LEARNING DAILY

 

Colossians 3:12-17, Therefore as the elect of God, holy and beloved, put on the tender mercies, kindness, humility, meekness, longsuffering; bearing with one another, and forgiving one another; even as Christ forgave you, so you must also do. But above all these things put on love, which is the bond of perfection. And let the peace of God rule in your hearts, to which you were also called in one body; and be thankful. Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom, teaching and admonishing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord. And whatever you do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through Him.

 

The characteristics above become part of every Christian’s life because Jesus Christ is in our lives; these characteristics come through our fellowship with Him and as our love for Him grows. Emphasis is on each Believer’s communion with Him (refer back to v.4 and the blog from two days ago). The characteristics above conclude with “putting on love, which is the bond of perfection”. There certainly seems to be a lack of love in the world today. It is probably due to how people define love. Paul is talking about the love we have because Christ is in our heart; it has the power to change the world. It seems to me you and I choose to love or not to love like Christ each day. When we choose to love like Him, “the peace of God rule in your hearts”.

 

Does this just happen? Paul tells each of us to “Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly”. I have written this often to encourage myself and each of you to be continually in God’s Word – to read it, to study it, to meditate on it, and to pray over it until it “dwells in you richly”. When we do, our thoughts, actions, and motivations will be influenced and controlled by Christ. I just do not want to do or say or think that which does not Honor Him. When I don’t think like Him, my conscience, the Holy Spirit, is quick to let me know I am off track and I need to pray for forgiveness. Needless to say, I tend to ask for forgiveness a lot!

 

The notes in the DJSB states, “The antidote to sin is to do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through Him”. The Bible is very specific about many things that God does not want His people to do. Does the Bible give any direction to things not specifically stated? The notes in the LSSB tell us to ask some questions about the actions that fall into this category. 1) Can it be done for God’s glory?  (See 1 Corinthians 10:31). 2) Can it be done “in the name of the Lord Jesus”, asking His blessing on the activity? (See John 14:13), 3) Can it be done while sincerely giving thanks to God? 4) Is it a Christ-like action? (See 1 John 2:6), 5) Will it weaken the sincere convictions of other Christians?  6) Will it weaken my desire for intimate fellowship with Christ, God’s Word, and prayer? (See Luke 8:14), 7) Will it weaken or hinder my witness for Christ? (See Matthew 5:13-16).

 

If you are not in God’s Word, get into and stay in it! It gives us principles to determine the rightness or wrongness of our actions, especially those things not specifically mentioned in His Word. Paul told us to apply these questions to “whatever we do”! Everything we do in life becomes an act of worship (Romans 12:1-2). If you love someone you do everything to please them. The same thought is applied to our relationship to the Lord Jesus Christ. If you love Him, offer Him everything you do, everything you say, and everything you think each day. You just have to know that when you do your outlook becomes like His.

 

Okay, I have a couple of more things to say on these verses tomorrow.

 

From now on DJSB will be used to note information or quotes from the David Jeremiah Study Bible and LSSB will refer to information and quotes from the Life in the Spirit Study Bible.  I have added Jimmy Swaggart’s Expositor’s Study Bible to be referred to from now on as JSESB.