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 survey the encouragement in the words of the Apostle Paul regarding what we are to put on as those who are humbly seeking to follow the leading of our Messiah, we can determine that these characteristics are all actively applied. We are to willingly seek the Lord as He sanctifies us in our faith. We are to recognize His perception of us as His, chosen and beloved children. We are to imitate Him as we endeavor to adopt reverence and holiness as an aspect of our faith. We are to actively apply compassion, kindness, humility, meekness and patience as we bear alongside one another. We are to diligently avoid empty complaints which can lead to divisive gossip within the body. As stated, all of these characteristic are actively applied through the help of the Lord. Additionally, as we allow the Lord to work within us, these characteristics become the expression of our faith from the heart. They should be evidenced in the life of a believer as they serve to indicate humility and reverence for our Messiah.
Along with the previously mentioned attributes of Christian character, the Apostle Paul reminds us to put on forgiveness. We are to forgive, as we have been forgiven. I am reminded of the words of our Messiah recorded in the book of Luke. “And Jesus answered him, ‘Simon, I have something to say to you.’ And he replied, ‘Say it, Teacher.’ ‘A moneylender had two debtors: one owed five hundred denarii, and the other fifty. ‘When they were unable to repay, he graciously forgave them both. So which of them will love him more?’ Simon answered and said, ‘I suppose the one whom he forgave more.’ And He said to him, ‘You have judged correctly.’ Turning toward the woman, He said to Simon, ‘Do you see this woman? I entered your house; you gave Me no water for My feet, but she has wet My feet with her tears and wiped them with her hair. You gave Me no kiss; but she, since the time I came in, has not ceased to kiss My feet. You did not anoint My head with oil, but she anointed My feet with perfume. For this reason I say to you, her sins, which are many, have been forgiven, for she loved much; but he who is forgiven little, loves little.’ Then He said to her, ‘Your sins have been forgiven.’ Those who were reclining at the table with Him began to say to themselves, ‘Who is this man who even forgives sins?’ And He said to the woman, ‘Your faith has saved you; go in peace.’”[1]
In these verses, Jesus addresses forgiveness. He uses an illustration we can all relate to in that of being forgiven a debt. Jesus affirms Simon the Pharisee’s answer. For those who are able to recognize the depth from which they have received forgiveness, love can be produced. Love for the one forgiving directed to the one who has been forgiven. In this example Jesus reveals the correct attitude we are to exhibit as we come to recognize the weight of the forgiveness we have been offered through the sacrifice of Jesus. We have been forgiven much. In turn we should love Jesus intentionally, diligently and with our whole heart. As much as the words of Jesus direct us to forgive, equally if not more so do they direct us to love because we can receive forgiveness.
Jesus extends His teaching on forgiveness by directing attention to a woman. The identity of this woman is not given. There are speculations as to who she might be, but the truth of her identity is beside the point. This woman is thought to have been delivered from the bondage of prostitution. Jesus reveals that she has received salvation because of her faith (Luke 7:50). Since the time she has been with Jesus, she has been reverently bowing at His feet. She has wet the feet of Jesus with her tears, wiping them with her hair. She anointed the feet of Jesus with expensive perfume, all acts of reverent love directed toward the One who has forgiven. She recognized the depth from which she has been saved. She recognized the power of Jesus to deliver her from despair and because she was forgiven much, in turn she responded in love. She understood that Jesus saved her because of His love for her as a beloved child. She was not offered forgiveness due to anything she had earned. She found forgiveness through the love of the only One who can truly forgive, Jesus.
This woman serves as an example to all of us. Through the forgiveness of Jesus, she was able to see herself as Jesus saw her. As a beloved, precious, forgiven and redeemed child of a King! In our forgiveness and faith in Jesus, He declares the same thing over each one of us. It is because of Him that we are saved. It is through His sacrifice that we are forgiven. And it is His love that firmly establishes us upon a firm foundation, the Rock of our Salvation. Jesus our Messiah. We are saved because we are first loved.
Therefore, as we have been forgiven, so too must we strive to forgive. We are forgiven because of His love. As His children, we are then to allow the love we were first given to direct and condition our attitude. Our example is Jesus. It is faith in Him that offers all of us redemption from brokenness, mistakes and hardships. He does not condemn us in our brokenness. He convicts, corrects and redeems us through it. As we walk together, brothers and sisters in Jesus, let us all respond to the forgiveness of Jesus with love. First love for Him and then secondly love for one another. Let us walk with integrity in reverence to the love we were first given. For we have all been forgiven much, let us also love much.
[1] New American Standard Bible: 1995 Update (La Habra, CA: The Lockman Foundation, 1995), Lk 7:40–50.
Corby Shuey 