Christ Above Offense: Colossians 3:12-17

Over the past few weeks we have been studying Paul’s short letter of Colossians and it’s grand focus on Christ above all.

We have talked about Christ being above our suffering, our human wisdom, our religion, and even our very selves, and this morning Paul exhorts Christians to place Christ over our offense.

Last week in chapter 3 verses 1-11 we saw Paul exhorting Christians to put on the new self if they truly are in Christ and to set aside all the old self, to put it to death.

Paul continues his instruction to put on the new self, by continuing the focus upon how we are to act toward fellow believers, if we have been raised with Christ. In verse 11 Paul outlines how we are all equal through Christ. All of those who are in Christ are on a level playing field. No one is more important than the others. Paul particularly focuses on the unification of those who are ethnically Jewish and those who are not, but also targets the life circumstances of those who are free and those who are slaves or bondservants. In other similar passages like Gal 3:28 he also brings in the fact that men and women who are in Christ enjoy equal standing before God.

Jesus doesn’t care so much where you come from, as he cares where you’re being brought to.

So then, with this reality of equal standing in Christ fresh in the mind, Paul continues exhorting the Colossian Christians to put on the new self. And we are simply going to break this down verse by verse to see to see what Paul is telling Christians who they are and what they must do.

And he begins in verse 12 by saying:

Colossians 3:12 ESV

12 Put on then, as God’s chosen ones, holy and beloved, compassionate hearts, kindness, humility, meekness, and patience,

I. The Chosen People (v. 12)

Exposition:

He starts with a reminder of our who we are in Christ: we are the chosen people of God, holy, and deeply loved! Don’t overlook that word, chosen. Those who are in the Family of God have been chosen by him to be a member of his family. There are no accidents in the family of God. You don’t fall into it, you ultimately don’t even have the authority to choose it for yourself. You are chosen into it.

But instead of this being something that should make you arrogant “God chose me, aren’t I just so special”

With the smallest portion of an ounce of self awareness this should instead lead you to wonder and humility!

“What do you mean, ‘chosen’?! Don’t you know how terrible I am? I have chosen open rebellion and yet you choose to bring me into new life in Christ? WHY?! I don’t deserve anything like this!”

And yet, it’s true. If we are in Christ, then we are his chosen people, holy and loved! Our new identity in Christ is not earned by our goodness or our actions, but instead it is completely a gift from God, rooted in his goodness and his sovereign love for his people.

So our response is rooted in the very fact that God is good and he has treated us with goodness

This is the foundation for everything he is about to command.

Our new identity isn’t earned by our actions but is a gift from God, rooted in His choosing and His love. This shapes our response of obedience to God, not out of obligation, but in gratitude and love!

And this identity empowers us to live as representatives for Christ! And what are we to put on as God’s chosen people? What is it that Paul commands believers to do?

to put on

compassionate hearts

kindness

meekness

and patience

Friends, when all the world around us is screaming for us to hate and despise, Christians are expected to act differently.

When in the world the standard is to reject others when they hurt, anger, embarrass, or offend us, Holy Scripture tells Christians that they are expected to continuously act with hearts that are full of compassion, kindness, meekness, and patience.

Application:

This new identity that we have been given, this new self, should produce godly virtues in us!

Compassion, kindness, humility, meekness, and patience — these are characteristics of the Holy Spirit’s work in our lives. And while we see that this passage is primarily focusing on the interactions of church members, if our Christianity begins and ends at the door of the church, then it is not true Christianity. This entire letter is focused on the reality that if we do not recognize Christ’s rightful place as ruler over every aspect of our lives then we do not understand who Christ is and we do not understand the Gospel. So the compassionate hearts, kindness, meekness, and patience that we are to put on need to be a constant goal for us to keep on in everything.

You might say, and you wouldn’t be the first, “But pastor, you don’t understand, this was written in a different time. We have people who are looking to destroy the church and all that we are.”

Can I ask what you call the situation that the first generation of Christians faced, when they were legally dragged from their homes and arrested simply for being Christian? Because, in case you’ve forgotten, the guy who wrote these words here in Colossians was the leader of the movement to destroy Christianity.

Can I ask what you call what happened just two or three years after this letter was written when the Roman Emperor Nero blamed the Christians for a fire he caused? The Pagan Roman Historian Tacitus recalls what happened in that time and this is an incredibly important historical document because it is the first time we have a non-Christian source corroborating the story of Christ.

Nero falsely accused and executed with the most exquisite punishments those people called Christians, who were infamous for their abominations...

And perishing they were additionally made into sports: they were killed by dogs by having the hides of beasts attached to them, or they were nailed to crosses or set aflame, and, when the daylight passed away, they were used as nighttime lamps. Nero gave his own gardens for this spectacle and performed a Circus game, in the habit of a charioteer mixing with the plebs or driving about the race-course.

Even though they were clearly guilty and merited being made the most recent example of the consequences of crime, people began to pity these sufferers, because they were consumed not for the public good but on account of the fierceness of one man.

Have you ever faced something like that? Nero was emperor when Paul wrote these words. Nero was emperor when Peter wrote the words of 1 Pt 2:17

1 Peter 2:17 ESV

17 Honor everyone. Love the brotherhood. Fear God. Honor the emperor.

Your duty is not to only wear compassionate hearts, kindness, meekness, and patience when others treat you well and seek your good. Jesus says in Matthew 5:46-48 that if you only love people who treat you well, or honor your own brothers, then you’re no better than a tax collector or a pagan. You must set your eyes on the things above (Col 3:1) and be willing to set aside your offense, even toward the people who hate you. Jesus will handle it, either by covering them with his blood and drawing them into the family like he did with Paul, or by judging them with perfect justice when their time comes. When we take the responsibility of justice into our own hands we are saying that Jesus is too slow and we know better than he does. Set your eyes on the things above and trust God.

By all means vote, it is a grand gift to be able to have a voice in our government, but seek to honor Christ above all with your vote and how you respond to the results of the election. Jesus is still Lord over all, whether our candidate is in power or not. Whether we enjoy the favor of the culture or not.

However, sometimes, it’s not as hard to let go of the offense caused by those who reject Christ as it is to let go of the offense caused by a fellow Christian.

After all, we’re called to something higher as Christians, aren’t we? What are we to do when other Christians hurt us?

There is a whole social media mini industry centered around the idea of “church-hurt” where you’ve been hurt by someone’s words or deeds in the church. Many leave churches because of the hurt or offense caused by other members because it’s just too much to face.

But look at verse 13. Where does Paul immediately go after telling Christians to put on compassion, kindness, meekness, and patience?

II. Required to Forgive (v. 13)

Text: “…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.”

Here Paul says that we have a requirement to forgive one another. And he is specifically talking to the church, so let’s think about what this means as an instruction to us in the church.

When you think about it, this might be the hardest instruction yet. Look at some of the word choices here.

Bearing with one another. The Lexham English Bible chose to translate this as “putting up with one another” and I think that might be more helpful language for helping us understand what’s being said here. Be patient with one another’s annoying or frustrating habits. Now, aren’t you glad your spouse listens to that instruction? That they bear with all of your annoying habits and treat you with forgiveness in their hearts?

What if they didn’t though?

What if the fifth time you chewed with your mouth open they were ready to leave you?

What if the first time you left all the lights on in the house they decided they were done with you and went to go join another household, without even explaining why they left?

Or maybe they call all their friends and tell them how annoying you are, but never explain their frustrations with you. They just let it build and build until they just up and leave one day.

This is what many church members do when they face the real annoyances of living in real community with people.

But Paul says that we are not to do this. Instead, as Christians we are to have patience with one another!

If you have a complaint, you must forgive. Why? Because Jesus forgave you first. And what Jesus forgave is cosmic treason, not petty grievances. Even if someone has sinned against you, how is that worse than your sin against God?

If you have a complaint, you must forgive. At the bare minimum, you need to address sin and complaint in the way outlined in the Scriptures. Jesus himself says in Matthew 18:15-17

Matthew 18:15–17 ESV

15 “If your brother sins against you, go and tell him his fault, between you and him alone. If he listens to you, you have gained your brother. 16 But if he does not listen, take one or two others along with you, that every charge may be established by the evidence of two or three witnesses. 17 If he refuses to listen to them, tell it to the church. And if he refuses to listen even to the church, let him be to you as a Gentile and a tax collector.

You cannot overstate the importance of forgiveness in the Christian community. It is a reflection of the forgiveness we ourselves have received in Christ and so we must forgive. If we are in Christ, then put on forgiveness for other Christians and follow the ultimate model of forgiveness given by the one we say is our king. If you refuse to forgive, especially if you refuse to forgive your brothers and sisters in Christ, who does that say your lord is? Because you’re certainly not following Jesus.

We must forgive freely because we have been freely forgiven by Christ.

Paul continues in his instruction by saying we are not simply to remove the negative unforgiveness from our lives that breaks the body of Christ apart, but to put on the positive, the binding agent that holds us together. He tells us to put on LOVE above everything else he’s already told us to put on, and to be bound together in it.

III. Bound in Love (v. 14)

Colossians 3:14 ESV

14 And above all these put on love, which binds everything together in perfect harmony.

Exposition:

Paul calls love the binding force, the “belt,” that holds together all the other virtues.

Love is the greatest of Christian virtues and is the foundation for harmony and unity within the body of Christ. When we choose to carry unforgiveness and bitterness toward other Christians, we are sowing disunity in the body of Christ. And Jesus says in Matthew 12:25 that a house divided cannot stand.

Our Christian life is empowered by being united with Christ and it is clear here that the unifying agent is love. As Jesus loves his people, forgiving and giving himself for them, his people are to love each other and give themselves up for one another.

So what are you working for? Are you working for unity by loving and forgiving unlovely people? Are you sowing seeds of relationships where we can forgive one another and love them just as Christ loved and forgave us?

When there are petty one-time complaints that you have, are you quick to forgive?

When you cause offense to someone else, are you quick to seek forgiveness?

Or are you working for disunity by putting on bitterness and carrying grudges? Even if you don’t say anything, are you allowing your frustrations to build toward someone in the church?

As Christians we need to recognize that we are sinners saved by grace alone and so is everyone else who joins us in membership. Because of this we must have the humility to be quick to earnestly apologize, seeking forgiveness from others when we sin against them, and quick to earnestly forgive others when they sin against us.

This doesn’t mean that you have to like them, everyone is annoying to someone, but you do have to love them and joyfully set aside your own preferences and offense in order to seek the unity of Christ.

Cultivating love within the church leads to unity and harmony.

When love reigns, differences are set aside, and the community reflects the love of Christ to the world.

So Christians are the Chosen people of God, who must put on compassion, kindness, humility, meekness and patience. They must forgive and love the Christians to whom they have been called to brotherhood and sisterhood.

And as Paul continues he says that they must also be ruled by peace.

IV. Ruled By Peace (v. 15)

Text: “And let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, to which indeed you were called in one body. And be thankful.”

Exposition:

The peace of Christ should be the ruling our hearts,

guiding our decisions and relationships within the church.

This peace isn’t just an absence of conflict but a positive state of unity and well-being that Christ brings to His people.

Because Christ is above all, what can touch him? And if our lives are hidden with him (3:3), what should disrupt the peace of our hearts? What should cause anxiety and fear in us?

Jesus reminds us in his Sermon on the Mount in Matthew chapter 6

Matthew 6:26–27 ESV

26 Look at the birds of the air: they neither sow nor reap nor gather into barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not of more value than they? 27 And which of you by being anxious can add a single hour to his span of life?

So, friends, members of this church, if you must work for one thing, work for a peace that is empowered by our love for Christ and our love for one another.

The foundation of the community of the Church is the sacrifice of Jesus. In Christ, we are united in one body by His reconciling work. He grants us peace with God and this should be the foundation upon which we then build peace with one another in the church. Jesus is not disunified, we shouldn’t be either.

So then, allowing the peace of Christ to rule in our hearts means choosing unity and harmony, even amidst potential conflict. We hold fast to Christ above all and while we hold fast to him, he holds us fast to one another. But to hold fast to Christ we must let go of the other lesser things we cling to.

Things like our suffering, our own wisdom, our man-made religion, our old self, and even our offense: these things cause us to let go of one another and to let go of Christ.

So we are to put on compassion, kindness, humility, meekness, patience, forgiveness, love, and peace with one another.

And Paul ends the list of virtues with the instruction to be thankful.

Our thankfulness to Christ is the driving force for why we can do all of these things. Are you thankful for what Christ has done for you? Then heed these instructions.

V. The Word of Christ (v. 16)

Paul doesn’t end with the putting on of virtues though, he continues by instructing the church to:

“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.”

Exposition:

I have a heavy focus on teaching and songs that help us remember Scripture and all it teaches because of verses like this. It doesn’t say “sing songs and do things that give you positive feelings.”

The instruction begins with “Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly,” emphasizing that the Scriptures should dwell richly within the Christian community.

This “dwelling” implies a saturation of Scripture in every part of life, shaping our understanding, conduct, and worship.

Our goal must be to have the “Word of Christ” live deeply in all our life.

Not just in emotions, but in knowledge and wisdom.

Not just in knowledge, but also in actions!

Not just in actions, but in love and thankfulness to God!

And when that happens, all the virtuous instruction that Paul has given is the natural overflow.

Now, to see how far I have come as a preacher, you should know that I have preached this passage once before when I was an intern at Faith Fellowship in Houston.

That time, my message was all about the terrible songs we sing in churches.

It was a topic I was passionate about and

I outlined how the most popular songs in churches were primarily from groups who actively disobeyed these instructions

and we should reject them, focusing instead on psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs that are informed by the word of Christ.

While I still affirm all of that as true, was that really the point that Paul is making in all of this passage?

No. He’s giving instructions to the Christian community in how they are to act toward one another.

So, while what I said may be true, this is an example of a pet issue of a pastor overriding the clear and right preaching of the Word of God.

This certainly happens sometimes, even in faithful pastors, I know it still happens in my own sermons at times, but if you ever are in a position where you get to teach the Word of God,

whether that be in small group, Sunday School, or from a pulpit,

fight that urge to preach what you so desperately want to preach so that you can be unwaveringly faithful to the Word of God. Don’t let your own passions derail the teaching. Have faith that the Word of God will do the work in people’s lives.

Scripture is the ultimate authority in the believer’s life. It is through the Word that we receive Christ, are instructed in faith, and are transformed by the Holy Spirit. Don’t undermine that by taking the opportunity of having teaching authority to proclaim your own opinions.

Application: The Word of God should shape all aspects of our lives, especially worship, and it should live within us deeply. As we sing and teach, our hearts should overflow with gratitude and we should seek to cultivate a life steeped in the Scriptures and worship.

And Paul closes by saying that as we do all this we should be doing it as Ambassadors for Christ.

VI. Ambassadors for Christ (v. 17)

Text: “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.”

Exposition:

Paul expands his instruction even further to say that every action and word should be subject to these instructions!

Every part of life is to be done “in the name of the Lord Jesus,”

meaning they should reflect His character and be dedicated to His honor.

The glory of God as the ultimate purpose of human life.

All of life is lived in the presence of God and, therefore, every thought, word, and deed should be for His glory.

This includes our lives in person and online.

We must be careful what we share on facebook because there’s a lot that is untrue and it tugs at our fleshly sensibilities. All it takes is a couple of seconds and a couple of clicks to proclaim something as true, whether it is true or not.

We should seek to represent Christ perfectly in every aspect of our lives.

As John the Baptist said in John 3:30

John 3:30 ESV

30 He must increase, but I must decrease.”

As Christians we are called to live with intentionality, recognizing that our lives reflect Christ’s character and proclaim His gospel. We should continually seek out the ways in which we are not representing Christ faithfully and put those ways to death.

When we take the name of Christ upon ourselves as “Christians,” we are claiming to the world that we represent him and he represents us, whether we like it or not. If people only have you as an example of who Christ is, what will they think of Christ?

Will they see him as a Lord who is compassionate, holy, kind, humble, meek, patient, forgiving, loving, peaceful, and full of wisdom?

Or will they see him as a Lord that lacks empathy, acts in anger, is prideful and short-tempered, full of hate and discord, who loves to engage in petty arguments?

Conclusion:

This passage calls us to a life that reflects our new identity in Christ through compassion, kindness, humility, forgiveness, love, and unity. Every believer is empowered by the Holy Spirit to let the peace of Christ reign, to treasure and dwell on the Word of Christ, and to live for the glory of God in all areas.

Our new life in Christ is not self-driven but is a response to God’s grace and a pursuit of His glory.

We are called to live transformed lives that testify to the world of Christ's work within us, as we daily put on the character of Christ and give thanks to God in all we do.

Christian, you are an ambassador of Christ, brought into a family, reconciled to God.

You therefore are called to put off the old self and put on the new self. To put off your offense toward others in love and peace for the sake of the unity of the church. To address sin as Jesus has instructed, and to forgive others.

Let’s pray.

Colossians 1:21–23 ESV

21 And you, who once were alienated and hostile in mind, doing evil deeds, 22 he has now reconciled in his body of flesh by his death, in order to present you holy and blameless and above reproach before him, 23 if indeed you continue in the faith, stable and steadfast, not shifting from the hope of the gospel that you heard, which has been proclaimed in all creation under heaven, and of which I, Paul, became a minister.