The New Self of Colossians


    Colossians 3:12 gives this hefty list of attribute and characteristics that are to be put on by believers.  At first read of this I felt a little overwhelmed. I felt as if there was no way to be able to properly apply and accept into my moral being all of these things. However, as I will explain, humility is having a deep sense of one's moral littleness. So even in my weakness and seeming inability to meet the command that Paul gives us I see that already my character has been transformed in a way that I didn't realize.

    Compassionate Hearts: affection and sympathy (Philippians 2:1); emotions, longings, manifestations of pity (Blue Letter Bible)

     Kindness: tenderhearted, forgiving one another (Ephesians 4:32); tolerance towards others

     Humility: having a humble opinion of oneself; a deep sense of one's moral littleness (BLB)

     Meekness: gentleness, mildness (BLB)

     Patience:  (Longsuffering) forebearance, slowness in avenging wrongs (BLB)

What is the motivation to put these on? 

 Because in Christ we have put on the new self and taken off the old. Verse 12 explains that we, the church/all believers, put these on because we are God's elect chosen one. We have been made holy by God. God has fully given and poured out his love upon us.

What does this look like in our relationship between other believers?

 Because of the new self we have in Christ, we hold ourselves erect/firm against any person or thing.  We sustain each other.  Paul commands us to forgive each other if one has a complaint. We must know and remember that God has forgiven us.

What is the most important of the new self?

 LOVE.  Love binds everything that Paul commanded together in perfect harmony. Love for God and his forgiveness.  Love for Christ and what he has done on our behalf. Love for each other. 

 If we truly strive to genuinely love one another we will have the ability to do all that was given to us. 

 Why is this instruction given to Christians and for Chrisitians? 

 Pauls command in verse 15 is to "let the peace of Christ rule your hearts."  The peace of Christ is the peace that a Christian receives upon salvation.  The emnity that you had against God was transferred upon Christ. The sins that you have committed were transferred to Christ.  The guilt that was assigned to you was re-assigned to Christ. The legal demands of the Law to kill you, killed Christ instead. 

 The peace that Christ had with God has been given to those who believe.  Christians now embrace the peace of a fully accepted child to their father. Christians now have the peace of fully assurance of the removal of their sin. Christians no longer have shame, but peace. Christians now embrace the peace with the Law because Christ perfectly fulfilled it. 

 The peace of Christ is what is personified in the Holy Spirit. The peace of Christ calls all believers into one body...with Christ as the head. 

 Thus Pauls tells us..."And be thankful." Our thankfulness for what Christ has done, who he has made us, and who he is making us into fuels our ability to put on the new self fully. 
Greatest of the New Self: LOVE
It was love that sent Christ to the cross, to die on our behalf, so that we would have a new self.

The fuel to put on the New Self: THANKFULNESS
Thankfulness for Christ. Thankful that God has chosen us. Thankful that God has made us holy.  Thankful that God loves us greatly. 

 Continue to put on the New Self. Continue to put on Christ. 

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