“Put on then, as God’s chosen ones, holy and beloved, compassionate hearts, kindness, humility, meekness, and patience,bearing with one another and, if one has a complaint against another, forgiving each other; as the Lord has forgiven you, so you also must forgive. And above all these put on love, which binds everything together in perfect harmony. And let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, to which indeed you were called in one body. And be thankful (Colossians 3:12-15 ESV).”
Prior to these verses, the Apostle Paul instructs us to “put to death what is earthly in you (Colossians 3:5).” The term earthly is intentionally used to include aspects of our fallen nature that are in keeping with sin. Paul tells us to take off the old self. Allow the authority of Jesus to rule and reign in your hearts so that the old self, the old sin nature can be put to death. Paul gives this instruction to us as people of faith who are walking in the authority of Jesus. We have the authority in Jesus to be set free from the bondage of the sin nature. We are no longer bound, but free in Jesus to choose to submit to His authority. Under His authority, the old self can be put to rest in exchange for the new. A new self who is conformed to the image of our Creator in recognition of His grace, mercy and love for us.
Following the Apostles Paul’s instruction regarding the authority of Jesus to remove the old self, he gives us a list of attributes to put on. In the putting off of the old self, we must put on then behaviors, attitudes and characteristics which exemplify the authority of Jesus in our lives. In faith, redeemed by Jesus, we are responsible for purposefully demonstrating characteristics of our salvation in the manner in which we conduct ourselves. The old self is gone the new has come.
The Lord tells us to put on then, as His chosen ones, attributes of faith demonstrating His authority to bring transformation in our lives. Why do this? Because we are His. We are His and He has saved us by His grace. We are beloved children of an eternal God. Claim this promise today! We are His, the beloved children of a righteous King. The redeemed people of a sovereign Savior. It is by His mercy that we are saved. It is our response to demonstrate salvation in our submission to His authority. Let us all put on then the new self who is being conformed to the image of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ (Romans 8:18-30). Let us do this to bring His glory in the things we think say and do.
Over the course of the next few articles, we are going to examine the attributes we are to put on as instructed by God’s Holy Word. I pray that we all intentionally strive to demonstrate our faith in Jesus through evidence in our very lives. To God be the glory!
Corby Shuey 