“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).”
As we continue to examine these verses given to us by the Lord through the Apostle Paul, our focus this day will land on the designation applied us as chosen. We are God’s chosen ones. This is a designation applied to the people of God throughout the course of Scripture. In the book of Exodus 19:5-6. God declares that we are His. We are His treasured possession and unto Him we are to be a kingdom of priests and a holy nation. “Chosen-ness” is a profound distinction of our human identity redeemed of Jesus. Brothers and sisters, we are chosen. This means that we are not orphans who know not a father. We have the opportunity to be loved and cared for by our ever-loving, merciful and gracious Redeemer. We are not destitute in our ability to find purpose in faith.
John records these words of our Savior, “You are my friends if you do what I command you. No longer do I call you servants, for the servant does not know what his master is doing; but I have called you friends, for all that I have heard from my Father I have made known to you. You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you that you should go and bear fruit and that your fruit should abide, so that whatever you ask the Father in my name, he may give it to you. These things I command you, so that you will love one another (John 15:15-17 ESV).” Salvation offers us reconciliation with God. And in this reconciliation we are called to bear fruit. The fruit that we produce as we strive to exalt the Name of the Lord in our lives will abide. The faith being built in us as the people of God will bring perseverance. It will also serve to condition our world with truth that is unchanging.
Peter writes this encouragement to us echoing the implications found earlier in Scripture, “ But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for his own possession, that you may proclaim the excellencies of him who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light. Once you were not a people, but now you are God’s people; once you had not received mercy, but now you have received mercy (1 Peter 2:9-10 ESV).” Again, we are a people of God’s own possession, treasured and loved. We have been called out of darkness to dwell in His Light so that we His children can declare the excellencies of His grace. A people who once knew not mercy can now find mercy in the blessed Name of Jesus.
Put on then as God’s chosen ones, “chosen-ness.” Confidence in our distinct personhood, knowing the author of our true identity. We are a people who can know purpose. We are a people who can know and find comfort in an identity that is ordained by God. We are a people who are chosen to be His through our faith in our Savior, knowing who you are and knowing your true identity in Jesus. We do not need to invent forms of personhood or identity which conform to this fallen world. We have been given both distinction in our identity as defined by God, our Father. In Jesus we can find dignity as His chosen, redeemed, treasured people. To God be the Glory!
Corby Shuey 