Colossians 3:9-14

The following is a Bible study originally posted on our Bible Study Group.

Last week we discussed what we're supposed to "put off" in our spiritual
lives. Don't worry -- God doesn't ever ask us to stop doing something
without also giving us a replacement for the sinful deeds. Today starts
many weeks of discussing what the character of a new Christian should be,
and I'm sure you're going to enjoy talking about all these things. Let's
begin with Colossians 3:9-14...


"Do not lie to one another, since you have put off the old man with his
deeds, and have put on the new man who is renewed in knowledge according to
the image of Him who created him, where there is neither Greek nor Jew,
circumcised nor uncircumcised, barbarian, Scythian, slave nor free, but
Christ is all and in all. 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. But above
all these things put on love, which is the bond of perfection."


Six years ago, my husband and I participated in a parenting class at a local
church. While we learned many helpful things, one of our favorite lessons
learned was about teaching our children to consider the "preciousness of
others." The leaders wanted us to realize that our children should be a
blessing to others, always mindful of how their actions would affect others.

Why should we think about how precious others are? Are others really that
precious after all? What about the murderers, liars, and criminals of this
world? How precious are they? Do you agree with me that the people in our
churches can sometimes be the meanest people of all -- certainly not very
precious!?

This week's verses describe first of all WHY we should think that others are
precious, and secondly it tells HOW to act toward others.

Colossians 3:10-11 tell how we have been "renewed in knowledge according to
the image of Him who created" us. Our fellow brothers and sisters in Christ
are also striving to "put on the new man." In our spiritual church family,
there is "neither Greek nor Jew, circumcised nor uncircumcised, barbarian,
Scythian, slave nor free." In other words, each of us has been made in
God's image, and we are all being remade in the image of Christ, who "is all
and in all." Yes, we'll have our differences! Yet we are to realize the
preciousness of each person's worth in Christ and "not lie to one another."
We are to have a transparency with one another that is unheard of in the
world.

I can't count how many times I've really DIS-liked one of my brothers or
sisters in Christ! They can really make me mad! Yet God says that we have
"put on the new man" and are to be characterized by honesty and integrity in
our dealings with other believers.

Verse 11 says that Christ is now residing in us and His life is the entire
fuel for our living. Then verse 12 says, "Therefore." "Therefore" means
that because Christ is now in us, and His life is shining through (or should
be, anyway), this is how we are to act: "as the elect of God, holy and
beloved, etc."

Are we, of ourselves, the "elect of God"? Are we "holy"? No, but Christ is
in us, so as God looks at us, He sees His dearly beloved Son Jesus. And we
are to BEHAVE like the temple of God that we are. Verse 12 begins the long
list of virtues that describe the very nature of God the Son, dwelling
within us. (I know it's certainly humanly impossible for ANNE to act like
that -- it MUST be God!)

Finally, notice that verse 13 says we are to forgive others as Christ
forgave us. Our parenting class pointed this out so beautifully that I'm
going to quote it here...

"One Christmas, our daughter Jennifer received a Holly Hobbie doll that she
loved and cherished for many years. There were occasions when she asked one
of us to hold the doll while she made up its bed. 'Be very careful how you
hold her, Daddy' was a common instruction. Her mother and I would look at
that patched-up doll with its stained clothing and missing hair and focus on
its material value. We often thought that pile of cloth must cost more to
maintain than what it was worth. To us, that doll was valueless, but not to
its owner. To Jennifer, that doll was precious. And the more tattered it
became, the more care and love she gave it. Jennifer's words, 'Be very
careful how you hold her,' governed our care. We held that doll, not based
on our perception of its value, but on the value assigned to it by its
owner.

"You are like that Holly Hobbie doll; you have an owner, Jesus Christ. To
Him you are absolutely precious. You are so precious that He left the
splendor of heaven to come to earth to die for you (Philippians 2:6-8).
'For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever
believes on Him should not perish but have everlasting life' (John 3:16). I
should not base my conduct toward you on how valuable you are to me, nor on
any intrinsic value found in our humanity, but on how beloved you are to God
(Romans 8:35-39)."*

Isn't that beautiful? And as we put on the new virtues of tender mercy,
kindness, humility, meekness, longsuffering, bearing with one another and
forgiveness, we will radiate God's beauty to our fellow believers and to the
world. In fact, verse 14 says that love is the bond of perfection. When we
are loving to those who do not deserve our love, we will lack nothing that
is necessary to our spiritual maturity.

Only Christ can create such an amazing new life within us. Can you see
that? Only He has this kind of power. I urge you to meet Him with daily,
asking Him to rid your life of sinful ugliness and imploring Him to create
His new life within you. I also encourage you to tape a list of these
beautiful, loving virtues somewhere where you can see it -- maybe on your
bathroom mirror or over the kitchen sink or on your computer monitor. Dwell
on what it means to be re-made in the perfect image of God's Son and daily
pray that He'll make these qualities a reality for you.

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