God chooses to offer salvation to mankind. This daily devotional looks at the duties of those who accept His offer.
Nuggets
- As God’s elect, we are expected to live our lives in a certain manner.
- Paul used love as an argument for finding our unity.
- We’ve got to get our knowledge of the word of Christ to the heart level.
- God expects complete devotion to Him.
Devotions in the Joy in the Gospel series
God has chosen mankind to be the recipients of His salvation. After conversion, however, He does not leave us to our own devices.
Paul reminded the Colossians of sins to avoid now that they were God’s children. He instructed then to do this by keeping focused on Jesus as they go about their walk.
Let’s take a look.
Let's Put It into Context
Here is a running list of what we’ve discussed previously.
The Christian Life
“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” (Col. 3: 12-13 CSB)
As God’s elect, we are expected to live our lives in a certain manner.
We’ve been talking about character this year. Paul didn’t tell us the specifics about character here. He told us what character is.
Character is about being elect, holy, and beloved.
- Election is God’s plan to bring that salvation to His creation, a gift of His grace because of His mercy. When we choose to accept the gift of salvation, we become the elect.
- Holy means to be set apart, perfect, and morally pure while possessing all virtues.
- The perfected state indicates maturity has been reached because the combination of the spiritual graces, when all are present, form spiritual wholeness or completeness. Spiritual graces are worldly morals that have been submitted to God to further His kingdom instead of enhancing this world.
o Pure means not being sinful or having the stain of sin.
- The perfected state indicates maturity has been reached because the combination of the spiritual graces, when all are present, form spiritual wholeness or completeness. Spiritual graces are worldly morals that have been submitted to God to further His kingdom instead of enhancing this world.
- Beloved means dearly loved.
Glossary
Some trip over the term elect. We shouldn’t.
Until we experience conversion, we are not the elect. Once we do, we have to be navigating the Sanctification Road to be changing our character to be more like God’s. That is what makes us the elect.
Paul tells us characteristics on which to focus. What is really encouraging is Paul said that we can “put on” the compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience. That makes it our choice.
We need to have spirits of mercy and kindness. Horton called it a tender, yearning sympathy.
Resource
We can have compassion for others because of similar life experiences. Kindness is fueled by the desire to do good to others. It is an active thoughtfulness.
Part of this fuel is our humility and our holding others in higher esteem than ourselves. Humility is a character trait that diminishes pride and places dependence on God while holding a modest view of our importance with respect to others.
Barlow made a great point. He wrote, “This is not undue self-depreciation, but a proper estimate of self.”
Resource
Meekness shows our relationship to God. It is the frame of mind our soul has toward God.
Meekness and patience/longsuffering are related as both address patience and self-control. Barlow also connected the two. He wrote,
- “‘Meekness’ (Judges 8:2), which is slow to take and scorns to give offence.
- “‘Longsuffering,’ meekness continued, though subjected to the strongest provocations.”
Resource
Barlow and Horton both said that meekness is the short-time patience. Longsuffering is the long-term.
When we possess meekness and long-suffering, we are more forbearing and forgiving.
Horton made the distinction between forbearing and forgiving. Forbearing is just dealing with what we see as the quarrel. Forgiving is actually pardoning the other for assaults against our character.
Barlow stressed a point that is somewhat lost in this translation. In the King James Version, it says, “… if any man have a quarrel against any …” (Col. 3: 13 KJV).
The word any is used twice to make it all encompassing.
• No one is except from this. No disciple should have a complaint against another. We are to forgive.
• We can’t have a complaint against anyone — worldview person or another disciple. It is off the table to have a complaint against someone who thinks differently than we do.
The only qualifier is “… Just as the Lord has forgiven you, so you are also to forgive” (Col. 1: 13 CSB). That is a big qualifier.
No, Jesus did not forgive people so that they could keep on sinning. He, as God, forgives those who admit our sins, believe on Jesus as Redeemer, confess God as Sovereign, Lord and demonstrate that commitment by following our job description.
The Disciple’s Job Description
Complete Job Description
If we ask His forgiveness, that means we are committing ourselves to follow God’s laws and commandments. We are repentant.
Repentance is acknowledging our separation from God and expressing sorrow for breaking God’s laws and commandments by making the commitment to changing ourselves through obedience so that we no longer do the wrong things. It has a component of giving up the sin to follow God’s Will.
Glossary
God knows we are serious in our commitment to Him when we turn our backs on the things that separate us from Him.
Yes, I know God has this thing called grace that makes Him more forgiving. Grace is a free and unmerited gift of love from the Heavenly Father, given through His Son, Jesus Christ, that enables salvation and spiritual healing to believers by the work of the Holy Spirit.
Glossary
To read a related devotion, click on the appropriate button below.
Love and Forgiveness
“Above all, put on love, which is the perfect bond of unity. And let the peace of Christ, to which you were also called in one body, rule your hearts. And be thankful” (Col. 3: 14-15 CSB)
Paul used love as an argument for finding our unity.
Tuck called love the greatest grace. This is because it is more of an overarching grace than directed toward a specific character trait. It is more the reason.
Okay, Tuck said it better. He wrote, “Charity covers the whole life and relationships of the Christian …”
Resource
I know. We feel it is hard sometimes to love someone else because of their differing opinions and values, the way they have hurt us, and how they live their lives, especially in the sins they commit.
Tuck reminded us that the love is to help us restore what sin has fractured. He said that Christlike love never fails.
Owen made an interesting comments. He wrote, “There is no grace or duty that is not commanded in Scripture, but this is commanded above all others …”
Resource
The verse Owen noted that I thought pertained to this was I Peter 4: 8. “Above all, maintain constant love for one another, since love covers a multitude of sins” (I Pet. 4: 8 CSB).
We know loving others is the second greatest commandment. Jesus Himself said that.
Glossary
When we possess all the spiritual graces, we have the character of God. We have talked about love being an attribute of God. We just said it was also a fruit of the Spirit.
To read a related devotion, click on the appropriate button below.
Loving each other shows that we are disciples of Christ. “By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another” (Jn. 13: 35 CSB).
It is the way we testify to others that we are children of God. Worldview people may misunderstand what that means, but we know.
Christ in Us
“Let the word of Christ dwell richly among you, in all wisdom teaching and admonishing one another through psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs, singing to God with gratitude in your hearts” (Col 3: 16 CSB)
We’ve got to get our knowledge of the word of Christ to the heart level.
What is the word of Christ? It is not only the gospel in the New Testament, but it is also the Old Testament, where He is prophesied.
Why is this important?
- “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God” (Jn. 1: 1 ESV).
- “For since, in the wisdom of God, the world did not know God through wisdom, it pleased God through the folly of what we preach[b] to save those who believe” (I Cor. 1: 21 ESV).
- “Jesus said to him, ‘I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me’” (Jn. 14: 6 ESV).
Isn’t it sad when believers tell their pastor that he is using too many verses in his sermon? We have to long to hear God’s Word. We have to be buried in it on our own to study it and meditate on it, not just read it.
Vincent explained the “… psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs …” (Col 3: 16 CSB). He said they referred to “the songs, prophecies, teachings of the Old Testament [which] are full of Christ, and its characters are as fragments of the perfect character of Jesus.”
Resource
All of the Scriptures point to Christ. It tells us that we are sinful beings in need of a Savior. It tells us we can find forgiveness by accepting our Savior and Redeemer. We are then taught to become more like Him so that we can be perfected.
To read a related devotion, click the button below.
Doing for the Lord
“And whatever you do, in word or in deed, do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him” (Col 3: 17 CSB)
God expects complete devotion to Him.
Spurgeon discussed the simplicity of God’s laws. He wrote, “In God’s government the matter is plain enough — included in ten commandments, and further reduced by Christ to, two. Our text is an instance of the terseness of Divine precepts. It contains a law applicable to every action, word, thought, place, circumstance in a few brief words.”
Resource
Paul is describing what should happen on our daily walk. Walking is the term used to describe how we live our lives.
Our godly character is not limited to just when we are inside the church doors. It is supposed to be evident as we walk through the halls at school, sit in meetings at work, interact with others at the grocery store.
Wherever we are. Whomever we are with. We are to be imitating Jesus.
Barlow looked at it as our duty. We are to walk in the Spirit for the right reasons.
Paul said this was an encompassing command. “And whatever you do, in word or in deed, do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus …” (Col 3: 17 CSB)
That means we look to Christ at all times and in all things. We put our dependence on Him.
We know we can trust Christ. Barlow wrote, “The name of Christ is the greatest power in the universe.”
Resource
The Preacher’s Analyst showed how this went full circle. Paul was telling the elect that this was what was expected of them. It included humbleness, longsuffering, meekness, and love.
Resource
We do what we do for Christ.
Making the Connections
Have you been thinking this is directed at individuals? It is, but it isn’t.
Horton reminded us that Paul was talking to the Colossian church. He is talking to the church as a whole.
Horton reminded us, “You are called to be one compact and corporate body in the Lord. There should be no schism, no lack of mutual sympathy and interest among you. On the contrary, there should be the utmost gentleness, kindness, patience, etc.?
Resource
How Do We Apply This?
- Be unified with other believers, knowing as Barlow said, “The unity of Christian character is made up of many separate essential graces.
- Use the conditions of this world to practice forgiving others.
- Allow grace to change us, even to the extent of a 180 degree change.
- Watch what worldview bright, shiny things temps us away from God.
- Don’t settle for a worldview love when we can have the grace of love.
- Get God’s Word down to our heart level.
- Praise God daily.
- Pray unceasingly.
- Teach and serve those who do not know Him.
- Give our tithes and offerings.
- Perform the tasks given to us under the authority and sanction of Jesus.
- Glorify God
- Utilize His strength.
Resource
Forgiving others is hard, even for disciples. We still have enough of the Adam chromosome in us that we kick back at that.
Being forgiving, though, makes us more Christlike.
Father God. Lord, we praise Your name. We want our walk to be doing everything in Your precious Son’s name. Help us to have His character, because He imitates You. Amen.
The ABCDs of Salvation
If you have not become a believer in Christ, please read through the
Plan of Salvation and prayerfully consider what God is asking you to do.
A – admit our sins
B – believe His Son Jesus is our Redeemer
C – confess God as Sovereign Lord
D – demonstrate that commitment by making any changes needed in our lives to
live the way in which God has called us
The Disciple’s Job Description
Searching for and Seeking God
Hearing His Word (Rom. 10: 17).
Reading His Word (Rev. 1: 3).
Praying to Him (Heb. 4: 16).
Studying His Word (Ac. 17: 11).
Meditating on His Word (Ps. 1: 1-2).
Memorizing His Word (Ps. 119: 11).
If you have not admitted that your relationship is not right with God,
have not asked Jesus to be your Lord and Savior,
and have not confessed your sins,
please read through the Plan of Salvation and prayerfully consider what God is asking you to do.
Related Links
Related Links
I have created a worksheet of the questions above. Click on the button below to access it.
Don’t know what your spiritual gifts are?
Take this Spiritual Gifts Inventory
The Disciple’s Job Description
Complete Job Description
Individual Description
Job Duty #4
Proclaim the Gospel (Mark 16: 15)
Job Duty #6
Make Disciples (Matthew 28: 19-20)
Job Duty #1
Be a Living Sacrifice (Romans 12: 1-2)
Job Duty #2
Work Out Our Salvation (Philippians 2: 12)
Job Duty #3
Bring Him Glory (Matthew 5: 16)
Job Duty #4
Proclaim the Gospel (Mark 16: 15)
Job Duty #5
Love People (John 15: 12)
Job Duty #6
Make Disciples (Matthew 28: 19-20)
Job Duty #7
Other Duties as Assigned
(Ecclesiastes 3: 1)
It Was Enough
Vocalist: Elaine Guthals
Keyboard: Chris Vieth
What do you think?
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