A Few Thoughts About Colossians 3:12-14
Colossians 3:12-14 CSB Therefore, as God’s chosen ones, holy and dearly loved, put on compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience, bearing with one another and forgiving one another if anyone has a grievance against another. Just as the Lord has forgiven you, so you are also to forgive. Above all, put on love, which is the perfect bond of unity.
A1 When the Scriptures say we are to put on something it refers to
B1 Something that is obvious to others
B2 Something that defines who and what we are
B3 Somethings we put on (the Greek word ἐνδύω endýō G1746)
C1 Clothes: Matthew 6:25 CSB Therefore I tell you: Don’t worry about your life, what you will eat or what you will drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Isn’t life more than food and the body more than clothing?
C2 God’s power: Luke 24:49 CSB And look, I am sending you what my Father promised. As for you, stay in the city until you are empowered from on high.
C3 Armor of light. Light is what God is. It speaks of truth. What we are in public; we are in private. We are not to be putting on a facade but truth.
D1 Romans 13:12 CSB The night is nearly over, and the day is near; so let us discard the deeds of darkness and put on the armor of light.
D2 Contrast this, these leave light and walk in the paths of darkness (the devil’s way of life): Proverbs 2:13 CSB from those who abandon the right paths to walk in ways of darkness,
D3 Contrasted again: 1 Thessalonians 5:5 CSB For you are all children of light and children of the day. We do not belong to the night or the darkness.
C4 The new body and eternal life: 1 Corinthians 15:54 CSB When this corruptible body is clothed with incorruptibility, and this mortal body is clothed with immortality, then the saying that is written will take place: Death has been swallowed up in victory.
C5 Recognizing Jesus as Lord and under His rule and rules: Galatians 3:27 CSB For those of you who were baptized into Christ have been clothed with Christ.
C6 Eternal clothes: Revelation 19:14 CSB The armies that were in heaven followed him on white horses, wearing pure white linen.
A2 What are we to put on? We are to put on
B1 Compassion
C1 Compassion is related to mercy and is motivated by love. It is God’s way of life.
C2 In context, this refers to every kind of status, which includes all people. It refers to God’s love and desire that all be saved. We are saved from God’s wrath, because after God initiated salvation and freed our will, we did not resist but believed in Jesus Christ. 1 Timothy 2:4 NKJV who desires all men to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth.
C3 Jesus’s life was lived in compassion. Matthew 9:36 NET When he saw the crowds, he had compassion on them because they were bewildered and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd.
C4 Compassion for fellow believers. 1 Peter 3:8 NIV Finally, all of you, be like-minded, be sympathetic, love one another, be compassionate and humble.
B2 Kindness
B3 Humility
B4 Gentleness
B5 Patience
B6 Forbearing
B7 Forgiveness
B8 Love
A3 These things are to be obvious.
A4 These things define a citizen of the Kingdom of God