Colossians 3:12-13 Put on then, as God's chosen ones, holy and beloved, compassionate hearts, kindness, humility, meekness, and patience,13 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. English Standard Version (ESV)
I visited a small church in South Carolina last night for their Wednesday night service. We sang a few hymns, heard prayer requests and listened to a message from 1 John 5 which emphasized that we show our love for God by our obedience to Him and through His Word working in our lives. Yesterday we had briefly touched on the subject of WWJD where it was pointed out that to do what He would do requires us to be in, and to know His Word.
Hopefully, we are all familiar with Ephesians 6:10-18 where we read about putting on the "full armor of God". As you go through the list some of the things are part of the soldiers attire, shoes, breastplate and belt. But there are three things that must be taken up. The helmet of salvation, the shield of faith, and the sword of the Spirit. Putting on the full armor, especially taking up and applying the last three will involved taking His Word, the Sword and applying it to our lives. That's where today's verses come in.
Many translations start out verse 12 with "clothe yourselves", or as here "put on" these things. We are to wrap ourselves up in them. In this world it is so easy to be wrapped up in ourselves and what is going on around that we don't put on the list of things that are mentioned here and that will impact lives. As The Message puts it, this is the "wardrobe God picked out for you: compassion, kindness, humility, quiet strength, discipline. Be even-tempered, content with second place, quick to forgive an offense. Forgive as quickly and completely as the Master forgave you. And regardless of what else you put on, wear love. It's your basic, all-purpose garment. Never be without it."
For many years the American Expresses statement at the end of their ads said, "don't leave home with out it". We'd be better served by putting on God's full armor and putting on compassion, kindness, humility, strength, discipline and forgiveness. It is not being done for our own sake or glory but is to " be done in the name of the Master, Jesus, thanking God the Father every step of the way." The Message
Let the peace of Christ keep you in tune with each other, in step with each other. None of this going off and doing your own thing. And cultivate thankfulness. Let the Word of Christ—the Message—have the run of the house. Give it plenty of room in your lives Colossians 3:15-16 The Message.
Blessings,
Mike
Colossians 3:12-17The Message (MSG)
12-14 So, chosen by God for this new life of love, dress in the wardrobe God picked out for you: compassion, kindness, humility, quiet strength, discipline. Be even-tempered, content with second place, quick to forgive an offense. Forgive as quickly and completely as the Master forgave you. And regardless of what else you put on, wear love. It's your basic, all-purpose garment. Never be without it.
15-17 Let the peace of Christ keep you in tune with each other, in step with each other. None of this going off and doing your own thing. And cultivate thankfulness. Let the Word of Christ—the Message—have the run of the house. Give it plenty of room in your lives. Instruct and direct one another using good common sense. And sing, sing your hearts out to God! Let every detail in your lives—words, actions, whatever—be done in the name of the Master, Jesus, thanking God the Father every step of the way.
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