Colossians 3.12a-The Colossians are Elected by God, Holy and Love by God
Wenstrom Bible Ministries
Pastor-Teacher Bill Wenstrom
Sunday July 31, 2016
Colossians: Colossians 3:12a-The Colossians are Elected by God, Holy and Loved by God
Lesson # 82
Colossians 3:12 So, as those who have been chosen of God, holy and beloved, put on a heart of compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience. (NASB95)
“So” is the inferential conjunction oun (οὖν), which is introducing a command that is an inference from Colossians 3:9-11.
Specifically, it is introducing a command that is an inference from Paul’s teaching in Colossians 3:9-11 that each and every one of the Colossian believers stripped off the old man with its practices (verse 9) and have clothed themselves with the new man.
“As” is the particle hōs (ὡς), which is functioning as a marker of cause meaning it is introducing the phrase “who have been chosen of God, holy and beloved” which presents an additional reason for the command here in Colossians 3:12.
Therefore, Paul is instructing the Colossians to obey this command to put on a heart of compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience because they have been chosen by God, are holy and also beloved by God.
“Who have been chosen of God” is composed of the following: (1) adjective eklektos (ἐκλεκτός), “those who have been chosen” (4) noun theos (θεός), “God.”
The adjective eklektos means, “called out ones” or “chosen-out ones, chosen ones” and is used of church age believers and specifically it is used to describe the Colossian believers.
Church age believers are “chosen-out ones” or “called out ones” since they have been called or chosen out from the earth’s inhabitants who are enslaved to the sin nature and the devil and his cosmic system.
This adjective is directly related to the doctrine of election just as the adjective kletos in Romans 8:28.
Paul ascribes this word to his readers in Romans 8:28 to teach them that they were elected according to the Father’s predetermined plan.
The adjective eklektos is a derivative of the verb eklegomai, which means, “elected and set apart for privilege” and appears in Ephesians 1:4 in relation to the Christian’s election.
Paul teaches in Ephesians 1:3-4 that the Father elected the Christian to privilege in eternity past before the foundation of the world.
In Colossians 3:12, the adjective eklektos is used of church age believers and describes the Father in eternity past as having called or chosen them out from the earth’s inhabitants who are enslaved to the sin nature and the devil and his cosmic system and He did this through faith in His Son Jesus Christ.
The noun theos refers to the Father which is indicated by the word’s articular construction which in the New Testament commonly signifies the first member of the Trinity unless otherwise indicated by the context.
This word functions as a possessive genitive indicating that the Colossians are possessed by God the Father or belong to Him.
It could also be interpreted as a subjective genitive meaning that the word functions semantically as the subject of the verbal idea implicit in the head noun eklektos.
This would indicate that Paul is instructing the Colossians to obey this command to put on a heart of compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience because God the Father elected them.
The possessive genitive emphasizes the relationship between the Colossians and the Father.
On the other hand, the subjective genitive emphasizes the act of God the Father electing them or calling them out of Satan’s kingdom.
Both interpretations of the genitive work and fit the context.
Both could be meant by Paul.
However, it would appear that Paul’s emphasis is not upon the Colossian’s relationship with God the Father but rather his emphasis appears to be that God has acted upon them.
This is indicated by the words to follow which also serve to describe the Colossians and also speak of God acting upon the Colossians.
The nominative masculine plural form of the adjective hagios, “holy” describes the Colossians as set apart by the Father through faith in His Son Jesus Christ and the resultant baptism of the Spirit at the moment of justification in order to order serve Him exclusively.
The nominative masculine plural perfect passive participle form of the verb agapaō, “beloved” describes the Colossians as loved by God the Father.
If this interpretation is correct, then Paul would be telling the Colossians that they should obey his command to put on a heart of compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience because the Colossians are elected, sanctified and loved by God the Father.
“Holy and beloved” is composed of the following: (1) adjective hagios (ἅγιος), “holy” (2) conjunction kai (καί), “and” (3) verb agapaō (ἀγαπάω), “beloved.”
The adjective hagios functions as a substantive and describes the Colossian believers as being set apart through the baptism of the Spirit at the moment of justification in order to order serve God exclusively.
The verb agapaō in Colossians 3:12 is used of God the Father’s love for the Colossians which is of course a strong non-sexual affection and regard for their good to the point of self-sacrifice.
This love does not need an attractive object to function but can function in relation to the sinner who is obnoxious and repulsive to God.
God’s love always has the best interests of His creature in mind whether He is disciplining or judging one of His creatures for their unrepentant sinful behavior or blessing them for their faith and obedience.
The perfect tense of the verb agapaō is an intensive perfect which is used to emphasize the results or present state produced by a past action.
Therefore, the idea with intensive perfect is that the Colossians are being loved by the Father and is focusing upon the present state of the Colossians being loved by God which is the direct result of the cross.
Colossians 3:12 Therefore, because each and every one of you are elected by God the Father, holy as well as divinely loved, I solemnly charge the clothing of yourselves with compassion which is the product of deep seated affections, kindness, humility gentleness, patience. (My translation)
The command the apostle Paul issues the faithful Christians in Colossae is an inference from his teaching in Colossians 3:9-11.
Specifically, it is an inference from his teaching in Colossians 3:9-11 that each and every one of the Colossian believers stripped off the old man with its practices (verse 9) and have clothed themselves with the new man (verse 10).
Therefore, here in Colossians 3:12, the apostle Paul is instructing the Colossians to obey this command to put on a heart of compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience based upon the fact that they have stripped off the old man and clothed themselves with the new man.
Paul then presents an additional reason why they should obey his command.
They should do so because they are elected, holy and loved by God the Father.
The first description of the Colossians is that they are “elected by God the Father” which means that they have been called or chosen out from the earth’s inhabitants who are enslaved to the sin nature and the devil and his cosmic system.
It describes the Father in eternity past as having called or chosen them out from the earth’s inhabitants who are enslaved to the sin nature and the devil and his cosmic system.
He did this through faith in His Son Jesus Christ.
In Colossians 3:12, the second description of the Colossians is that they are “holy” which describes the Colossian believers as being set apart through the baptism of the Spirit at the moment of justification in order to order serve God exclusively.
This word is related to sanctification which is the direct result of the baptism of the Spirit.
The apostle Paul’s third and final description of the Colossians in Colossians 3:12 asserts that they are loved by the Father.
This love along with His other attributes helps to compose the Father’s character and nature.
God’s love for the Colossians and all believers is of course a strong non-sexual affection and regard for their good to the point of self-sacrifice.
This love also does not need an attractive object to function but can function in relation to the sinner who is obnoxious and repulsive to God.
God’s love always has the best interests of His creature in mind whether He is disciplining or judging one of His creatures for their unrepentant sinful behavior or blessing them for their faith and obedience.