As a result of the heresies
being taught by the Gnostics and Judaizers of Paul's day , he wrote
to the church members in Colosse not only commend them for their
faith in Jesus Christ, but also to inform them concerning things of
their “old man” or “old way of living” and their “new
man” or “new way of living”. This “new way” was
Godly and fashioned everyone according to the “image of him that
created him”. Within Christ there was “neither Greek nor
Jew, circumcision nor uncircumcision, Barbarian, Scythian, bond nor
free:” and in chapter three
and verse twelve we see more ways the Colossians should be since they
are the “elect of God”
where we read:
Put
on therefore, as the elect of God, holy and beloved, bowels of
mercies,
kindness,
humbleness of mind, meekness, longsuffering;
The
verse begins, “Put
on therefore, as the elect of God, holy and beloved,...”
Once again Paul uses the phrase “Put
on”
which means “to sink into and be clothed upon or with”
“therefore”
which is a conclusion word that refers us to the words stated before
and means “since, because of or as a result”. Paul adds, “as
the elect” or
“picked out and chosen” “of
God”, “holy and beloved” which
means “a most holy thing or a saint and greatly loved” With such
titles as “elect, holy and beloved”, the Colossians should have
been motivated to apply whatever Paul stated next.
The
verse goes on to say, “bowels
of mercies, kindness, humbleness of mind, meekness, longsuffering;”
The first trait mentioned is “bowels
of mercies”
which means “from the deepest seat of the emotions or from the
heart there should be compassion, pity and mercy”. Secondly, the
Colossians were to exhibit “kindness”
or “moral goodness, integrity, and benignity”. Next they were to
be people with “humbleness
of mind”
which means “having a humble opinion of one's self, a deep sense of
one's moral littleness, modesty, humility and lowliness of mind”.
In addition they were to show “meekness”
which is “gentleness and mildness” and finally “longsuffering”
or “patience, endurance, constancy, steadfastness and
perseverance”. These five traits would no doubt distinguish them
from the earthly ways, and when the Colossians exhibited them, they
would be setting their affections on things above and not on things
on the earth as Paul mentioned earlier in this chapter.
Perhaps
as we meditate upon these words of Paul we should take the time to
discover whether we are “clothed
upon” with
the traits he listed. The implication is the characteristics are not
in place and should be added, so as we review them over and over
again, we should pray for the Lord to infuse them into our lives.
“Mercies,
kindness, humbleness, meekness and longsuffering”
are wonderful ways given to “the
elect of God”
who are “holy
and beloved”,
and when we understand our position with the Lord Jesus, we will
indeed desire to “put
on”
all of them.
Next
time Paul tells the Colossians some specific things they should “put
on”,
so
read ahead, and we shall join together then.
Until
tomorrow...there is more...
Look
for the daily devotional book “Equipped for Battle – From
Generation to Generation”, the marriage book “So, You Want to Be
Married”, and the new devotional “One Year in the Sermon on the
Mount” in all major bookstore sites, www.amazon.com ;
www.barnesandnobles.com ; download to e-books, and find it locally at
www.mrzlc.com/bookstore.
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