Colossians 3:12-25
Friday, 17 September 2021
“Therefore, as God’s chosen people, holy and dearly loved clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility gentleness and patience. Bear with each other ……..Forgive as the Lord forgave you……put on love, which binds them all together in perfect unity.” -Colossians 3:12-14
Children of God should know their position in Christ and understand that they have been raised with Christ and are now seated with Christ in the heavenly realms. We are the Citizens of Heaven! Being citizens of heaven, we must behave according to the kingdom principles, with a change in the attitudes and actions which is reflected in our behavior. Aided by the Holy Spirit, it happens in the believer, who does the change in us internally and so we can express it outwardly.
A Child of God is identified by righteousness, not only the imputed righteousness of Christ but also by his/her righteous acts (Revelation 19:8). The clothing of the heavenly citizen stands for the righteous acts of the saints. In the same way, since we have been raised into heavenly places with Christ (Col. 3:1), we must daily wear the clothing that matches this position.
We first need to understand who we are that we may wear the clothing befitting our position:
1. Chosen by God:
We see God’s choosing: “For he chose us in him before the creation of the world to be holy and blameless in his sight. In love he predestined us to be adopted as his sons through Jesus Christ….” (Eph. 1:4). Its God’s unmerited favor in choosing us in Christ Jesus in accordance with his pleasure and will. It is not on our righteous works or our strong belief it is only because of God’s grace and His love toward us. We can boast in nothing but only love Him. This thought increases our love towards Him greatly.
2. Holy people:
We are set apart by God to be holy people. Like our choosing (election) we are also set apart to be holy for a special purpose. “But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people belonging to God, that you may declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light.” (1 Peter 2:9).
Remember God has paid a big price with the Blood of Jesus Christ to make us holy people. Once we have decided not to walk in ungodliness but in holiness, why go back? It makes no sense for a sinner pardoned from the death penalty and made as a co-heir of Christ, to go back to sin. Positionally we are made holy and righteous in Christ Jesus and it is our daily routine to walk in holiness. “Since we have a great promise let us purify ourselves from everything that contaminates body and spirit, perfecting holiness out of reverence for God.” (1Cor.7:1)
3. Dearly loved:
One final motivation is that we are dearly loved by our Father Almighty—that is when we understand that a Holy Father who is perfect in all sense, loves an imperfect unholy person like you and me. This love is constant and as we come near Him we experience this love. This love compels us to obey Him and please Him in all ways. Thus God’s love is a motivation for us to live a holy life that changes us inwardly and gives a resolve in our heart to live for Him. God starts to fill people when they truly experience His love and He changes their lives. That was Paul’s prayer for the Ephesians, and it should be our prayer too: to comprehend the depth of God’s love for us. When we know this love, it motivates us to put on the clothing of righteousness.
Now the Clothes of Righteousness are compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience; bearing with each other and forgiving one another and love, which binds all together in unity.
Prayer: Our Heavenly Father fills us with Your love and helps us comprehend Your marvelous love towards us always, so that we will be compelled by Your love with the help of the Holy Spirit to do Your will which will glorify You, through Jesus Christ our Lord, Amen.