LEARNING DAILY

 

Colossians 3:12-13, Therefore as the elect of God holy and beloved, put on tender mercies, kindness, humility, meekness, longsuffering; bearing with one another, and forgiving one another, if anyone has a complaint against another; even as Christ forgave you, so you also must do.

 

We were watching television the other night when a commercial for a coming television series was shown. It showed a car being blown up with bodies sent flying through the air, and the main character shooting other men; this character was then shown saying, “Well, I’m not perfect!” It is just an illustration this morning for me to say I wish I did better as I walk the narrow way to God’s eternal kingdom – “Well I’m not perfect”. You will see what I mean as you read today.

 

This is quite a list of new characteristics the followers of Christ, the elect of God, will be given to display in their relationship to others. These qualities are bound together by the love of Christ (verse 14) in them and because the Holy Spirit nurtures them in us; it often takes time for these characteristics to shine forth in us. Healthy relationships begin with a healthy relationship with God! Healthy relationships make life more enjoyable; one might be enjoying great health and have lots of money and “stuff”, but be miserable because relationships are unhealthy or broken.

 

It seems to me that as we walk on the narrow way, we need to “put on” the characteristics of a new life in Christ. Colossians 3:5 speaks to this. “Therefore put to death your members which are on earth; fornication, uncleanness, passion, evil desire, and covetousness, which is idolatry.” Colossians 3:8,9 adds this, “But now you yourselves are to put off all these: anger, wrath, malice, blasphemy, filthy language out of your mouth. Do not lie one to another, since you have put off the old man with his deed,”. We are to make a clean break with the way we used to live before Christ entered our lives and walk in a determined way on the narrow way with Him. This is not a one-time decision. This old self and its sins will need to be put to death continually until we enter heaven or Christ comes for us.

 

We are to walk with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience. We practice them by “bearing with one another, and forgiving one another”. We all have had people do things, say things, write things to us or about us. May I speak freely? Get over yourself and forgive and move on. Stop letting the past dominate your life and your relationships. Has God forgiven you? Then forgive others just as God forgave you and stop with the “old self stuff”! God’s forgiveness means He will not bring up the “stuff” He forgave us of and throw it in our faces over and over again; He does not use it to control you.

 

God, in His mercy and grace, chose each of us and set us apart to walk with Him. Because of that we need to treat others with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience. The way He treats us is the basis, our example of how we are to treat others.

 

Like I said at the beginning – I’m not perfect!

 

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.