Good morning and welcome in. Today we’re going to take a look at a passage of scripture from the book of Colossians but before we do that I wanted to tell you a little story.
When each of us rise up in the morning, we get dressed and put on our clothes. Depending on the job that you may have, you wear different items. Up here in Northern Minnesota it can get extremely cold in the winter so when we go outside to cut wood, Andrew and I have to wear insulated bibs, winter boots, a good pair of gloves and a face mask. Others may work in retail and wear a suit and tie while a mechanic will put on his coveralls. Each of us puts on something each day that is appropriate for what we do. and God wants us to do the very same thing, except the things that He wants us to wear are spiritual things. He wants us to put on the attributes and qualities of the Christian faith.
Col 3:12-14
12 Put on therefore, as the elect of God, holy and beloved, bowels of mercies, kindness, humbleness of mind, meekness, longsuffering;
13 Forbearing one another, and forgiving one another, if any man have a quarrel against any: even as Christ forgave you, so also do ye.
14 And above all these things put on charity, which is the bond of perfectness.
When people are elected in this country, they are chosen by the people to a certain office. In the Christian faith, the elect are chosen by God. The word “elect” means chosen or singled out.
1 Peter 2:9 – But ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar people; that ye should shew forth the praises of him who hath called you out of darkness into his marvellous light:
John 15:16 – Ye have not chosen me, but I have chosen you, and ordained you, that ye should go and bring forth fruit, and that your fruit should remain: that whatsoever ye shall ask of the Father in my name, he may give it you.
Holy means dedicated or consecrated to God or a religious purpose. When we decide to become a Christian and are baptized by submersion, our past sins are washed away. God cleanses us so that we can dedicate our lives to serving Him. Consecrate means to make holy or to dedicate to a higher purpose.
The meaning of beloved is to be dearly loved or dear to one’s heart.
Gal 2:20 I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me.
John 3:16 For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.
God wants us to be filled with bowels of mercies. Bowels are the source of pity, tenderness, or simply put, from your heart. God wants us to be extremely merciful with each other because this is a quality that He is filled with. Mercy is compassion or forgiveness shown toward someone whom it is within one’s power to punish or harm.
Luke 6:36 – Be ye therefore merciful, as your Father also is merciful.
Matthew 5:7 – Blessed are the merciful: for they shall obtain mercy.
Hebrews 4:16 – Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need.
Kindness is the quality of showing that you care about other people; not causing harm or damage.
1 Pet 5:6-7 Humble yourselves therefore under the mighty hand of God, that he may exalt you in due time. Casting all your care upon him; for he careth for you.
1 Corinthians 13:4 – Charity suffereth long, and is kind…..
A humble minded person is not proud and does not believe that they are better than other people.
Phil 2:3 Let nothing be done through strife or vainglory; but in lowliness of mind let each esteem other better than themselves.
1 Peter 5:5 – Likewise, ye younger, submit yourselves unto the elder. Yea, all of you be subject one to another, and be clothed with humility: for God resisteth the proud, and giveth grace to the humble.
Meekness is the quality of being submissive, mild; gentle and displaying forbearance under injuries and provocations.
Matthew 5:5 – Blessed are the meek: for they shall inherit the earth.
Titus 3:2 – To speak evil of no man, to be no brawlers, but gentle, shewing all meekness unto all men.
Matthew 11:29 – Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls.
When someone is long-suffering they endure injury, trouble, or provocation long and patiently. It is possessing the quality of long and patient endurance of injury, trouble, or provocation:
2 Peter 3:9 – The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some men count slackness; but is longsuffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance.
Ephesians 4:2 – With all lowliness and meekness, with longsuffering, forbearing one another in love;
Galatians 5:22 – But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith,
Forbearance is the quality of being patient and being able to forgive someone, or refraining from the enforcement of something that is due. Each of us are sinners but when we confess our sins to God He is forbearing with us. Instead of punishing us, He forgives those who are humble before Him.
Romans 5:8 – But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.
Romans 3:25 – Whom God hath set forth to be a propitiation through faith in his blood, to declare his righteousness for the remission of sins that are past, through the forbearance of God;
When someone regrets and apologizes for the wrongs and faults that they have committed, forgiveness will stop feeling angry or resentful toward them for an offense, flaw, or mistake. It ceases to remember it anymore like water under the bridge. This results in immediate reconciliation with the offending party as in the story of the prodigal son. Forgiveness in Christ Jesus is what the church is built upon.
Ephesians 4:32 – And be ye kind one to another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God for Christ’s sake hath forgiven you.
Matthew 6:15 – But if ye forgive not men their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses.
Matt 18:21-22 Then came Peter to him, and said, Lord, how oft shall my brother sin against me, and I forgive him? till seven times? Jesus saith unto him, I say not unto thee, Until seven times: but, Until seventy times seven.
When something is perfect it means to make something completely free from faults or defects, or as close to such a condition as possible. God completely frees us from our faults through the grace in Christ Jesus so that we can learn to love Him perfectly with a pure heart, and our neighbor as ourselves.
1 Pet 4:8 “And above all things have fervent charity among yourselves: for charity shall cover the multitude of sins.”
1 Peter 1:22 – Seeing ye have purified your souls in obeying the truth through the Spirit unto unfeigned love of the brethren, see that ye love one another with a pure heart fervently:
So every morning when you get up to put on your clothes make sure you don’t forget to wear these items as well. It may be cold out in the world, and you’ll definitely need these things to keep warmed up in the Spirit.
Let’s think about those things for right now, and Lord willing I’ll talk to you some more tomorrow. Till then, bye bye everybody.❤️
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