Word for the day by Christian Education Forum

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THE COST OF DISCIPLESHIP
Colossians 3: 12-17
 V.12: You are the people of God; he loved you and chose you for his own. So then, you must clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience
A Dangerous teaching was threatening the church at Colossae, one that lessened Christ’s role and undermined the new identity of believers “in Christ” (1:2, 28). Paul wrote to warn the Christians in Colossae against this false teaching and to encourage the believers in their growth toward Christian maturity. He emphasizes Christ’s authority over all evil powers. Christians are united with the risen Christ, and therefore they share in his power and authority. Paul also encourages these believers to fight against sin, pursue holiness, and live as distinctively Christian households.

The list of five virtues in verse 12 compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience are found also in other Pauline epistles to designate actions and characteristics of Christ. These virtues describe the character of active Christian living of those who live as disciples of Christ as God’s chosen people who are called out of the ordinary realm of human existence dedicated to God. The Christian community lives as it embodies the very gospel by which it was called and that it now proclaims.

As Paul mentions in vs 14, “Above all these put on love,” the rest of this passage registers imperatives that may be considered for forming and directing the life of a Christian community. Other than to live out the five virtues that are given in verse 12, the passage states a variety of directions: Verse 13 tells the recipients of the letter that they must forgive exactly as the Lord has forgiven a very high standard indeed. Verse 14 itself is the admonition to put on love, which seems to supersede and epitomize the other virtues and directions given in this passage. Verse 15 seems to speak of the results of following the directives to love and to forgive, that is, the Colossians are both to let the peace of Christ reign in their hearts and to be thankful to God for the peace and forgiveness that they experience.

Paul tells us that, having put off the old sinful self, and having put on Christ, our hearts are transformed by Christ’s peace as we take God’s Word into ourselves. The only response we can offer to such a great gift is our continual thanks and praise. Our lives become lives of worship so that everything we do or think or say is done in the name of Jesus, even as we give thanks to God through Christ.
PRAYER
Lord, help enable me and strengthen me by your grace to live a life worthy of your disciple.
Thought for the day
"Whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him."

Anish Thomas
Marthoma Church of Greater Washington 

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