Colossians 3:12-17
12 “So, as those who have been chosen of God, holy and beloved, put on a heart of compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience;13 bearing with one another, and forgiving each other, whoever has a complaint against anyone; just as the Lord forgave you, so must you do also.14 In addition to all these things put on love, which is the perfect bond of unity. 15 Let the peace of Christ, to which you were indeed called in one body, rule in your hearts; and be thankful. 16 Let the word of Christ richly dwell within you, with all wisdom teaching and admonishing one another with psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs, singing with thankfulness in your hearts to God. 17 Whatever you do in word or deed, do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks through Him to God the Father.”
Having established the reality of the believer’s new identity in Christ and expressing the inconsistency between this identity and the ways of the world, Paul now tells Christians what to put on in terms of behavior. Paul encourages believers to express the fruit of the Spirit (see also Galatians 5:22-23). As we love, we will forgive those who have wronged us in the same way God forgave us: Perfectly. Notice the difference between this language and that of the Lord’s Prayer (Matthew 6:12,15). Jesus was expressing the perfect standard of the law. To be righteous under the law, one had to forgive perfectly. But Paul is speaking from the Gospel. This side of the cross, Paul wants believers to forgive because we have been forgiven perfectly. As we love one another and forgive, we will experience closeness and fellowship with our fellow Christians. Love is the greatest gift of all from God. We receive His love for us and offer it to others. Likewise, we receive His peace towards us and offer it to others.
Let the word of Christ: The word of Christ, the counsel of God, has been implanted within believers. Paul is asking believers to be open to the truths of the Gospel with which they have been made compatible in their spirits. The early church did not have the letters of the New Testament. Furthermore, most early believers could not read anyway. So, Paul pointed them to the reality that Christ, the living word, lived within them.
Whatever you do: The Gospel is trans-circumstantial and breathes meaning into every aspect of our lives. Everything is spiritual. This means that whatever we do, professionally or for fun or for necessity, can be an expression of the Spirit. There is no moment that is unholy because God is in it all with us. We can enjoy the liberty we have in Christ and trust the Holy Spirit to guide us.
