to learn patience in my life. But this year my patience has been tried in more ways than one and I continue to see opportunities to see my patience tried in the future.

I suppose I can say this… that what I have been through has prepared me to better handle the trials that i am currently facing and the trials that I am currently facing are teaching me and preparing me for the trials to come.

I suppose—like many of you—I am a work in progress.

There are different kinds of patience. One of the ideas we see in scripture can mean “remaining firm in the midst of the tests.” The other one is better included under our next item...

6. Put on Forbearance

Forbearance is not a common work in our modern day usage. But our version today gets it right by saying to practice patience and...

Colossians 3:13 CSB

13 bearing with one another and forgiving one another if anyone has a grievance against another. Just as the Lord has forgiven you, so you are also to forgive.

“Bearing with one another” — This is actually two Greek words ἀνέχω (anechō) ἀλλήλων (allēlōn) and it means that we are to put up with each other when we are going through something unpleasant or difficult. There are times when the endurance is on our part, by putting up with others. And there are other times when they must endure by putting up with us.

The Book of Romans speaks to God’s forebearance (or patience) with us by holding back his judgment so that we might have the opportunity to experience his salvation.

Paul is encouraging the Colossians to experience this together as they do life together.

Guess what? We get to do that with each other all the time.

I told you last week that ministry is messy because we are all flawed people with barbs that catch on each other as we try to figure out how to work with each other. The answer to that is forbearance. It is paired with our final item from this list...

7. Put on Forgiveness

Forbearance and Forgiveness are closely related terms. Both terms are accounting terminoligy used in relation to the payment of a debt incurred.

Forbearance is a delay of payment while the entire amount is still owed. Forgiveness is a permanent removal of the debt from your account.

However, we are not talking about the use of these terms in accounting. We are talking about how we use these in our interactions with others.

We all know that there are people who try our patience. In this case, scripture is advising us to put up with them when they are sinful and trying. However additionally there are times that we have to be forgiving with people as well. This means that we must put aside our differences and our hurts and injustices by forgiving them.

III. Above All, Put on Love

The answer to the world’s problems today can be found in Christ’s love...

Colossians 3:14–16 CSB

14 Above all, put on love, which is the perfect bond of unity. 15 And let the peace of Christ, to which you were also called in one body, rule your hearts. And be thankful. 16 Let the word of Christ dwell richly among you, in all wisdom teaching and admonishing one another through psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs, singing to God with gratitude in your hearts.

In all of these things, we must practice love with each other...

1. Practice the Peace of Christ

2. Practice the Word of Christ

3. Wear the Name of Christ

We do this best when we love each other and love those around us.

Conclusion

We were talking yesterday in our Deacon’s meeting about the situation in Israel. The question was asked about why we have so much trouble in the world today. Brother Danny recalled the scripture about the powers and rulers and principalities that tells us about the activity of Satan in the world.

Ephesians 6:12 CSB

12 For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers of this darkness, against evil, spiritual forces in the heavens.

The question was asked, “What can we do about it?”

As we were thinking about this I recalled the verse that follows the one we just read and I could see an answer there that was appropriate for our discussion today...

Ephesians 6:13 CSB

13 For this reason take up the full armor of God, so that you may be able to resist in the evil day, and having prepared everything, to take your stand.

The full armor of God can be found in these same characteristics that we are putting on each day.

Brothers and sisters, we must be ready for the attacks that the enemy brings. We must be ready for the trials and tribulations that come into our lives. And we must be ready to do spiritual battle when the enemy is at our door.