There are two ways to be fooled. One is to believe what isn’t true; the other is to refuse to believe what is true. —Soren Kierkegaard. "…truth is true even if nobody believes it, and falsehood is false even if everybody believes it. That is why truth does not yield to opinion, fashion, numbers, office, or sincerity–it is simply true and that is the end of it" – Os Guinness, Time for Truth, pg.39. “He that takes truth for his guide, and duty for his end, may safely trust to God’s providence to lead him aright.” – Blaise Pascal. "There is but one straight course, and that is to seek truth and pursue it steadily" – George Washington letter to Edmund Randolph — 1795. We live in a “post-truth” world. According to the dictionary, “post-truth” means, “relating to or denoting circumstances in which objective facts are less influential in shaping public opinion than appeals to emotion and personal belief.” Simply put, we now live in a culture that seems to value experience and emotion more than truth. Truth will never go away no matter how hard one might wish. Going beyond the MSM idealogical opinion/bias and their low information tabloid reality show news with a distractional superficial focus on entertainment, sensationalism, emotionalism and activist reporting – this blogs goal is to, in some small way, put a plug in the broken dam of truth and save as many as possible from the consequences—temporal and eternal. "The further a society drifts from truth, the more it will hate those who speak it." – George Orwell “There are two ways to be fooled. One is to believe what isn’t true; the other is to refuse to believe what is true.” ― Soren Kierkegaard
Join Camden Bucey and Ryan Noha as they welcome Dr. Daniel Ragusa, pastor of Messiah’s Reformed Fellowship in New York, to discuss his new book, Fullness of Joy: A Biblical Theology of God With Us (single copies, ten-pack), published by Reformed Forum. In this engaging conversation, Dr. Ragusa dives into the biblical theme of Emmanuel, tracing the promise of “God with us” from Genesis to Revelation, showing how this theme unfolds through the covenantal storyline of Scripture and culminates in Jesus Christ. The book’s ten chapters correspond to a video course now freely available through our Reformed Academy, making it ideal for church groups, Bible studies, or personal study.
Explore how Dr. Ragusa uses biblical theology to reveal the coherence of Scripture and God’s redemptive plan for His people. From the Garden of Eden, through the patriarchs, tabernacle, and temple, to the final new creation, this episode unpacks how each stage of redemptive history points to Christ, inviting us to find true joy in fellowship with God. Perfect for believers wanting to deepen their understanding of Scripture’s unity and its application to the Christian life, this conversation offers accessible yet profound insights that are as useful for laypeople as they are for church leaders.
Tune in to discover the richness of God’s redemptive historical work and be encouraged to behold Christ on every page of the Bible.
God has set His heart on perfecting us in the likeness of His Son. Today, Sinclair Ferguson presents the glorious destiny that has been guaranteed for all the redeemed in Christ.
“Doesn’t everybody desire to be filled with the Holy Spirit?” I have been asked, and the answer is “No.”
I suppose many people desire to be full but not many desire to be filled. I want to responsibly declare that before you can be filled with the Spirit, you must desire to be—and some people do not desire to be filled.
We ought to be very plain in our teaching that Satan has tried to block every effort of Christ’s Church to receive from the Father her divine and blood-bought patrimony that the Holy Spirit should fill His Church and that He should fill individuals who make up His Church.
It is plain in the Scriptures that the gentle and good Holy Spirit wants to fill us and possess us if we are Christians. This Spirit is like Jesus—pure, gentle, sane, wise and loving.
He wants to possess you so that you are no longer in command of the little vessel in which you sail. You may be a passenger on board, or one of the crew, but you definitely are not in charge. The Spirit of God is now in command of the vessel.
The reason we object to it being that way is because we were born of Adam’s corrupted flesh. We want to boss our own lives. That is why we ask: Are you sure that you want to be possessed by the blessed Spirit of the Father and of the Son? Are you ready and willing for your personality to be taken over by someone who is like this?1
It is our wisdom, as well as our necessity, to beseech God continually to strengthen that which he has wrought in us. It is because of their neglect in this, that many Christians may blame themselves for those trials and afflictions of spirit which arise from unbelief. It is true that Satan seeks to flood the fair garden of the heart and make it a scene of desolation, but it is also true that many Christians leave open the sluice-gates themselves, and let in the dreadful deluge through carelessness and want of prayer to their strong Helper. We often forget that the Author of our faith must be the Preserver of it also. The lamp which was burning in the temple was never allowed to go out, but it had to be daily replenished with fresh oil; in like manner, our faith can only live by being sustained with the oil of grace, and we can only obtain this from God himself. Foolish virgins we shall prove, if we do not secure the needed sustenance for our lamps. He who built the world upholds it, or it would fall in one tremendous crash; he who made us Christians must maintain us by his Spirit, or our ruin will be speedy and final. Let us, then, evening by evening, go to our Lord for the grace and strength we need. We have a strong argument to plead, for it is his own work of grace which we ask him to strengthen—“that which thou hast wrought for us.” Think you he will fail to protect and sustain that? Only let your faith take hold of his strength, and all the powers of darkness, led on by the master fiend of hell, cannot cast a cloud or shadow over your joy and peace. Why faint when you may be strong? Why suffer defeat when you may conquer? Oh! take your wavering faith and drooping graces to him who can revive and replenish them, and earnestly pray, “Strengthen, O God, that which thou hast wrought for us.”1
WHAT shall we say then? Shall we continue in sin, that grace may abound?
Because salvation is all of grace shall we plunge into yet more sin? Some of the children of darkness have been vile enough to reason thus: shall the believer adopt the same base argument?
2 God forbid. How shall we, that are dead to sin, live any longer therein? (We are new men and cannot delight in sin. Our nature has undergone a change which has made the argument just mentioned most abhorrent to us. We are dead to sin, and have made an open declaration thereof in our baptism: we should be base indeed if we lived to sin as we once did.)
3–5 Know ye not, that so many of us as were baptized into Jesus Christ were baptized into his death? Therefore we are buried with him by baptism into death: that like as Christ was raised up from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life. For if we have been planted together in the likeness of his death, we shall be also in the likeness of his resurrection:
6 Knowing this, that our old man is crucified with him, that the body of sin might be destroyed, that henceforth we should not serve sin.
7 For he that is dead is freed from sin.
8 Now if we be dead with Christ, we believe that we shall also live with him:
9 Knowing that Christ being raised from the dead dieth no more; death hath no more dominion over him.
10 For in that he died, he died unto sin once: but in that he liveth, he liveth unto God.
11 Likewise reckon ye also yourselves to be dead indeed unto sin, but alive unto God through Jesus Christ our Lord. (We are one with Jesus, being both dead with him, and risen in him; ours therefore it is to live the new life, and view ourselves as dead to all the sinful joys of our former lives. Oh for grace to carry this out to the full.)
12, 13 Let not sin therefore reign in your mortal body, that ye should obey it in the lusts thereof. Neither yield ye your members as instruments of unrighteousness unto sin: but yield yourselves unto God, as those that are alive from the dead, and your members as instruments of righteousness unto God. (We cannot obey our old tyrant, sin: as citizens of a new kingdom, we must serve our glorious Monarch.)
14 For sin shall not have dominion over you: for ye are not under the law, but under grace.
Being under the law, it cursed you for your iniquity, and in return you transgressed the more; but now eternal love has set you free, and you cannot become again the slaves of sin.
15 What then? shall we sin, because we are not under the law, but under grace? God forbid.
16 Know ye not, that to whom ye yield yourselves servants to obey, his servants ye are to whom ye obey; whether of sin unto death, or of obedience unto righteousness? (If indeed we did run into evil because we believed in free grace, it would show that we were still the servants of sin, and not under grace at all.)
17 But God be thanked, that ye were the servants of sin, but ye have obeyed from the heart that form of doctrine which was delivered you.
18, 19 Being then made free from sin, ye became the servants of righteousness. I speak after the manner of men because of the infirmity of your flesh: for as ye have yielded your members servants to uncleanness and to iniquity unto iniquity; even so now yield your members servants to righteousness unto holiness.
20 For when ye were the servants of sin, ye were free from righteousness.
21 What fruit had ye then in those things whereof ye are now ashamed? for the end of those things is death. (How true is this! We served a bad master for bad wages: shall we not with far greater zeal devote ourselves to the delightful service of our Redeemer?)
22, 23 But now being made free from sin, and become servants to God, ye have your fruit unto holiness, and the end everlasting life. For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord. (Now we do not work for wages: every good thing comes to us as a free gift; therefore let gratitude move us to obedience, and constrain us to be in all things holy before the Lord, Self-interest makes the legalist work; gratitude for eternal love shall be a far stronger force in our hearts, and by the Holy Spirit’s help we will abound in good works because grace abounds.)1
And so, as those who have been chosen of God, holy and beloved, put on a heart of compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience; bearing with one another, and forgiving each other, whoever has a complaint against anyone; just as the Lord forgave you, so also should you. (3:12–13)
In 3:5–9a, Paul told believers what to put off, while in 3:9–11 he describes the believer’s new identity in Christ. In 3:12, Paul begins to tell believers what to put on. In 3:9–11, Paul describes what God has done for the believer. In 3:12–17 he describes what God expects of the believer in response. A righteous identity must issue in righteous behavior. Such behavior is the outward manifestation of the inward transformation, and it is the only sure proof that such transformation has taken place.
No one becomes a Christian solely by their own choice. Rather, believers are those who have been chosen of God. The truth of divine election is clearly taught in Scripture. Ephesians 1:4 says that God “chose us in Him [Christ] before the foundation of the world.” Paul was confident of God’s choice of the Thessalonians (1 Thess. 1:4) and thanked Him for it: “We should always give thanks to God for you, brethren beloved by the Lord, because God has chosen you from the beginning for salvation through sanctification by the Spirit and faith in the truth” (2 Thess. 2:13). God did not call us because of our good works, “but according to His own purpose and grace which was granted us in Christ Jesus from all eternity” (2 Tim. 1:9). Believers’ names have been written in the book of life from before the foundation of the world (cf. Rev. 13:8; 17:8). Underlying our response to God’s free, sovereign grace is His plan and initiative.
Because of God’s election, believers are holy and beloved.Hagios (holy) means “set apart,” or “separate.” God chose believers out of the mainstream of mankind and drew them to Himself. They are different from the world. When believers fail to act differently from the world, they violate the very purpose of their calling.
That believers are beloved of God means they are objects of His special love. Election is not a cold, fatalistic doctrine. On the contrary, it is based in God’s incomprehensible love for His elect: “In love He predestined us to adoption as sons through Jesus Christ to Himself, according to the kind intention of His will” (Eph. 1:4–5).
Chosen (Deut. 7:6; 14:2; 1 Chron. 16:13; Ps. 105:43; 135:4; Isa. 41:8; 44:1; 45:4), holy (Ex. 19:6; Lev. 19:2; Jer. 2:3), and beloved (1 Kings 10:9; 2 Chron. 9:8; Hos. 11:1) are all used of Israel in the Old Testament. A change has taken place in the economy of God. What was once true of the elect nation is now true of all who come to faith in Christ. Israel has been temporarily set aside and Gentiles grafted in (cf. Rom. 9–11). The saved in the church are chosen by God. We are called “the chosen” (cf. John 15:16; Rom. 8:33; 2 Tim. 2:10; Titus 1:1; 1 Pet. 1:1). Acts 13:46–48 speaks of those ordained by God to eternal life:
Paul and Barnabas spoke out boldly and said, “It was necessary that the word of God should be spoken to you first; since you repudiate it, and judge yourselves unworthy of eternal life, behold, we are turning to the Gentiles. For thus the Lord has commanded us, ‘I have placed You as a light for the Gentiles, that You should bring salvation to the end of the earth.’ ” And when the Gentiles heard this, they began rejoicing and glorifying the word of the Lord; and as many as had been appointed to eternal life believed.
Romans 9:13–16, 19–22 expresses God’s sovereignty in choosing whom He will:
Just as it is written, “Jacob I loved, but Esau I hated.” What shall we say then? There is no injustice with God, is there? May it never be! For He says to Moses, “I will have mercy on whom I have mercy, and I will have compassion on whom I have compassion.” So then it does not depend on the man who wills or the man who runs, but on God who has mercy.
You will say to me then, “Why does He still find fault? For who resists His will?” On the contrary, who are you, O man, who answers back to God? The thing molded will not say to the molder, “Why did you make me like this,” will it? Or does not the potter have a right over the clay, to make from the same lump one vessel for honorable use, and another for common use? What if God, although willing to demonstrate His wrath and to make His power known, endured with much patience vessels of wrath prepared for destruction?
Romans 11:4–5 speaks of “God’s gracious choice.” Ephesians 1:4 affirms that believers were “[chosen] in Him before the foundation of the world.” The Thessalonians were “chosen from the beginning for salvation” (2 Thess. 2:13). Perhaps 2 Timothy 1:8–9 sums it up as well as any text: “Therefore do not be ashamed of the testimony of our Lord, or of me His prisoner; but join with me in suffering for the gospel according to the power of God, who has saved us, and called us with a holy calling, not according to our works, but according to His own purpose and grace which was granted us in Christ Jesus from all eternity.”
The doctrine of election crushes human pride, exalts God, produces joy and gratitude to the Lord, grants eternal privileges and assurance, promotes holiness, and makes one bold and courageous, for one who has been chosen by God for eternal life has no need to fear anything or anyone.
Put on is from enduō, which means “to put on clothes,” or “envelope in.” The qualities that follow are to cover the new man.
A heart of compassion is the first character trait that is to mark the new man. Heart translates splanchna, a Hebraism that literally refers to the inward parts of the human body (heart, lungs, liver, kidneys, etc.). As already noted in the discussion of 2:2, however, it is often used in the New Testament to speak figuratively of the seat of the emotions. That is its use here. Oiktirmos (compassion) means “pity,” “mercy,” “sympathy,” or “compassion.” Taken together, the phrase could be translated, “put on heartfelt compassion,” or “have a deep, gut-level feeling of compassion.” That divine quality (Luke 6:36; James 5:11), so perfectly exhibited by Jesus (Matt. 9:36), was sorely needed in the ancient world. For example, sick, injured, or elderly people were often left to fend for themselves. As a result, many died. Believers must not be indifferent to suffering, but should be concerned to meet people’s needs.
Kindness is closely related to compassion. The Greek term refers to the grace that pervades the whole person, mellowing all that might be harsh. Jesus used the word when he said, “My yoke is easy” (Matt. 11:30), not harsh or hard to bear. The kind person is as concerned about his neighbor’s good as he is about his own. God is kind, even to ungrateful and evil people (Luke 6:35). In fact, it was His kindness that led us to repentance (Rom. 2:4; cf. Titus 3:4). Jesus’ kindness was expressed in His invitation to “take My yoke upon you, and learn from Me, for I am gentle and humble in heart; and you shall find rest for your souls. For My yoke is easy, and My load is light” (Matt. 11:29–30). Kindness was epitomized by the Good Samaritan (Luke 10:25–37), whose example we should follow.
Tapeinophrosunē (humility) and its related words always have a negative connotation in classical Greek (cf. H. H. Esser, “tapeinos,” in Colin Brown, ed., The New International Dictionary of New Testament Theology [Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 1977], 2:259). It took Christianity to elevate humility to a virtue. It is the antidote for the self-love that poisons relationships. Paul advocates genuine humility, in contrast to the false humility of the false teachers (cf. 2:18, 23). Humility characterized Jesus (Matt. 11:29), and it is the most cherished Christian virtue (Eph. 4:2; Phil. 2:3ff.; 1 Pet. 5:5).
Prautēs (gentleness) is closely related to humility. It is not weakness or spinelessness, but rather the willingness to suffer injury instead of inflicting it. The gentle person knows he is a sinner among sinners and is willing to suffer the burdens others’ sin may impose on him. This gentleness can only be produced by the Holy Spirit (cf. Gal. 5:22–23) and should mark the Christian’s behavior at all times, even when restoring a sinning brother (Gal. 6:1), or defending the faith against attacks from unbelievers (2 Tim. 2:25; 1 Pet. 3:15).
Patience translates makrothumia. The patient person does not get angry at others. William Barclay writes, “This is the spirit which never loses its patience with its fellow-men. Their foolishness and their unteachability never drive it to cynicism or despair; their insults and their ill-treatment never drive it to bitterness or wrath” (The Letters to the Philippians, Colossians, and Thessalonians [Louisville: Westminster, 1975], p. 158). Patience is the opposite of resentment and revenge. It was a characteristic of Jesus Christ. Paul wrote to Timothy, “For this reason I found mercy, in order that in me as the foremost, Jesus Christ might demonstrate His perfect patience, as an example for those who would believe in Him for eternal life” (1 Tim. 1:16). Were it not for God’s patience, no one would ever be saved (2 Pet. 3:15).
Bearing with one another means “to endure, to hold out in spite of persecution, threats, injury, indifference, or complaints and not retaliate.” It characterized Paul, who told the Corinthians, “when we are reviled, we bless; when we are persecuted, we endure” (1 Cor. 4:12). It did not characterize the Corinthians, who were actually taking each other to court. Paul exclaims, “Why not rather be wronged? Why not rather be defrauded?” (1 Cor. 6:7). Believers are to exhibit forbearance (Eph. 4:2). Such were the Thessalonians, of whom Paul wrote, “We ourselves speak proudly of you among the churches of God for your perseverance and faith in the midst of all your persecutions and afflictions which you endure [anexomai, the same term used here in 3:13]” (2 Thess. 1:4).
Believers are to be marked not only by endurance, but also by forgiving each other. The Greek charizomenoi literally means “to be gracious” and the text uses a reflexive pronoun, so it literally reads, “forgiving yourselves.” The church as a whole is to be a gracious, mutually forgiving fellowship. By including the phrase just as the Lord forgave you, so also should you Paul makes Christ the model of forgiveness. Because He has forgiven us, so also must we forgive others (Eph. 4:32; cf. Matt. 18:21–35). The phrase whoever has a complaint against anyone refers to times when someone is at fault because of sin, error, or debt. The Lord Jesus is our pattern for forgiveness, because He forgave all our sins, errors, and debts. He is also the model for the rest of the virtues discussed in this section.1
12 The Christian has already put on the new self (the regenerate nature, v. 10). Now he must clothe himself with the garments that befit the new self. “Clothe yourselves” (endysasthe) should be compared with “put to death” (nekrōsate, v. 5) and “rid yourselves” (apothesthe, v. 8). Those terms express the negative, this verse the positive aspects of the Christian’s reformation of character. The tense of endysasthe, an aorist imperative, speaks of an action to be undertaken with a sense of urgency.
Paul’s appeal is based on this threefold fact: Christians are chosen of God, set apart by and for God, and loved by God. The three terms—chosen, holy and dearly loved—signify essentially the same great fact, but under different aspects. Used in the OT of Israel, they emphasize the favored position now enjoyed by Christians as the heirs of Israel’s privileges.
Verse 12b contains a pentad of great Christian virtues: “compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience.” They point to those qualities of life which, if present in the community of believers, will eliminate, or at least reduce, frictions. All of them are manifestations of love, which is mentioned in v. 14 as the crowning virtue. “Compassion” (splanchna oiktirmou) betokens pity and tenderness expressed toward the suffering and miserable. The word for “kindness” (chrēstotēs) combines the ideas of goodness, kindliness, and graciousness. Ellicott defines it as “sweetness of disposition” (p. 181). In Romans 11:22 it is contrasted with “severity,” and in Galatians 5:22 it is listed as a fruit of the Spirit. “Humility” and “gentleness,” which are related terms, were not considered virtues by the pagan world. The NT, however, deepened and enriched their meanings and made them two of the noblest of Christian graces. Humility (tapeinophrosynē), which originally meant servility, came to denote a humble disposition—“the thinking lowly of ourselves because we are so” (Ellicott, p. 182). “Gentleness” (prautēs) the opposite of arrogance and self-assertiveness, is the special mark of the man who has a delicate consideration for the rights and feelings of others. C.F.D. Moule aptly defines it as “willingness to make concessions” (p. 123). It is mentioned in the NT as a characteristic of Christ (Matt 11:29), a fruit of the Spirit (Gal 5:23), a distinctive trait of those who belong to Christ (Matt 5:5), and so on. “Patience” (makrothymia; lit., “longsuffering”) denotes the self-restraint that enables one to bear injury and insult without resorting to hasty retaliation. It is an attribute of God (Rom 2:4) and a fruit of the Spirit (Gal 5:22).2
12 According to v. 11, the Colossians now belong to a new race of people in which differences do not ultimately define them and cannot be allowed to divide them. Moreover, v. 12 describes this (Gentile) congregation with labels that describe Israel. (Garland, 210, cites the following OT parallels: Dt 4:37; 7:6–8; 14:2; 26:18–19; Ps 105:43; 135:4; Jer 2:3.) Although these people once dwelt in darkness and did dark deeds (1:13, 21), by virtue of their having been redeemed by and reconciled to God through Christ, they may now be called “God’s chosen [or elect] people, holy and dearly loved” (cf. Ro 1:7; Eph 5:1). They constitute and participate in, if but in part, not only a new humanity but also a new Israel (cf. Caird, 207). Election in Christ, the Chosen One of God (cf. Lk 9:35; 1 Pe 1:20; 2:4), is not meant to devolve into a theological talking point or a personal entitlement. Election is better viewed as a vocation one has embraced in Christ and a mission in which one is engaged for Christ. Moule (“New Life,” 491) aptly states, “To be called out is really to be sent in.”
A privileged spiritual standing before God entails ethical responsibilities to God. As those who have been grasped, graced, and gifted by God, believers are to clothe themselves with Christlike qualities (cf. “the fruit of the Spirit,” Gal 5:22–23). The five ethical attributes listed here, which stand in contradistinction to the ten (two sets of five) moral vices cataloged in vv. 5 and 8 respectively, are: “compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience.” It has been noted that the virtues advocated here (as well as in vv. 13–14) “are those gentle traits that would ease the common life of a close and intense community” (Meeks, “ ‘To Walk Worthily,’ ” 49; cf. Wilson, 248; Moule, 123; Lincoln, 647). These named attributes, which are supposed to characterize Christians, merit additional consideration.
The list of virtues believers are meant to put on commences with “a heart of compassion” (v. 12 NASB; splanchna oiktirmou, GK 5073, 3880). Paul also pairs splanchnon (“heart” or “affection”) with oiktirmos (“compassion”) when admonishing the Philippians to unity and humility in Christ (Php 2:1; NIV, “tenderness and compassion”). Paul perceived God as “the Father of compassion” (2 Co 1:3; cf. Ro 12:1). Furthermore, Jesus’ earthly ministry was characterized by compassion, i.e., a pity for and mercy on others, particularly those in need (Mt 9:36; 14:14; 15:32; 20:34; Lk 7:13). Likewise, Christians should be marked by compassion as they relate to one another and to unbelievers.
In addition to compassion, Christians are called to “kindness” or “goodness” (chrēstotēs, GK 5983; i.e., “a gracious sensitivity toward others that is triggered by genuine care [for them]” [so Garland, 210]). Among other things, love is kind (1 Co 13:4). Paul declares that God is kind and maintains that it is “God’s kindness [that] leads [people] toward repentance” (Ro 2:4; cf. Lk 6:35). Furthermore, the apostle enjoins (Gentile) believers to continue in the kindness of God made manifest in Jesus Christ (Ro 11:22; cf. Tit 3:4). Paul regarded kindness as one of the qualities that typified his own ministry (2 Co 6:6), and he encouraged believers to cultivate this spiritual fruit in their lives (Gal 5:22; cf. Mic 6:8). Christians are to “be kind … to one another” (Eph 4:32) and to outsiders (Ro 12:17–18, 21; 1 Th 5:15).
The third quality with which the Colossians were to clothe themselves is “humility” (tapeinophrosynē, GK 5425). If there is a (false) humility (or self-abasement) that Paul condemns (2:18, 23), there is also a (true) humility that he condones. Even though humility was not considered a virtue in Greco-Roman antiquity due to its association with “contemptible servility” (Lincoln, 647; cf. Meeks, “ ‘To Walk Worthily,’ ” 49; Dunn, 229), early believers were called to emulate Christ, who was “gentle and humble in heart” (Mt 11:29) and who “humbled himself by becoming obedient unto death, even cross-death” (Php 2:8, my translation). In humility they were to consider others as more important than themselves (Php 2:3; cf. Ro 15:1–2).
The people of God in Christ are also meant to don “gentleness” or “meekness” (prautēs, GK 4559; cf. Gal 5:23; Eph 4:2; Tit 3:2). In Matthew’s gospel, Jesus depicts himself and his rule as meek (i.e., as one considerate of other persons and their concerns and not demanding of his own way [11:29; 21:5]), and pronounces a blessing on those who are the same (5:5). Paul appeals to the “gentleness of Christ” when instructing the Corinthians and indicates his desire to relate to the assembly in such a manner (2 Co 10:1–2; cf. 1 Co 4:21).
The last quality specified in v. 12 that the Colossians were meant to put on is “patience” (makrothymia, GK 3429), i.e., “the ability not to become frustrated and enraged but to make allowances for others’ shortcomings and to tolerate their exasperating behavior” (Lincoln, 648). In the Pauline letters, both God (Ro 2:4; 9:22; cf. 2 Pe 3:9) and Christ (1 Ti 1:16) are described as patient. Love is also depicted as patient (1 Co 13:4). Believers should not presume on the patience of God, but they should practice patience or long-suffering in relating to one another (Gal 5:22; Eph 4:2; 1 Th 5:14; 2 Ti 4:2; Jas 5:7–8). Paul sought to exhibit patience as he worked among his churches (2 Co 6:6; 2 Ti 3:10), and he prayed that the Colossians might be steadfast and patient in their received faith (1:11).3
12 Believers in Christ are God’s chosen people. As the nation which God chose in OT times “to be a people for his own possession, out of all the peoples that are on the face of the earth,” was enjoined to be “careful” to keep his commandments (Deut. 7:6–11) and to be holy, as he was holy (Lev. 11:44, etc.), so men and women of the new creation, his choice souls, whom he has set apart for himself and into whose hearts he has poured his love, should inevitably exhibit something of his nature. Jesus made this point in the Sermon on the Mount when he said that peacemakers would be known as the sons of God, and that members of God’s family ought to be compassionate like their heavenly Father (Matt. 5:9; Luke 6:36). So here, and probably by way of echoing the teaching of Jesus, Paul tells his readers to “put on” compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience—graces that were perfectly blended in their Master’s character and conduct.
The “compassionate heart” is literally “bowels of compassion” (because the tender emotions in biblical idiom have their seat in the bowels). From the Greek word for “bowels” is derived a verb which is repeatedly used of Jesus’ compassionate reaction to people in need, as when he “had compassion” on the leaderless multitude of Mark 6:34. As for the noun translated “compassion,” Paul uses it when he appeals to the Roman Christians “by the mercies of God” (Rom. 12:1) and when, writing to the Corinthians, he calls God “the Father of mercies” (2 Cor. 1:3). Like Father, like children.
“Kindness” (included in the ninefold “fruit of the Spirit” in Gal. 5:22) is also a quality of God. “Taste and see that the Lord is kind,” says the psalmist (Ps. 34:8). Jesus taught his hearers to be kind, because God is “kind to the ungrateful and ungenerous,” and those who imitate him in this “will be sons of the Most High” (Luke 6:35). His “kindness and severity” are displayed in his dealings with human beings (Rom. 11:22); his kindness is designed to bring them to repentance (Rom. 2:4) and his children are urged to “continue in his kindness” (Rom. 11:22).
True humility (by contrast with the pride that apes humility of which the Colossian heresy made much) was not esteemed as a virtue in pagan antiquity; the word meant “mean-spiritedness.” The OT attitude is different: those who would walk with God must humble themselves to do so (Mic. 6:8), because he makes his dwelling by preference with those who are “of a humble and contrite spirit” (Isa. 57:15). Humility is especially fitting for the followers of Jesus, who was “gentle and lowly in heart” (Matt. 11:29), and a community in which this grace is cultivated is likely to be free from the tensions which spring from pride and self-assertiveness.
Gentleness, included (like kindness) in the fruit of the Spirit (Gal. 5:23), is the quality which has traditionally been rendered “meekness.” Moses was “very gentle” (Num. 12:3) in the sense that, faced with undeserved criticism, he did not give way to rage but interceded with God for the offenders. “The gentle shall inherit the land” (or “the earth”), according to Ps. 37:11—a saying which is taken over in the Matthaean beatitudes (Matt. 5:5)—the implication being perhaps that the militants will wipe one another out and leave the gentle in possession. Jesus was “gentle” (Matt. 11:29), but was perfectly capable of indignation. Paul entreats his Corinthian friends “by the gentleness and forbearance of Christ” (2 Cor. 10:1), but if the language which follows that entreaty is an expression of gentleness and forbearance, one wonders what he would have said had he been unrestrained by those graces. Yet those graces are evident in his affectionate concern for his converts—a concern matched by his indignation against those who were leading them astray.
Gentleness has much in common with patience, the fifth of the virtues listed here. Patience, too, belongs to the fruit of the Spirit (Gal. 5:22); like compassion and kindness it is a quality of God which should be reproduced in those who bear his image. In the revelation of the divine name in Exod. 34:6 patience is included along with compassion and mercy. In the NT God shows patience not only toward his chosen people (Luke 18:7) but toward the impenitent also (Rom. 2:4); in his patience he postpones the day of retribution (Rom. 9:22). Love is patient, says Paul (1 Cor. 13:4), and he urges his Christian friends to show patience to one another and to all (Eph. 4:2; 1 Thess. 5:14).4
12 The foundation or reason for all Christian ethics is the redemptive, elective work of God: “as God’s chosen people.” Election is not first about soteriological schemes in the ordo salutis but first about God’s choice of and mission for Israel, and only then soteriology. As such, “God’s chosen people” is very much like the term “saints” (see notes at 1:2, 4). Two more boundary-marking terms clarify “chosen”:112 they are “holy” in that they are devoted to God and separate from the world, and they are “dearly beloved” as those loved by God (again, like Israel: Exod 19:5–6; Deut 7:6–7; 14:2; Isa 5:1, 7; 44:2; Jer 12:7; 31:3). Theologically speaking, we encounter here a missional soteriology that leads into an ecclesiology through Christology; that is, in Christ the baptized are chosen, holy, and beloved and become part of the people of God, as well as God’s mission in this world, and in the end they will inherit the kingdom of God (see 1 Thess 1:4; 2 Thess 2:13). Hence, we agree that the “privilege of being ‘elect’ carried with it a responsibility, a point not always remembered by some people today, more concerned to assert their rights than to accept their obligations.”
There is perhaps a keener edge to these terms than might first appear, for they are also terms used of Christ, who is the chosen one in whom they are now chosen (Luke 23:35; John 1:34; 1 Pet 2:4, 6). He too is the beloved one (Mark 1:11 and pars.), and he is also called the holy one (e.g., Acts 4:27, 30)—revealing that their election is in Christ and they gain their status from his status. Who they are is because of who Christ is and what he has done, and what God is doing in Christ is reconciling diverse segments of the Roman Empire into a new body marked by a new set of moral codes. That is, “to be more precise, the particular exhortations which follow assume and expect the Colossians to presuppose that the starting point for their praxis as Christians was the recognition that they stood before God as Israel stood before God.” This ecclesial front could be improved slightly by adding “in the Messiah” after “as Israel.” If these special terms for Israel in v. 12 (“chosen … holy, and dearly beloved”) expand the meaning of Israel, they do not mean to replace Israel—the language evokes eschatological fulfillment, not the brutal shifting of God’s love from Israel to an entirely different people (the church). Paul here reminds Gentiles that they have been incorporated into the people of Israel in Christ. God’s prior action, or the priority of grace, is also emphatic in these terms: they are chosen, they are made holy by God, and they are the beloved of God. These acts of God are delineated in Colossians especially in the cosmic reconciliation of Christ through the cross and resurrection (Col 1:15–20), into which they have entered through conversion (1:21–23 etc.).
The command of Paul is “clothe yourselves,” yet another instance of morality as something that can be both taken off and put on (see notes at 3:9, 10). In Romans Paul exhorts them with a christological ethic when he says “clothe yourselves with the Lord Jesus Christ” (Rom 13:14). That same kind of christological ethic is at work in Colossians. Paul (and Timothy) now provide another list of five, as at 3:5, that counters the sins they are to put off in 3:5, 8. The moral vision in our chapter is clear: they are to divest themselves of the ways of the flesh and death and to clothe themselves with the ways of Christ and life. That is, “compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience.”117 The structure resembles that of Gal 5:19–26, and the terms overlap, though the absence of the Spirit is noteworthy. Our concern here is the positive virtues, and so a list from Gal 5:22–23 compared with Col 3:12 is instructive, though the NIV’s choice to translate with different English terms makes comparison more difficult:
Galatians 5:22–23
Colossians 3:12
Love
See 3:14
Joy
Peace
See 3:13
Forbearance
See (patience)
Kindness
3:12
Goodness
Faithfulness
Gentleness
3:12 (humility)
Self-control
The same general pattern of terminological variation in the midst of substantive concerns with the fellowship’s relationships appears also when one compares the divestitures of Col 3:5, 8 with the works of the flesh in Gal 5:19–21. We are not to reduce this list to individual spiritual formation or to individual virtues but must focus instead on community virtues and life in the fellowship. To live as a fellowship of “differents” (see Col 3:11), one must be confronted with an alternative reality, what Paul calls the “mystery” (1:27), tap into transcendent powers, and put on a whole new way of life marked by love.
The list begins with “compassion,” but this term translates a powerful combination of two terms: splanchna oiktirmou, or “bowels [or entrails] of mercy,” and denotes deep-seated and affective compassion (e.g., 2 Cor 6:12; 7:15; Phil 1:8). This expression is especially characteristic of the language and description of the ministry of Jesus (see Mark 1:41; 6:34; Matt 9:32–34, 36; 20:34 et al.). “Compassion” comprises three elements: a need expressed, a response of mercy and love to that need, and an action that alleviates the need. Acting in compassion illustrates the priority and circularity/responsiveness of God’s action: God is the one with “compassion” (2 Cor 1:3; Rom 12:1), and hence the people of God are to be compassionate (2 Cor 1:4).
The term translated in the NIV as “kindness” (chrēstotēs) derives from Paul’s favorite term “grace” (charis forms chrēstotēta). As God shows superabundant and prior grace to sinners with the efficacious power to transform them into his people (Rom 11:22; Eph 2:7; Titus 3:4), so the Colossians will need to pass on to others that divine attribute of grace, which is a fruit of the Spirit (Gal 5:22; 2 Cor 6:6). One manifestation of such grace flows into the fellowship’s mutual relations with those of mixed statuses (Col 3:11) and is no small chore. “Kindness,” pastor Boughton observed in a difficult moment with a difficult son, “takes more strength than I have now. I did not realize how much effort I used to put into it.” If one looks at grace through the lens of the social tensions at work in the groups of Colossians 3:11, one knows why grace must be superabundant, efficacious, and circular. There is here an echo, underhanded but sure, of Paul’s concern that they will show the kind of compassion that translates into crossing boundaries to embrace slaves (see Phlm 7, 12, 20). We think back—as we are led to in this list of five virtues—to the social experiment Paul envisions (Col 3:11). I echo Dunn’s observation: the church that fails in the virtues of 3:12 falls for the vices of 3:5, 8.
The next virtue, translated in the NIV “humility” (tapeinophrosynē), fluctuates in emphasis from humility before God and others (Mic 6:8; Isa 57:15) to socioeconomic poverty and social status (e.g., Luke 1:48), to the moral virtue of choosing to renounce rights and status in order to serve others. The latter is the emphasis here, and it derives in part from Jesus (Matt 11:29; Phil 2:5–11). Paul uses in a positive sense what he found pretentious in the false teachers (see Col 2:18, 23). The term is found in the Prison Letters (Eph 4:2; Phil 2:3; Col 2:18, 23; 3:12; cf. also Acts 20:19), but cognates are found elsewhere in Paul (2 Cor 7:6; 10:1; Rom 12:16). For the Colossians this will mean crossing boundaries to include those of lower honor and status (e.g., the free to the slave, the barbarian to the Scythian, and the Jew to the Gentile—as well as the Gentile to the Jew). Boundaries are not crossed by accident but by intention, and often at cost.
Those with pervasive and progressive social visions, like Paul and his converts, can become harmfully aggressive about the vision, so Paul exhorts them to put on “gentleness” (praütēs). This term can also be translated “humility” and hence complements the previous term, “kindness.” Again, this term can refer to one of low social status, but in this context it describes the choice to renounce one’s rights or status in order to serve others (e.g., of Moses in Num 12:3; Ps 37:11; Matt 5:5; Gal 6:1; Eph 4:2; Phil 2:1–11; 2 Tim 2:25; Titus 3:2)—an attribute describing the way of Jesus himself (2 Cor 10:1) that seems to have come into play more frequently for Paul the longer he ministered. We are then not surprised to hear of the need for the fellowship of differents to be in need of “patience” (makrothymia) with one another. This term is an attribute of God (Exod 34:6; Rom 2:4; 9:22) and often describes those who are put into a difficult situation and refuse to react with anger or rage but endure in light of the good of a larger vision (1 Thess 5:14; 1 Cor 13:4; Eph 4:2).
Since Col 3:14 will inform us that love is what holds all these virtues together, it is worth mentioning here that these five exhibit what love itself is: a covenantal commitment to one another of presence and advocacy in the journey into Christoformity, which means that the Colossians will be compassionate, kind, humble, gentle, and patient with one another. Ephesians 4:1–2 says much the same as Col 3:12–13 but with variant angles, and I have italicized cognates and similarities: “As a prisoner for the Lord, then, I urge you to live a life worthy of the calling you have received. Be completely humble and gentle; be patient, bearing with one another in love.” The “in love” of Eph 4:2 is filled out in Col 3:14.5
Election: a new realization (v. 12a)
Christians are defined here as ‘the elect of God, holy and beloved’. This means that God has chosen them from eternity for salvation (Eph. 1:4–5; 2 Thes. 2:13; Rom. 9:6–13; 1 Peter 1:2). Once saved, Christians are holy before God, being set apart in Christ by the Holy Spirit who indwells them. Election is not arbitrary or random. It is not some show of pride by God, nor a display of his power, but an act of divine love that flows from his heart (Rom. 9:13a). God loves the elect enough to give his only Son for them (John 3:16; 1 John 4:10; Eph. 5:25).
Conversion: a new look (v. 12b)
The Christian wardrobe contains garments that were bought by Christ when he died on the cross. This collection of spiritual apparel, tailored by his Spirit, needs to be searched daily in order that garments appropriate for the moment are chosen and worn. The resulting ‘new look’ and behaviour will bring praise and acclaim to the head of the church. With this holy fashion, new behaviour will display the believer’s new life in Christ. The new wardrobe is not for special occasions only, but for everyday use, and when it is put on it also ‘feels’ good.
The beloved people of God are to ‘put on’ new attire, clothing themselves with five holy ‘garments’: ‘tender mercies’ means ‘a heart of compassion’, and indicates deep feelings. ‘Kindness’ is the desire for another’s good, and shows sweetness of disposition (Titus 3:4; 2 Cor. 6:6). ‘Humility of mind’ speaks of lowliness (Eph. 4:2; Phil. 2:3–5) and allows us to recognize that we have no reason or right to be assertive. ‘Meekness’ is the opposite of self-interest and reveals itself in gentleness. It is a spirit of quiet submission, not weakness but rather a spirit of Christian courtesy. Thomas Watson once said, ‘Meekness is a grace whereby we are enabled by the Spirit of God to moderate our passions’ (see 2 Cor. 10:1). ‘Longsuffering’ is patience in the face of provocation and suffering. This is a divine attribute (Rom. 2:4; 9:22). It is the opposite of anger and ‘it is associated with mercy’. Possession of this grace stops us being angry with God (Heb. 6:12, 15).6
3:12 / Verses 12–17 are a continuation of Paul’s discussion of those who are baptized. He already has dealt with the negative side by showing that those who have died to their old life are to put off those vices that characterized them as pagans. In this section, Paul turns to the positive side by listing a number of virtues that are to characterize their new or resurrected life. The therefore indicates that what follows is linked to the previous ideas on the new self (3:10, 11).
There are several features of this list of virtues that are worth noting: First, as already explained, this list is part of a body of traditional material that was transmitted in the early church (cf. disc. on 3:5). The language “put on” (clothe yourselves) shows that this belongs to the context of baptismal instructions. Second, these virtues are very similar to the “fruit of the Spirit” mentioned in Galatians 5:22, 23. Three of the “fruit” (compassion, kindness, humility) are directly in the list, while “love” and “peace” are picked up in 3:14 and 3:15 respectively.
A third characteristic of these virtues is that they are “godly qualities,” which are used to describe either God or Christ. Many references in the nt, for example, talk about the mercy or compassion (Rom. 12:1; 2 Cor. 1:3), kindness (Rom. 2:4; 11:22; Eph. 2:7), humility (Phil. 2:5–11), meekness (2 Cor. 10:1), and long-suffering (Rom. 2:4; 9:22) of God and Jesus. The application of these virtues to the Christian would follow naturally from the call to imitation, union, or likeness with Christ. Believers are to act toward one another as God and Jesus act toward them.
Fourth, these virtues are social in nature, that is, they describe attitudes and actions that are important for healthy personal relationships. As the Christian has emptied (put off) his or her life of harmful and selfish vices, he or she now is instructed to fill (put on) that void with virtues that have the well-being of others as their prime goal. These virtues are lived out in the context of the local church (body, 3:15) where the Colossians are members with each other (3:13, 16). Their relationships with each other, including worship (3:16, 17), should bear witness that they are new people in Christ.
In verse 12, the believers are identified as God’s chosen people, literally, the hagioi, “saints,” “holy ones” (1:2). This was made possible, Paul tells his readers, because of God’s love and election. Their status had nothing to do with their own striving; it was God’s choosing. All three concepts (saints, love, election) are reminiscent of ot descriptions of Israel but are taken over and applied to the new Israel, the church (cf. 1 Pet. 2:9).
The Colossians are instructed to put on a number of virtues: Compassion is a translation of two Greek words, splanchna and oiktirmos, literally translated as “bowels of mercy” (kjv) because the bowels, or inner viscera, of a person were regarded as the seat of emotions. As such, the term denoted compassion that comes authentically from the heart and that is translated into corresponding action toward another person.
Kindness (chrēstotēs), with such corresponding concepts as goodness, generosity, or courtesy, describes an individual whose life and relationship with others are gracious and empathetic—genuinely concerned for the feelings of others. Humility (tapeinophrosynē), when properly directed (i.e., not false humility), is a spirit of modesty and disregard for status. It is that quality of Christ that best describes his willingness to become incarnate and suffer for humanity (Phil. 2:5–11).
Gentleness (prautēs), which appears in the rsv as “meekness,” sometimes has been taken as a sign of weakness, particularly by the Greeks. In the nt, however, it is a disposition characterized by gentleness, consideration, and submissiveness—just the opposite of arrogance, rebellion, and violence. Patience (makrothymia) is a passive virtue, amplified by additional concepts such as endurance (cf. 1:11), forbearance, and steadfastness. In personal relationships, it is the grace of one who may have the right to retaliate but who chooses to exercise patience instead.7
12, 13. Put on, therefore, as God’s elect, holy and beloved. “Put on” is repeated from verse 10. And the word “therefore” means (amplified), “Since you have in principle taken Christ into your hearts, therefore actually be in practice—yes, be fully—what you have professed to be, and what I, Paul, actually believe you have begun to be.” Be this “as God’s elect.” For a twelve-point summary of the doctrine of election in the epistles of Paul see N.T.C. on I and II Thess., pp. 48–50. Note especially the following statements, taken from points 7, 10, and 12: “Election affects life in all its phases, is not abstract. Although it belongs to God’s decree from eternity, it becomes a dynamic force in the hearts and lives of God’s children. It produces fruits. It is an election not only unto salvation but definitely also (as a link in the chain) unto service. It has as its final aim God’s glory, and is the work of his delight” (Eph. 1:4–6).
In apposition with the expression “God’s elect” are the ascriptions “holy and beloved.” As God’s chosen ones, these people, both individually and collectively as far as they are true believers, are holy, that is, “set apart” for the Lord and for his work. They have been cleansed by the blood of Christ from the guilt of their sins, and are being delivered, more and more, from sin’s pollution, and renewed according to the image of God (see on verse 10 above). They are, moreover, “beloved,” and this especially by God (1 Thess. 1:4; cf. 2 Thess. 3:13).
Thus, the qualifying designations of honor that were formerly applied to the ancient covenant people of Israel (see 1 Peter 2:9; then Isa. 5:1; Hos. 2:23; cf. Rom. 9:25) are here used in connection with the members of the church of the new dispensation. The church is the new Israel. Paul continues. (Put on) a heart of compassion, kindness, lowliness, meekness, longsuffering. It is immediately evident that these qualities overlap. A person with “a compassionate heart” will also be “kind.” One who is lowly or humble in disposition will also be “meek,” etc. Hence, not
but
and so for the others. The expression heart of compassion indicates a very deep feeling, “a yearning with the deeply-felt affection of Christ Jesus” (Phil. 1:8). As to the depth of this feeling one thinks of the reaction of Joseph upon seeing Benjamin (Gen. 43:30), or in revealing himself to his brothers (Gen. 45:1–4). Another example would be the tender relationship between David and Jonathan (1 Sam. 18:1; 20:4, 17).
The next quality is kindness. This is Spirit-imparted goodness of heart, the very opposite of the malice or badness mentioned in verse 8. The early Christians by means of kindness commended themselves to others (2 Cor. 6:6). God, too, is kind (Rom. 2:4; cf. 11:22), and we are admonished to become like him in this respect (Luke 6:35). Examples of human kindness would be the same persons already mentioned in connection with “heart of compassion.” To avoid repetition, let us add the Good Samaritan of the well-known parable (Luke 10:25–37), Barnabas (Acts 4:36, 37; 15:37), and the apostle Paul himself (1 Thess. 2:7–12).
Lowliness or humility—a virtue despised by the heathen (as noted earlier)—is also mentioned as a quality which believers should more and more strive to acquire. The person who is kind to others generally does not have too high an estimate of himself. A happy condition arises when in a church each member counts the other to be better than himself (Phil. 2:3). Of course, there is also such a thing as “feigned humility” (see on 2:18, 23). Good examples of true humility would be the centurion who said, “I am not worthy that thou shouldest come under my roof” (Luke 7:6), and the publican who, in a striking parable, pours out his heart by sighing, “God, be merciful to me, the sinner” (Luke 18:13). According to the entire context, however, it is modest self-appraisal in relation to the neighbors, especially to fellow-believers, that Paul has in mind. Of course, these two—humility toward God and the same disposition toward men—far from being mutually exclusive, belong together.
Meekness, mentioned next, is definitely not weakness or spinelessness, the characteristic of the person who is ready to bow before every breeze. It is submissiveness under provocation, the willingness rather to suffer injury than to inflict it. A striking example is Moses (Num. 12:3).
For longsuffering see on 1:11. What a longsuffering hero was Jeremiah during his lengthy period of prophetic activity. Think also of Hosea who, instead of rejecting his unfaithful wife, slips away to the haunt of shame, redeems Gomer with fifteen pieces of silver and a homer and a half of barley, and mercifully restores her to her position of honor!
Continued: enduring one another. The Colossians are urged to bear with one another in love (cf. Eph. 4:2). Paul was able to say, “Being persecuted we endure” (Cor. 4:12). The example of Job comes to mind (James 5:11). Paul adds, and forgiving each other if anyone have a complaint against anyone. Just as the Lord133 has forgiven you, so do you also. For the divine forgiveness see on 2:13. Christ, while on earth, had taught his disciples to pray, “Forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors” (Matt. 6:12). It is possible that the expression “Just as the Lord has forgiven you, so do you also” is a conscious echo of the just quoted petition of the Lord’s Prayer, showing that Paul knew that prayer. Anyway, it is identical in spirit and meaning. Jesus had also instructed Peter to forgive “not up to seven times but up to seventy times seven times” (Matt. 18:22), and had added a touching parable ending with the words, “So also my heavenly Father will do to you, if each of you does not forgive his brother from the heart” (Matt. 18:35; cf. Mark 11:25). Moreover, the Lord had underscored these precepts with his own example. While being crucified he had implored, “Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do” (Luke 23:34). When Stephen, while he was being stoned to death, prayed “Lord, lay not this sin to their charge,” he was following the example of Christ.
This would seem to be the proper place to point out that Paul here links his admonitions to Christ’s person and work, as has been indicated also in connection with Col. 1:28. See the three columns there. The qualities which, according to Paul’s teaching here, mark the new man are also ascribed to Christ. For his “heart of compassion” and his kindness see Matt. 9:36; 14:14; 15:32; 20:34. His lowliness and meekness are exemplified in Matt. 11:29; 21:5; John 13:1–15; Phil. 2:8; his longsuffering and endurance or forbearance, in Matt. 17:17; John 14:9; 1 Peter 2:23; and his forgiving spirit, in Matt. 9:2; Luke 7:47; 23:34. Accordingly, when a believer manifests these virtues in his association with his fellow-men he has “put on” Christ (Rom. 13:l4). And it is comforting to know that he who has seen Christ has seen the Father (John 14:9; cf. 1:18), and that he who is an imitator of Christ (1 Cor. 11:1; 1 Thess. 1:6) is also an imitator of God (Eph. 5:1).8
1 MacArthur, J. F., Jr. (1992). Colossians (pp. 153–157). Moody Press.
2 Vaughan, C. (1981). Colossians. In F. E. Gaebelein (Ed.), The Expositor’s Bible Commentary: Ephesians through Philemon (Vol. 11, pp. 214–215). Zondervan Publishing House.
3 Still, T. D. (2006). Colossians. In T. Longman III & D. E. Garland (Eds.), The Expositor’s Bible Commentary: Ephesians–Philemon (Revised Edition) (Vol. 12, pp. 331–332). Zondervan.
5 McKnight, S. (2018). The Letter to the Colossians (N. B. Stonehouse, F. F. Bruce, G. D. Fee, & J. B. Green, Eds.; pp. 318–323). William B. Eerdmans Publishing Company.
Ezekiel 35:2 – Why is God focusing on the Edomites (the residents of Mount Seir)? From EnduringWord.com:
Alexander noted a long history of conflict between the Edomites and the kings of Israel (and Judah), during the reigns of: Saul (1 Samuel 14:47), Solomon (1 Kings 11:14–22), Jehoshaphat (2 Chronicles 20:1–23), Jehoram (2 Kings 8:21), Ahaz (2 Chronicles 28:17).
Ezekiel 36:4 – There is something special about being in the land of the Bible. I’m proud to be an American, but America doesn’t possess a land that was prophesied to her. The Old Testament is full of descriptions of mountains (518x), hills (136x), rivers (247x), valleys (166x), even wastes (88x). The Old Testament is rooted in geography, and there is no better way to study the land of the Bible than in the land of the Bible!
The Lord even promises the Jews that the land they return to in the last days will be better than it was in the days of their forefathers, verse 11. By doing these things, for the Jews, with His promised land, they shall know that He is the Lord and they shall turn to Him.
Each year, around May 14, the Jewish people celebrate the “birthday” of the Jewish State of Israel and the productivity of the land He has given these Jewish people. This celebration of God’s work in fulfilling His promises about the “land of Israel” has been a witness to the entire world …
It’s not because of Israel or Judah that the Lord does what He does, but for “His Holy names sake.” By the way, that is why He does anything for each of us, as well, for “His Holy names sake.”
Ezekiel 36:26 – This verse is almost a repeat of Ezekiel 11:29. God’s not promising rehabilitation but transformation! He’s giving us the power of His Spirit to obey His statutes (Ezekiel 36:27)! Throughout the Old Testament we see disobedience after disobedience. Now we can walk in the Spirit and not fulfill the lusts of the flesh (Galatians 5:16).
James 1:5 – This verse is often the hasty prayer of the student who has neglected his studies, yet too many adults neglect this passage when needing wisdom. We don’t need Dr. Phil, Dr. Laura, or Oprah giving us wisdom! We need the LORD’s wisdom!
James 1:9-10 – Matthew 23:12, Proverbs 29:23, Luke 14:11, Luke 18:14, James 4:6, and 1 Peter 5:6 all teach that the humble are exalted, and the exalted are humbled. Flip through the television channels and you’ll find that American culture prizes the fastest athletes, the winning politicians, the famous Kardashians, the people who get the most screen time, etc. God’s priorities are completely opposite.
James 1:12 – There are five crowns that are possible for believers to receive:
Incorruptible Crown – 1 Corinthians 9:25 – for the faithful
Crown of Rejoicing – 1 Thessalonians 2:19 – for the witness
Crown of life – James 1:12 – for the tempted
Crown of righteousness – 2 Timothy 4:8 – for the watching
Crown of glory – 1 Peter 5:4 – for the pastors
James 1:14 – Don’t boast in the fact that you are not tempted to drink, steal, commit fornication, etc., if you are tempted to view pornography, lie, and be proud. James warns us that we are “… drawn away by (our) own desires and enticed.” (NKJV) A pastor referred to these as “designer lusts,” i.e. custom designed lusts to hit our weak points! Beware! They bring forth death (James 1:15)!
Psalm 116:6 – Speaking of the low – God helps those who are low!
While clinging to a life raft, Zamperini prayed for one of the first times in his life: “God, if I survive this ordeal and get back to America alive, I’ll seek You and serve You.”
[Four years after the war,] For the first time in years, Zamperini remembered the promise he made to God when he was floating in the south Pacific.
“My life passed before my eyes, and I saw an ugly life,” Zamperini said. “Yes, I had a lot of great times. A lot of great experiences, and a lot of escapes from death, but I still didn’t like my life after the war. It was terrible.”
That night in L.A., Zamperini went forward and accepted Christ, and the biggest miracle of his life was set in motion.
Proverbs 27:23 – The Son of the Shepherd King knew the importance of managing flocks. Whether a pastor, manager, or parent, this is a command for all of us.
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When thou shalt make his soul an offering for sin, he shall see his seed.Isaiah 53:10
Our Lord Jesus has not died in vain. His death was sacrificial: He died as our substitute, because death was the penalty of our sins. Because His substitution was accepted of God, He has saved those for whom He made His soul a sacrifice. By death He became like the corn of wheat which bringeth forth much fruit. There must be a succession of children unto Jesus; He is “the Father of the everlasting age.” He shall say, “Behold, I and the children whom Thou hast given me.”
A man is honored in his sons, and Jesus hath His quiver full of these arrows of the mighty. A man is represented in his children, and so is the Christ in Christians. In his seed a man’s life seems to be prolonged and extended; and so is the life of Jesus continued in believers.
Jesus lives, for He sees His seed. He fixes His eye on us, He delights in us, He recognizes us as the fruit of His soul travail. Let us be glad that our Lord does not fail to enjoy the result of His dread sacrifice, and that He will never cease to feast His eyes upon the harvest of His death. Those eyes which once wept for us are now viewing us with pleasure. Yes, He looks upon those who are looking unto Him. Our eyes meet! What a joy is this!
While life is often filled with many special days there are two days in particular that William Barclay says are the greatest. According to Barclay: “There are two great days in a person’s life – the day we are born and the day we discover why.”1
The first great day – the day you were born, is special for many reasons. First, while the day you were conceived, is actually when the foreknowledge of God became the reality of life, birth is exceeding special because it is the time you enter this world for all to see and rejoice that your mother’s womb reveals her secret treasure. Second, while in the womb you are totally dependent on your mother, at birth your first cry announces to all around that you are here and are now a member of humanity! And third, at birth, God surrounds you with His awesome love and considers you His treasured possession – eagerly awaiting the day when hopefully you will discover the second great day of life.
And that second great day of life is filled with incredible joy for all those who discover why they were born in the first place. For you see knowing why we were created has many far reaching blessings.
Sadly, many people never discover and get to experience this second special day. For example, the atheist never can discover why they were created. Sincethe atheist has no god to believe in, he places himself as the supreme person in his universe and spends the rest of his life searching for a reason for his existence. Searching every pathway, every byway, overturning every stone, examining every philosophy, and experiencing every feeling, as he comes to the end of his journey, the answer he finds is that none exists!
Others have attempted to fill their lives with seeking fame and fortune, accumulating wealth, sex, power, and pleasures in a feeble attempt to try to answer why they were created. Even the great and wise King Solomon explored all avenues to find out the real purpose of why we are here and concluded that all is vanity! His final conclusion was the right one when he said: “Now all has been heard; here is the conclusion of the matter: Fear God and keep his commandments, for this is the duty of all mankind.”(Ecclesiastes 12:13).
In my own life the day I discovered why I was born was on October 12, 1981. It was on that day that I accepted Jesus Christ as my Lord and Savior. And in a matter of weeks, I began to understand that the reason I was created was to glorify God and enjoy Him forever. As a Christian for now over 43 years it is so enormously comforting to know where I came from, WHY I am here, and where I am going when I pass from this physical body.
In a world where so many struggle for meaning and purpose, only those that have come into a saving relationship with Jesus Christ, can answer the question of why I am here. Everyone else, like the atheist, will sadly, as they come to the end of their journey, find that the answer is that none exists!
So as Christians, let’s continually praise the Lord that God has chosen to reveal to us the answer to this most fundamental of all questions – why were we born!
You’ve probably heard that a Bible that’s falling apart usually belongs to someone who isn’t. One reason: When you’re constantly reading Scripture and meditating on its truth, the more you’re reminded of the good news of the gospel.
Israel may be on the verge of a cease-fire with Lebanon. President-elect Donald Trump is said to be good to go with a ceasefire plan. Household debt in America is on the rise. New data from the New York Federal Reserve shows such debt ticked up in the 3rd quarter, now totaling 18-trillion dollars nationally. The Justice Department recently announced it would take a close review of the Tulsa Race Massacre in 1921. The attack led to the deaths of hundreds in a thriving black community. An exclusive Studio 5 First look at a new war drama from Tyler Perry and First Look from Hollywood at a film set in the Land of Oz.
(DCNF)—SiriusXM host Megyn Kelly questioned on Tuesday’s podcast which Hollywood celebrities might have been paid for endorsing Vice President Kamala Harris, before calling out Democrats who are reportedly already eyeing the 2028 presidential race.
During Harris’ campaign, the vice president faced backlash over her ties to Hollywood and billionaire donors, with endorsements from celebrities like Oprah Winfrey, Beyoncé and Usher. On “The Megyn Kelly Show,” Kelly played a clip of Harris’s interview with Winfrey, who was reportedly paid $1 million from the campaign after the town hall event.
“Totally feckless. But by the way, did JLo get a payment for that? Did Chris Rock get a payment for that? Did anybody get paid for these endorsements that we were led to believe were just completely organic? I mean, do we really care? Because they’re all losers. They lost badly and have been rendered utterly powerless and feckless in the eyes of the electorate. Nobody will be asking for their endorsement again. No one smart. I mean, no one who wants to win,” Kelly said.
Kelly went on to state that Democrats are already starting to identify potential candidates for the 2028 presidential primary race, including names like California Gov. Gavin Newsom and Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro.
WATCH:
“It’s funny because there’s already a Democratic primary underway for 2028, believe it or not, yes, there is. It’s people like Josh Shapiro. Gavin Newsom out in California is already organizing his resistance to Trump’s agenda. Good luck, sir. The California liberal has already been rejected resoundingly by the electorate,” Kelly said.
“Why would the Democrats be so stupid as to elect another next go around? Your little widow’s peak does not distinguish you that much. It may be hard to believe he’s even more radical than Kamala Harris is,” Kelly said. “His crazy ass gender stuff is even more radical than hers was. It’s not going to be Gavin Newsom.”
Following Harris’ loss to Trump last week, Democrats like Shapiro, Newsom and Secretary of Transportation Pete Buttigieg have reportedly floated the idea of seeking the 2028 Democratic presidential nomination, according to Politico. Just two days after election night, Newsom called a special session of the California legislature to prepare “to support the ability to immediately file affirmative litigation challenging actions taken by the incoming Trump Administration.”
The Pentagon is in “absolute disarray” with “generals scrambling” due to the incoming Trump administration’s plans to fire woke senior military leaders who prioritized diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) over combat readiness, according to sources.
One source compared it to a hornet’s nest being kicked over and that “DEI pages are starting to disappear off the main websites.”
“They’re being archived as we speak. They are full-bore focused on cleaning up anything DEI-related,” the source said.
Another source said people are trying to find out if they are on the list to be cut. “They are in panic mode,” the source said.
The scramble to hide evidence comes as President-elect Donald Trump’s transition team has begun gathering names of senior officers who pushed DEI.
One source familiar with the plan told Breitbart News that an executive order has been drafted to create a panel to recommend those senior officers for elimination and that the EO is “definitely” going to Trump’s desk.
“This is for real. This [EO] has made the cut,” the source said, adding that it is possible that it is still being revised and consulted with incoming leaders at the Pentagon.
Indeed, a member of the Trump transition team has already begun reaching out to troop advocates for names, including Army whistleblower retired Green Beret Lt. Col. Pete “Doc” Chambers. Chambers served for 39 years in the Army and retired after he was told not to give his troops informed consent for the COVID vaccine.
Also working on gathering names is another Army whistleblower, retired Army Chief Warrant Officer 2 Samuel Shoemate, who was investigated by woke officers for running a whistleblower website and his advocacy for troops who did not want the COVID vaccine, as previously exclusively reported by Breitbart News.
Sources said, however, the EO is focused on DEI — not COVID — and that its purpose is to “reorient the U.S. military away from the woke ideology and priorities that has been foisted upon it” as far back as the Obama administration.
“The purpose of the EO is to restore the military leadership focus on keeping the country safe and when necessary, fighting the country’s wars…not these extraneous factors [such as] “white rage” and gender identity…just this full range of left-wing woke priorities that have impacted recruitment in the military and retention in the military and a person’s prospects of promotion in the military” the source familiar with the plan said.
The source said the people who worked on the EO have “stellar military policy credentials” both on the policy and legal side. “It was people who know what they’re talking about.”
Shoemate, who is soliciting names of senior military officers from his vast network of service members and veterans, said in a phone interview with Breitbart News, “They are interested full speed on DEI.”
“They want to lop off the head of the Marxist snake. And so that’s the primary criteria that I’m trying to focus on,” he said.
Shoemate said he is differentiating between officers who have promoted DEI to the detriment of the force, and those who simply have gone along with it.
“We’re looking for those who have aggressively pursued DEI policies, and then potentially been the worst about retaliation against troops for the COVID mandate and stuff like that.”
Among those names are officers who are listed in the Declaration of Military Accountability, drafted by a mixture of currently serving and former members of the military.
Shoemate said so far, there are more than a dozen names from the Navy alone, and they are still working through the Air Force and the Army.
Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Gen. Charles “CQ” Brown will also be on the list, for his advocacy for DEI.
“Trump’s taking out the chairman. That’s gonna happen,” Shoemate said.
WASHINGTON, D.C. — Panicked sources within the nation’s capital expressed fear that the entire governmental bureaucracy that had been methodically built up over the last century was about to be dismantled by an Indian guy and an autistic African American obsessed with rockets.
The vast federal mechanisms put in place to make even the simplest and most straightforward tasks take years to accomplish and cost billions of taxpayer dollars now faced elimination at the hands of what federal officials referred to as “two total outsiders with weird names.”
“Who do these guys think they are?” one high-ranking official asked under the condition of anonymity. “We’ve been working hard to make government as bloated and inefficient as possible for decades, and this rocket guy and Indian are going to ruin everything.”
When reached for comment, the autistic African American confirmed the reports. “I like rockets,” he said.
According to government insiders, every three-letter agency in the country had already given its employees orders to barricade themselves in their offices and not give in despite having little hope of resisting the coming purge for any length of time.
“You can bet we’re going to put up a fight,” the anonymous government official continued. “Granted, it will most likely be a very poorly organized and inefficient fight, using hundreds of employees to accomplish very little, but still.”
At publishing time, sources confirmed that the Department of Homeland Security was being replaced by one hot chick with a shotgun.
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Join Camden Bucey and Ryan Noha as they welcome Dr. Daniel Ragusa, pastor of Messiah’s Reformed Fellowship in New York, to discuss his new book, Fullness of Joy: A Biblical Theology of God With Us (single copies, ten-pack), published by Reformed Forum. In this engaging conversation, Dr. Ragusa dives into the biblical theme of Emmanuel, tracing the promise of “God with us” from Genesis to Revelation, showing how this theme unfolds through the covenantal storyline of Scripture and culminates in Jesus Christ. The book’s ten chapters correspond to a video course now freely available through our Reformed Academy, making it ideal for church groups, Bible studies, or personal study.
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