In Colosse another battle faced the believers; The attack on the Sufficiency of Christ!
Paul wrote to those who were under attack with the lies that Jesus Christ was not sufficient and therefore neither was their salvation. He was not enough to save them, to make them right with God, something else was needed to make up for His deficiency and they had the “secret” to what was needed! But Paul assures the Christians “You are complete in HIM.” -{ Col 2:10}. The word “complete’ refers to “no deficiency.” “No deficiency’ in their SALVATION, FORGIVENESS, SAVIOR! They lacked nothing for salvation. They lacked nothing for their spiritual growth!Everything they needed they had “In Christ.”
“My goal is that they may be encouraged in heart and united in love, so that they may have the full riches of complete understanding, in order that they may know the mystery of God, namely, Christ, in whom are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge. I tell you this so that no one may deceive you by fine-sounding arguments. “-{Col 2:1-4}
Their standing with God is solid, it is their understanding in who He is and all that is theirs “In Christ” that needs to grow!
The lies that it is Christ plus humanism, vain philosophies, mysticism, days and diets that save or produce spiritual maturity are lies he exposes. The cultists and legalists still live today seeking to undermine the sufficiency of Christ and you can detect them as it is always “Christ PLUS... SOMETHING…or someone.” Christ alone is never enough for them. They undermine His Person, His Work, His Word. Beware of them!
Even believers can fall into this deception as some in Galatians had. Paul refutes the lies that have led them astray from Christ’s Sufficiency! Beware! “So, if you think you are standing firm, be careful that you don’t fall!”-{1 Cor 10:12}.
Self Sufficiency is the Open Gateway to deception and spiritual failure!
Salvation is of God. And as God’s chosen,’marked out’ by God and for God, as His marked out ones change takes place as there is God given power given to change our character and he writes…
“Therefore, as God’s chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves With compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience. Bear with each other and forgive one another if any of you has a grievance against someone. Forgive as the Lord forgave you.”- {Col 3:12-13}. GOD DID THIS…for you!
POSITION; Note Paul starts out with their Spiritual Position, This is important and is a common trait of Paul when writing, he starts with the Believers Position before going on to their Practice. Their Motivation before their movement in living. It gives motivation, understanding. They do not work for acceptance but because they are accepted. Consider these three words
“CHOSEN,” – “God’s Chosen people,”
This is not a new concept to them. God Chose Abraham -{Gen 18:19}; God Chose David -{1 Sam 16:12}. God chose Jeremiah- {1:4-5;}; God Chose Jesus, “Look at my Servant, whom I have chosen. He is my Beloved, who pleases Me.“- {Luke 4:18}. God chose Paul-{Gal 1:15}; God Chose His people- {Eph 1:3-4;}. God chose… YOU, “In Christ.” -{Gal 1:15;3:26}.
Chosen means to “elect, select, marked out, called out ones” to pick out for oneself by God for God! It is God being God!
“HOLY”- Dedicated.
‘(hagios = set apart ones, separated ones, sanctified ones, holy ones) is literally a holy one and properly means different, set apart, distinct, holy. It describes one who is set apart for or by God and can be brought near or into God’s holy presence. “Its fundamental idea is separation, consecration, devotion to the service of Deity, sharing in God’s purity and abstaining from earth’s defilement.” (Zodhiates) ‘
“BELOVED” –
They are Loved by God. It is a verb{agapao } , “…take pleasure in, ” ““and beloved“ (agapao) (v. 12d). The Greek word agapao is used to speak of something that is beloved—treasured—something so precious that the person (in this case, God) would be loath to part with it.”-{sermon writer}
and means to love unconditionally and sacrificially. It is not a love of emotion, though God does emotionally love you as Jesus says in John 16;27. Here it is a love of choice. Such is God’s commitment to His own… to… YOU! Eternally so. You are the object of His love! “I have loved you with an everlasting love… Nothing can separate us from the love of Christ.. To Him who has loved us and released us from our sins… beloved of God… we KNOW LOVE by this, he laid down His life for us…” -{Read Jer 31:2; Rom 8;31-38; Rev 1:5-6; Rom 1:7; 1 John 3:16}. The Chosen are LOVED of God. Not because they are lovely but because HE set His Love upon them! To God be the glory for HIS great grace and mercy. It is the love of Calvary, where God’s Son denied Himself for the benefit of the ones loved. Indeed , love is the highest motivation, as we grow in our knowledge and realization that God loves us it will motivate us in our own love in obeying Him and walking in their newness of life. Think often of His demonstration of love for ypu. Why did He chose us? For His good pleasure because He chose to set His love upon us. It is truly mind blowing amazing kindness, grace! “just as He chose us in Him before the foundation of the world, that we would be holy and blameless before Him. In love He predestined us to adoption as sons through Jesus Christ to Himself, according to the kind intention of His will, to the praise of the glory of His grace, which He freely bestowed on us in the Beloved. ” – {Eph 1:4-6}. This is not some cold doctrine, teaching. Some wish to argue over it, some divide or deny it, though you have to skip or mark out passages in the Bible where it is mentioned, but in Ephesians 1 it is for doxology, Praise to Him, in Colossians 3 it is shown to influence character change. There is purpose but it is His love that is seen in it for wicked sinners who should be the object of HIS LOVE. It is neither cold nor to be ignored but celebrated and embraced as a jewel to the family of God from Him who loves you! His love, He loved us and still and forever will love us is to be seen in our reaction to His action of loving us!
“…agapao which is in the perfect tense which signifies past completed action with present ongoing result or effect. It speaks of the permanence and enduring quality of God’s love for you dear believer…”{preceptaustin commentaries}. How wonderful His love is for all believers, no matter what generation. As it was for the first generation of believers it is so today and the next generation and is for you! His love is not changing like the wind, but stable, steadfast, fixed.. and you are the object of such amazing love! “See what great love the Father has lavished on us, that we should be called children of God! And that is what we are! “-{1 John 3:1}
These three titles were originally given to the Jewish people. Chosen nation. Holy,-Dedicated, set apart from all other nations to Him to love and follow because of His setting His love upon them and choosing them for Himself and His purposes. They were His beloved people! But now “In Christ, ” all who are His are the Chosen of God, Holy, Beloved.
This is what God calls you, His CHOSEN, HOLY , BELOVED and what God says about you is true.
I AM WHO GOD SAYS I AM!
It is not what you “feel,” or don’t feel.”It is not what others say about you, it is not what thoughts come to mind from the evil one but based on GOD’S DOING you are “In Christ” and you are who He says you are. To not believe Him and say who He says you are is to take His Name in vein, defame and dishonor HIM. IT IS NOT HUMILITY BUT PRIDE AND AN AFFRONT TO HIS SON AND HIS WORK AND HIS WORD.
I AM WHO GOD SAYS I AM!
Paul shows that God’s Gospel has gone out into the whole world and that includes the Gentiles, who were often despised, but not by God! What hope, comfort, bliss, that God should show His love, grace, mercy n such a way that the “despised” were welcomed into His family and this all by His doing! Bow in wonder, amazement and thanksgiving to Him for such high high privilege he has bestowed and lavished upon you. You are who God says you are, only who God says you are, always who God says you are. THINK RIGHT and be transformed in your thinking to agree with God and see yourself as God sees you. the world and even the church has bought into “self esteem- you need to love yourself first before you can love anyone else.” But self is what caused Jesus to die for our sins. Self is self centered.
It is not the worlds esteem but God’s esteem we live by and this begins with THINKING RIGHT, which is through the lens of Scriptures and by faith saying about yourself what God says. You are CHOSEN by God. HOLY because of God, BELOVED by God! No’if’s, but’s, doubt’s’ about it! It is written, therefore it is true!-{Read John 17:17} because He is TRUE and there is no lie in HIM!
RADICAL CHANGE POSITIONALLY;
From self righteous, self seeking and using others to seeking to serve others because of this radical change that has taken place as Paul says happened in “ He has delivered us from the power of darkness and transferred us into the kingdom of the Son of His love,” -{Col 1:13}. This radical change from one kingdom to another takes place!
RADICAL CHANGE, FROM ENEMIES TO RECONCILIATION!
“Once you were alienated from God and were enemies in your minds because of {as shown by} of your evil behavior. But now He has reconciled you by Christ’s physical body through death to present you holy in His sight, without blemish and free from accusation— “ -{Col 1;21-22}
RADICAL CHANGE FROM SPIRITUAL DEATH TO LIFE! “When you were dead in your sins and in the uncircumcision of your flesh, God made you alive with Christ. He forgave us all our sins, ” -{Col 2:13} . Who made you alive? Who forgave you ALL your sins? “GOD Did!
RADICAL NEW LIFE
“and have put on the new self, which is being renewed in knowledge in the image of its Creator. “-{Col 3:10}
Consider some of the Changes that is possible for the Chosen and will be manifested and worked out as they have the power of the Holy Spirit within them and the Word of God to Guide and Govern them… in a new Practice of living, with a new motive, love for God who first loved them and chose them to be His Own, precious people {Read 1 Peter 2:9}…
The Basis, foundation ability for this “NEW LIFE” to be lived out and obeyed is in Colossians 3:1- “Since you have been raised to new life with Christ”-{NLT}.NEW POSITION ,NEW LIFE… NEW POWER..RADICAL!
Who we are precedes what we are to be!
PRACTICE;
“Clothe yourselves,” –
When John Wesley was pelted with rotten fruit and vegetables by people as he stood and spoke the Gospel, his coat covered with them, when he got to his next place the first thing he would do was change out of the filthy stained garment as he was not comfortable into something clean. And so we too have the ability to say no to sin as our master, because it no longer is and put on a new garment of grace, new attitudes guided and governed by HIS Word , “let the Word of Christ dwell in you richly…”-{Col 3:16}. So we throw off the old garment with its evil patterns because that is not who we are anymore and put on the Garment of grace! New attitudes, motivations, choices and practices- the Christ life! {Read Phil 2:3-5}.
‘Clothe yourselves’ -‘Put On’ is used of A GARMENT and the way it is written speaks of urgency, do this NOW! It is plural, for “all believers!” He is not speaking about a literal garment but of a supernatural change in conduct, the Christ life that is visible in actions. The idea is to envelop yourself with these traits, attitudes characteristics…who you are and how you live … and the LORD works in us, it is a life long process developing and displaying more consistently these traits. When you fail, confess and start again depending on HIM to and through you. {Read Phil 2:13 and take hope}
NOTE;
All these Garments of Grace have to do with RELATIONSHIPS between you and Others! What is to GOVERN our relationships and how we may live with others, for Jesus sake as His people!
This then is how we are to learn and practice living…
“Don’t Put Off Putting On!”
Clothe yourselves with
1. Compassion– {Oiktirmos}…
is the reaction of pity { a feeling of sorrow, sympathy and compassion caused by the sufferings of others!} “Then David said to Gad, “I am in great distress. Let us now fall into the hand of the LORD for His mercies [oiktirmos] are great, but do not let me fall into the hand of man.”) ” – 2 Sam 24:14 -{Bakers encyclopedia of The Bible.}
It speaks of plural not just one act but many daily of acts of mercy. It speaks of tender sensitivity to others. It is to put yourself in another’s position and own their need as your own. like the good Samaritan, who saw, stopped, stooped to lift up the injured man and took him to safety and provided and though he had to continue on in business left word that if the wounded man needed anything that he was to get it and he would take care of it when he returned. he owned the end as his own and acted on it “Sorrow” will move your emotions Compassion will move your will to action! Choosing to deny yourself to prefer others is possible because He lives within you .{Read Phil 2:3-5,13}, You have the capacity, the power to make the choice to be sensitive to others and meeting their needs “In Christ!” The same word is used in 2 Cor 1:3 “The Father of mercies” and in Rom 12:1. We have been saved because God has been compassionate towards us in our sin. Jesus had pity on humanity, compassion because they, we were as sheep without a shepherd.{Matt 15:32}. We too are to have sympathy, empathy which turns into action- compassion in action for those in pain. It is seen in 1 John 3:17-18 -” But whoever has the world’s goods, and sees his brother in need and closes his heart {compassion} against him, how does the love of God abide in him? Little children, let us not love with word or with tongue, but in deed and truth. ” Compassion sees the need and pain of others and considers “How Can I help? What Can I do? That is the response of the NEW PERSON in Christ. The Old person often sees an opportunity how they can prosper themselves in the suffering. One lives to give, the other lives to take!
See A Need… Feel the need the suffering one is in …Meet the need.
2. Kindness–
Kindness spends it self on others. it is the desire to do what is right and beneficial for others!
It is a friendly and helpful attitude that seeks to meet the needs of others through deeds of kindness.
Kindness desires to do good to others and is the opposite of harshness and meanness to others. Kindness is a fruit of the Spirit.-{Gal 5:22}. Kindness is a derivitive of love -{1 Cor 13:4}
“(Chrestotes) is expressed in attitude and deed. It is the friendly and helpful spirit which seeks to meet the needs of others through kind deeds. ” Spurgeon – “Be ready to feel for others; be very considerate of their needs. Look at others as if they were your kith and kin; if you and they are in Christ, they are indeed your kin, so put on kinned-ness, or “kindness,’”…” One of the most beautiful pictures of human kindness in the Bible is King David’s treatment of the crippled prince, Mephibosheth (see study) (2Sa 9:1, 13–expositional and devotional commentary). David’s desire was to show “the kindness of God” to King Saul’s family because of his own love for Saul’s son, Jonathan. The young man chosen was Mephibosheth, Jonathan’s son, a poor cripple. If David had acted according to justice, he would have condemned Mephibosheth, for the man belonged to a condemned family. But David acted on the basis of love and grace.”-{preceptaustin commentaries}
3. Humility –
Where humility is Love is present, Where there is no humility there is an absence of love.
The society of that time regarded highly the boastful, arrogant, not the humble. but then lovlessness always does!
The Romans or Greeks had no word for it at the time and the word they used was derogatory and used of Christians. (tapeinophrosune from tapeinos = low lying, then low or humble + phren = to think)
The word means “lowly of mind”- A proud person compares themselves to others , their abilities, posessions and tends to look down on others who do not have what they have and feels superior, boastful and tends to “put down” others while gloating in themselves, posessions, academia, athletic ability whatever they feel they have more of are better at… they are proud “puffed up” and devoid of love. Where as the humble of mind ” For I say, through the grace given to me, to everyone who is among you, not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think, but to think soberly, as God has dealt to each one a measure of faith.”-{Rom 12:3}. They know whatever they have it has been gifted to them by God, not their own doing.
“For what gives you the right to make such a judgment? What do you have that God hasn’t given you? And if everything you have is from God, why boast as though it were not a gift? ” {1 Cor 4:7 {NLT}- also read 1 Cor12:7-11}
Jesus says “In your relationships with one another, have the same mindset as Christ Jesus:”-{Phil 2:5} He manifested this by laying His life down for OTHERS in obedience to His Father!
A RIGHT MINDSET TOWARDS OURSELVES WILL BE SEEN IN ARIGHT MINDSET AND THE
WAY WE TREAT OTHERS..
“(tapeinophrosune from tapeinos = low lying, then low or humble + phren = to think) literally means to think or judge with lowliness and thus speaks of humiliation of mind, lowliness of mind, lowly thinking, the quality of unpretentious behavior, a humble attitude, modesty (modesty = unassuming in the estimation of one’s abilities) or without arrogance. The word indicates the esteeming one’s self as small or recognizing one’s insufficiency but at the same time recognizing the powerful sufficiency of God!”
Spurgeon – Do not try to be a big man. He who thinks himself big has not yet learnt the true spirit of Christianity. Especially towards those who are sorrowful and sad, be pitiful, be kind, be humble.
John Wesley made the instructive observation that “neither the Romans nor the Greeks had a word for humility.
The very concept was so foreign and abhorrent to their way of thinking that they had no term to describe it. When, during the first several centuries of Christianity, pagan writers borrowed the term tapeinophrosune, they always used it derogatorily—frequently of Christians—because to them humility was a pitiable weakness.
Vine writes that tapeinophrosune “indicates, not a merely moral quality, but the subjection of self under the authority of, and in response to, the love of the Lord Jesus, and the power of the Holy Spirit to conform the believer to the character of Christ. In contrast to the world’s idea of being “poor-spirited” (in Classical Greek tapeinos commonly carried that imputation), the Lord commends “the poor in spirit” (Mt 5:3–note).
John MacArthur explains that ” In secular Greek literature, the adjective tapeinos (“lowly”) was used exclusively in a derisive way, most commonly of a slave. It described what was considered base, common, unfit, and having little value. Thus, it is not surprising that the noun tapeinophrosune has not been found in any extra-biblical Greek literature before the second century. It seems, therefore, to have originated in the New Testament, where, along with its synonyms, it always has a positive connotation. Humility of mind is the opposite of pride, the sin that has always separated fallen men from God, making them, in effect, their own gods. Humility is also a dominant virtue in the Old Testament. “When pride comes, then comes dishonor,” warns Solomon, “but with the humble is wisdom” (Pr 11:2). Later he declares, “It is better to be humble in spirit with the lowly than to divide the spoil with the proud” (16:19). (MacArthur, J. Philippians. Chicago: Moody Press)
Edwards observes that “True humility is not putting ourselves down but rather lifting up others. If we concentrate on lifting up others, putting down ourselves will take care of itself. As we go through life exalting Christ and others, then genuine humility will be inevitable. If we exalt ourselves then God will take care of our humiliation for He promises to humble the proud. It is much less painful to do it the first way.
Tapeinophrosune is used in good sense here as Php 2:3–note = not think of yourself very highly. Really not to even think of yourself at all! In me, in my flesh, there dwelleth no good thing… only Christ in me, the hope of glory. Paul had already used this same Greek word 2x negatively but now uses it of one supernaturally empowered to exhibit this trait. Note: these are all relationship words whereas the former list reflected selfishness and wrong attitudes toward people.
4. Gentleness–
Is the opposite of being Harsh. It is NOT Weakness BUT power under control! It is used of Moses in Num 12:3 and Jesus in Matt 11;19. Jesus was in submission to the will of His Father. -{John 5:30}
Gentleness is a fruit which the Holy Spirit produces in a life that is in submission to Him -{Read Gal 5:22-23}. Jesus exhibited gentleness. Gentleness is a fruit of The Spirit, and Paul wrote ,”The LORD’S servant must not be argumentive but GENTLE{kind}..,to all…”-{2 Tim 2:24}. Even when correcting one another it is to be done in “gentleness”- {Gal 6:1}
(prautes [word study]) describes the quality of not being overly impressed by a sense of one’s self-importance. Prautes is a quality of gentle friendliness – gentleness, meekness (as strength that accommodates to another’s weakness), consideration, restrained patience, patient trust in the midst of difficult circumstances.
Prautes describes “a wild horse that’s been tamed”; a person tamed by the grace of God and His indwelling ongoing ministry of His Spirit in sanctifying me, in progressively setting me apart from this evil world and to Himself for His holy purposes, for His glory alone!
In Greek literature prautes was sometimes used of a feigned, hypocritical concern for others that is motivated by self-interest. But in the New Testament it is always used of genuine consideration for others.
Prautes “denotes the humble and gentle attitude which expresses itself, in particular, in a patient submissiveness to offense, free from malice and desire for revenge… controlled strength, the ability to bear reproaches and slights without bitterness and resentment; the ability to provide a soothing influence on someone who is in a state of anger, bitterness and resentment against life… the word indicates an obedient submissiveness to God and His will, with unwavering faith and enduring patience displaying itself in a gentle attitude and kind acts toward others, and this often in the face of opposition. It is the restrained and obedient powers of the personality brought into subjection and submission to God’s will by the Holy Spirit (Gal 5:23)… the opposite of arrogance… the word stands in contrast to the term orge (wrath, anger as a state of mind)… It denotes the humble and gentle attitude which expresses itself, in particular, in a patient submissiveness to offense, a freedom from malice and desire for revenge… mildness, patient trust in the midst of difficult circumstances.” (2Co 10:1) (Compiled from the Rogers, C L – originally by Fritz Rienecker: New Linguistic and Exegetical Key to the Greek New Testament. Zondervan. 1998) “-{preceptaustin}
5. Patience –
” a word meaning “long suffering” and so is the quality of having self control to be able to wait, persevere, and endure without complaint. It is the opposite of anger, wrath and passion.
Passion in Colossians 3:5 is a yielding to emotions which itself is a loss of self control, and anger and wrath arise when a selfish person does not get what they want.
Patience is the expression of kindness and humility which seek good for others and are not selfish”-{Scott Harris}
” (makrothumia from makros = long, distant, far off, large + thumos = temper, passion, emotion or thumoomai = to be furious or burn with intense anger) is literally long-temper (as opposed to “short tempered), a long holding out of the mind before it gives room to action or passion. It describes a state of emotional calm or quietness in the face of provocation, misfortune or unfavorable circumstances.
Makrothumia is the capacity to be wronged and not retaliate. It is the ability to hold one’s feeling in restraint or bear up under the oversights and wrongs afflicted by others without retaliating. It is manifest by the quality of forbearance under provocation. It is used of God’s patience toward sinful men (see note Romans 2:4) and of the attitude which Christians are to display.
Patience is the spirit which never gives up for it endures to the end even in times of adversity, exhibiting self-restraint such that it does not hastily retaliate a wrong.
Spurgeon exhorts us to “Continue to put up with others, remembering the Lord’s longsuffering with you.”
Vine says makrothumia is the opposite of anger. It follows that a lack of patience often leads to wrath or revenge. “-{preceptaustin commenatries}
And to the chosen there is evidence they are Chosen of God, not by their PROFESSION OF FAITH but by their PRACTICE OF FAITH! Changing lives that correspond to Godly living… in their relationships!
Know your Position, Chosen, Holy, Beloved, now…
Put On The Garments of Grace today- You look good in them and they are beneficial to you doing good for others, and they manifest that you are His!
He Chose you to Change you