Please turn with me in your Bibles to Colossians chapter three. Colossians 3 will return to our studies in Matthew's Gospel probably in a couple of weeks. I did want to finish up this section in the book of Colossians. Remember last week we looked specifically at Paul's command in verses 1 and 2.
As Christians, as those who have been saved by grace, we ought to be seeking those things which are above, setting our mind on things above, not on things on the earth. And when we look to the Lord Jesus Christ. When our minds are focused where they ought to be, then our conduct ought to follow suit. Remember, we looked at the various sins of the flesh and the sins of the tongue in verses 5 to 11.
The apostle calls us to holiness and righteousness with reference to the mortification of those sins of the flesh in verses 5 to 7, and then he speaks concerning sins of the tongue in verses 8 to 11. The Christian isn't only marked by what he isn't, but also by what he is. And that's what Paul directs us to in verses 12 and following. Sort of an overview of the entire section.
After dealing with where our minds are focused in verses 1 and 2, he then tells us we are to put off various vices in verses five to eleven. We are to put on various virtues in verses twelve to seventeen. We are to be subject to one another in verses eighteen to four one and we are to watch and pray. So that's a bit of a road map or an overview of the entire section.
I'll just pick up reading in verse one of Colossians chapter three. If then you were raised with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ is sitting at the right hand of God. Set your mind on things above, not on things on the earth, for you died and your life is hidden with Christ and God. When Christ, who is our life, appears, then you also will appear with him in glory.
Therefore, put to death your members which are on the earth, fornication, uncleanness, passion, evil desire, and covetousness, which is idolatry. Because of these things, the wrath of God is coming upon the sons of disobedience, in which you yourselves once walked when you lived in them. But now you yourselves are to put off all these—anger, wrath, malice, blasphemy, filthy language out of your mouth. Do not lie to one another, since you have put off the old man with his deeds. and have put on the new man who is renewed in knowledge according to the image of him who created him, where there is neither Greek nor Jew, circumcised nor uncircumcised, barbarian, Scythian, slave nor free, but Christ is all and in all.
Therefore, as the elect of God, holy and beloved, put on tender mercies, kindness, humility, meekness, longsuffering, bearing with one another and forgiving one another, if anyone has a complaint against another. Even as Christ forgave you, so you also must do. But above all these things, put on love, which is the bond of perfection, and let the peace of God rule in your hearts, to which also you were called in one body, and be thankful. Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom, teaching and admonishing one another in Psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord.
And whatever you do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him. Wives, submit to your own husbands, as is fitting in the Lord. Husbands, love your wives and do not be bitter toward them. Children, obey your parents in all things, for this is well-pleasing to the Lord.
Fathers, do not provoke your children, lest they become discouraged. Bondservants, obey in all things your masters according to the flesh, not with eye service as men-pleasers, but in sincerity of heart, fearing God. Whatever you do, do it heartily, as to the Lord and not to men, knowing that from the Lord you will receive the reward of the inheritance. For you serve the Lord Christ, but he who does wrong will be repaid for what he has done.
And there is no partiality. Masters, give your bond servants what is just and fair, knowing that you also have a master in heaven. Continue earnestly in prayer, being vigilant in it with thanksgiving. Meanwhile, praying also for us that God would open to us a door for the word to speak the mystery of Christ, for which I am also in chains. that I may make it manifest as I ought to speak.
Walk in wisdom toward those who are outside, redeeming the time. Let your speech always be with grace, seasoned with salt, that you may know how you ought to answer each one. Amen. Well, let us pray.
Our Father, we thank you for the scripture. We thank you for the written word. We pray now for the mind of Christ, the power of your spirit. We pray that you would give us receptive hearts to your truth.
We ask to that end that you would forgive us for all of our sins and our transgression. We acknowledge sin's darkening influence and power over our minds and hearts, and we pray that you would just wash it away in the precious blood of Jesus Christ. Our Father, I want to pray for the saints in Tillamook, for the Reformed Baptist Church there. I pray that you would bless that local body, that you would strengthen them with might in the inner man, that their worship today would be well-pleasing in your sight, that you would bless their dear pastor.
We ask that you would grant grace to Pastor Crippen and encourage his heart and build him up in his most holy faith. We just thank You, Lord, for these good gifts that You give to us in the local church and in especially the Gospel. We thank You for forgiveness. We thank You for grace.
We thank You for mercy. We thank You most of all for our Lord Jesus, that He's enthroned at Your right hand, that He always lives to make intercession for us, that He is our advocate with the Father. God in heaven, we just praise You for such a champion, for such a victor and such a redeemer. And we pray in His most blessed name, Well, as I said, the idea here is that our minds are where they ought to be.
Introduction: Grace, Not Moralism
Paul is not preaching moralism. He is not preaching behavior modification. He is preaching the outflowing of God's grace in the lives of believers. In other words, in chapters 1 and 2, he's already dealt with the reality of salvation by grace through faith in Jesus.
He now turns his attention to that conduct that is becoming new men, new women in Christ Jesus. I will probably refer to new men and to Him throughout the course of the message. Ladies, you are included in that. It's a generic use of man or Him.
So, we saw the condemnation, or we saw rather the mortification of sins last week. We turn our attention to the character of the new man in verses 12 to 14. Again, we cannot separate ourselves from what he's already said in Colossians 3, 1 and 2. We are to seek those things which are above.
We are to set our mind on things above. Paul gives us incentives for these commands. Verses three and four. For you die.
That's what happened in the past. There has been a decisive breach. There's been a decisive break. The fact that you have died and you are now alive in Jesus Christ.
Which brings him to the present. Your life is hidden with Christ in God. You are in union with the Savior. You are in living union and communion with the Lord.
And then he points us to the future. In verse 4, when Christ, who is our life, appears, then you also will appear with him in glory. So Paul is calling on us to direct our attention to the right hand of Jesus. And as Christians, as believers, when we do so, we will hopefully avoid the sins of the flesh, we will avoid the sins of the tongue, and we will put on those virtues, those blessed graces that are consistent with new men in Christ Jesus.
John Owen said this, it is the knowledge of God in Christ alone that is effectually powerful to work the souls of men into conformity unto Him. Don't miss the significance of that statement. He is essentially reflecting Paul's argument here in Colossians 3. It is the knowledge of God in Christ alone that is effectually powerful to work the souls of men into a conformity unto him.
He says those alone who behold the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ are changed into the same image from glory to glory. Christianity is not behavior modification. It is not simply moralism. Go do this and you will have a happier life.
No, the argument is God has saved you. He has redeemed you through the precious blood of the Lord Jesus. He's called you out of darkness into marvelous light. Therefore, live consistently with that calling in your life.
So let's direct our attention now to verses 12 to 14, and
Three Things About the New Man
we'll consider three things with reference to the new man. First, we'll notice his identity, secondly, his character, and thirdly, his supreme obligation.
The New Man's Identity
Note first his identity in verse 12. Therefore, as the elect of God, what a beautiful statement. Therefore, as the elect of God, holy and beloved. When we understand that aspect of our identity, there is no room for pride.
We don't parade ourselves as the elect of God. You walk into somebody's house and they have a trophy on their shelf for bowling, let's say. You don't glorify the trophy. You don't praise the trophy.
You don't marvel at the trophy, but rather you realize that it reflects the glory of the one who won it. In other words, it's the bowler in the home that ought to get your praise. It's the bowler in the home that ought to get your glory. Well, the same thing is true as the elect of God.
Who gets the glory? The one elected or the elector? The one who has been brought out of darkness, the one who is steeped in sin and depravity, the one who has nothing good in him to commend himself to the Lord God most high. No part of our identity is this reality that we are the elect of God.
That is not our praise. It is God's praise. The same language is applied to Israel in the book of Deuteronomy. God chose Israel, not because they were more numerous, not because they were more righteous.
Not because they had some altogether loveliness that the nation surrounding them did. It was because God set His love upon them. In free, unfettered, sovereign grace and mercy, the Lord had purpose to deal kindly with Israel. And the same is true with you and I.
We are the elect of God. Shame on us if we use that in a manner that is proud. Shame on us if we parade ourselves as the elect. Election bespeaks of the glory of God and the perverseness of man.
You see, if we were all that, if we were good in and of ourselves, God wouldn't need to elect us. We would put ourselves into that proper state. We would put ourselves into that proper frame. It is not the case.
Never forget that reality, that part of your identity. You are the elect. of God, and the glory goes to God alone, the one who chose us for salvation. But not just elect, holy and beloved. We see Paul's emphasis in Ephesians chapter 1, when he says, Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places in Christ.
He starts first with the work of the Father. He says, who chose us in Him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and blameless. Note the language. He didn't choose us because we were holy and blameless.
He didn't choose us because we made right decisions. He didn't choose us because we put ourselves in His grace. He didn't choose us because we exercised our free will. He chose us in order to be holy and blameless.
And the same thing is true here. Therefore, as the elect of God, holy and beloved. And based on that identity, don't go do unholy and unlovely things. Based on the truth that you're the elect of God, holy and beloved, you ought not to do those sins consistent with the old man.
You ought not to fornicate. You ought not to engage in uncleanness. You ought not to use your tongue in an ungodly manner. You ought not to harbor malice and anger and blasphemy in your hearts toward men.
That's not consistent with the new man in Christ Jesus. It is simply not godliness, but rather as the elect of God, as those who are holy and known as beloved. We need to remember that. God loves us.
Sometimes that's tough. depending on what your background is, depending upon your relationship with parents, depending upon your relationships currently. Sometimes it's hard to reckon in our minds and hearts that I'm beloved. I may not be beloved by this world, but I'm beloved by God as the elect, as the Holy One of God, the Holy Ones of God. We are loved by Him.
It's a blessed reminder. If you're loved by God, do not enter into this world and live. as one who is hated by God. Do not live as the old man. Do not live as those under the wrath of God.
Do not live as those whose lifestyle is marked as being reprobate, but rather as the elect of God, as holy and beloved.
The New Man's Character
Now, notice his character. And we'll divide this into two broader categories. First, his personal character and then his community relationship. His personal character is seen in five virtues here, five races, five fruits of the spirit that we as new men in Christ Jesus must manifest.
You see the progression of thought. Therefore, as the elect of God, holy and beloved, put on the same language used in verse ten. You've already put on the new man who is renewed in knowledge according to the image of him who created him. It's the same language used in Romans 13, 14.
Put on the Lord Jesus Christ and make no provision for the flesh to fulfill its lusts. Rather, as new men in Christ, put on these virtues. These vices ought to be far from you. You ought not to be characterized with these sins of the flesh.
You ought not to be characterized with these sins of the tongue. But rather, as God's people, you ought to be characterized by these things. You ever notice when you're raising your children or rearing your children, Mr. Harms would say, we raise cattle, we rear children.
That's the proper grammar there. You ever notice when they manifest something of your character, it's generally Maybe it's not true in your home, but it's been true in the Butler home. It's generally the bad aspects of the character. You're about to say, where did you ever get?
Oh, yeah. Thankfully, they're not as brutal with us as they ought to be, because I see you do it all the time, Dad. The apple doesn't fall far from the tree, Dad. You see, there is nothing in Christ that we can say, wow, I learned that vice from him.
It's all virtue that we are to learn from him. It's all blessedness that we are to learn from him. You see, the child of God must reflect God himself. As the elect of God, the holy and beloved of God, as new men in Christ Jesus, we ought to be striving to put on these specific virtues.
Tender Mercies and Kindness
The first one that he mentions is tender mercies. Does this characterize you? Tender mercies, bowels or a heart of compassion. This is a characteristic of the Lord Jesus in Matthew chapter 9.
Remember when He looked upon the multitude, what happened? He felt compassion for them because they were like sheep having no shepherd. The Lord Jesus had and was characterized by tender mercies. This is characteristic of God the Father.
Paul says, I beseech you, by the mercies of God in Romans chapter 12. Tender mercies. It's the world. It's the unbeliever.
It's the ungodly. It's the old man that is brutal, that is harsh, that is vicious. That is not typical of our Lord Jesus. That is not the way Christ is characterized.
That doesn't mean Christ couldn't take a scourge and drive out money changers and animals. It's not calling us to be doormats. It's not calling us to lie down on our backs while a wicked world goes by. No.
But as a general descriptor of our character, there ought to be tender mercies. How do we respond to things? Zero to a hundred immediately. I can't believe this.
Notice what he says, secondly, kindness. Kindness, it is kindness expressed in attitude and deed, the friendly and helpful spirit which seeks to meet the needs of others through kind deeds. It's not typify our Lord. This is what Jesus is all about.
Another instance where we read that he is compassionate when he walks into the city of name and he sees a funeral progression or procession in progress. There is a woman there and they're burying her son. The text is conspicuous. It says that Jesus had compassion and then Jesus raises that boy up and returns him to his mother.
This idea of kindness doing for others. Putting others first, Paul's blessed statement in Philippians chapter two, he says, Let nothing be done through selfish ambition or conceit, but in lowliness of mind, let it each esteem others better than himself. The word kindness is absent, but the concept is there. Notice what he goes on to say in verse four, let each of you look out not only for his own interests, but also for the interests of others.
Paul assumes that we're going to look out for our own interests. The Bible assumes that. Love your neighbor as what? As yourself.
Now, that's not the idea of some self-worship or this idea that we bow to ourselves and we idolize ourselves. But there is a general truth that we do love ourselves. We don't generally put our hand in fire. We don't generally drink poison.
We don't generally... There's exceptions. I'm saying generally. Some foolish people out there that do some foolish things.
But for the most part, as a general rule, we do look out for our own needs. Well, Paul says it ought not to stop there with the believer. It ought not to end there with the Christian. He says that you are to look out not only for his own interests, but also for the interests of others.
Paul demonstrates that sort of a mindset in Epaphroditus as he continues in chapter 2. He says in verse 25, Yet I considered it necessary to send you about Epaphroditus, my brother, fellow worker and fellow soldier, but your messenger and the one who ministered to my need. More than likely, it was the church in Philippi that sent Epaphroditus to the apostle to bring him specific and particular gifts. Paul then writes this particular letter, hands it to Epaphroditus so that Epaphroditus can take it back to the church in Philippi.
They can read the letter, be blessed, encouraged, and strengthened. Now notice in verse 26, since he was longing for you all and was distressed because you had heard that he was sick. There's probably a couple of ways to take that whole phraseology. But the one way that I think we ought to look at it, when you're sick, are you distressed because of what your sickness is producing in others?
Do you actually care what other people are thinking about your sickness? Are you thinking about that next shot of NyQuil? That next shot or whatever, to alleviate and relieve the pain. Even on his sick bed, Epaphroditus is others-minded.
It's an amazing reality. For indeed, he was sick almost unto death, but God had mercy on him, and not only on him, but on me also, lest I should have sorrow upon sorrow. Kindness is to be part and parcel of the new man in Jesus Christ. Back to Colossians 3. as the elect of God, holy and beloved, put on one, tender mercies, two, kindness, three, humility.
Humility
Humility. This means lowliness in thinking. It is the recognition of one's own weakness, but also the recognition of God's power. It's translated as lowly. various places, Romans chapter twelve.
We can look there a synonymous use of the term Romans chapter twelve and verse three, for I say through the grace given to me to everyone who is among you, not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think, but to think soberly as God has dealt to each one a measure of faith. So there's the converse rather do not think of himself more highly than he ought to think, but think soberly. Why does Paul have to write these things so many times? Why does Paul have to enjoin upon us the duty of humility?
Why does the Scripture from Genesis to Revelation have to press upon the people of God this necessity of humility? You want to take a stab at it? Probably because we're all proud by nature. Well, maybe you are, Pastor Butler, but I'm not.
Well, praise God, there's a humble one among us. Like what the secular author said once, he said, when they determine the center of the universe, a lot of people are going to be surprised that they're not there. That's how we live our lives, as if we're the center of the universe. That's not righteous conduct in the old man, but it certainly has no place in the life of the new man.
You put on tender mercies, you put on kindness, You put on humility, lowliness of mind. God opposes the proud, doesn't He? But He gives grace to the humble. Pride is the archenemy of God Most High.
And if pride is in your heart, if pride is in my heart, we ought not to rest until it's dead. You say, well, that will never happen on this side of heaven. That doesn't mean we ought not to try. It's self-love, self-idolatry.
It's arrogance. It's wretched. It's the height of what we find in the Garden of Eden. Ye shall be as gods.
It's a recent decision in B.C. Euthanasia has been deemed legitimate. We've got to let the disabled, we've got to let the terminally ill have some sort of sovereignty over their final hours. We're going to have to apply that logic to everyone.
Suicide cannot be illegal, because after all, as a healthy 40-year-old male, I ought to be in control of my end. Let's write back to the garden. Ye shall be as gods. What is a prerogative of God alone?
We see it referred to with Christ in the book of Revelation. I hold the keys to death and hell. It's arrogance. It's pride.
It is the lie of the devil. Ye shall be as God. The Christian is to be humble. The Christian is to be lowly.
The Christian is to defer. The Christian is to give kind preference to others. The Christian isn't supposed to just terminate in his own things. It isn't all about you.
There's a whole world out there. There's a whole universe out there. There are needs out there. There are people with needs in here.
And if all you ever think about is you, yourself, and you, you're going to be miserable. And you are not living consistently with the new man in Jesus Christ. Tender mercies, kindness, humility,
Meekness
fourthly, meekness. Meekness. The word indicates an obedient submissiveness to God and His will. Submission.
That's almost a curse word today, isn't it? Especially when we get into the husband-wife relationship. Why submit to your own husbands as to the Lord? Paul says this in chapter 3 at verse 18.
What do we find? I don't want to submit. We submit. Well, let me tell you, everybody has to submit in one form or another.
Everybody submits to some one or some thing. The word indicates an obedient submissiveness to God in his will, with unwavering faith and enduring patience, displaying itself in a gentle attitude and kind acts towards others. And this often in the face of opposition. It is the restrained and obedient powers of the personality brought into subjection and submission to God's will by the Holy Spirit.
It is a fruit of the Spirit, according to Galatians 5. It was true of Jesus. It's one of the Beatitudes. Blessed are the meek, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
One man says, it is the willingness to suffer injury or insult rather than to inflict such hurts. In other words, we might put it in the vernacular. It is the willingness to fall upon one's own sword rather than cut someone else's head off with it. What do you do with your sword?
You just hack everybody up that gets in your way? You just hack everybody up with your tongue. You just hack everybody up with your conduct, your actions. That's not the meek man or woman in Jesus Christ.
Now, this is general principles. There are times when we are to resist evil. There are times, brethren, in the face of criminal activity, or in the face of some sort of abuse, in the face of something or other, we are to resist it with every power of our redeemed humanity. Jesus Christ, the same one who was meek and lowly, drove out the money changers.
There are exceptions to be sure. What we're dealing with is the general character of the new man in Christ Jesus. Is your general character marked by It's a fearful thing, because if it's not, then yours isn't the Kingdom of Heaven. Blessed are the meek, for theirs is the Kingdom of Heaven.
What is the contrast? Cursed are the non-meek, for theirs is not the Kingdom of Heaven. You see, these aren't suggestions for a holier, happier you. These aren't recommendations so that your life will be more pleasant.
These aren't just things that you can take or leave at will. You know, I'm naturally kind, so I'll really capitalize on that grace. But you know, this whole idea of meekness, when somebody wrongs me, I've got to run them down. No.
You're a new man in Christ. You don't get to pick of these five. Which of these five do you tend to be predisposed to? Choose that.
That's not the way we read the text. You put it on. You put it all on. You just don't put on a shirt and walk out into the world naked as a jaybird from the waist down.
You put it all on. You don't pick and choose. Why two out of these five? I have a predisposition to two of the five.
Humility is not my thing, man. I'm just awesome. Everybody should just recognize that. And the sooner everyone does, we'll all be happier.
That's not the way the list is given. It's not a menu. I'd like the soup, but I don't want the salad. I'd like the entree, but I don't want the dessert.
No, this is what a new man in Christ Jesus looks like. Tender mercies, kindness, humility, meekness. And then
Longsuffering
notice the fifth one, long suffering, patience. I think I like long suffering better. It explains what patience is. It is to suffer long.
It is to suffer long. It is not to have a short fuse. It is not to raise your fist. It is not to go from zero to a hundred in five seconds.
Rather, long suffering indicates the patience in bearing injustices or unpleasant circumstances without revenge or retaliation. You know, I dare say that these virtues are probably easy to do in your bedroom on a Monday morning. It's a lot more difficult when you're working with that guy at work that's really obnoxious. It's more difficult when you're living in the midst of family.
You're trafficking with sinners. See, built into this word long-suffering is not patience laying in your back. We're the most patient people in the world laying in bed. Right?
Note the definition. It indicates the patient long-suffering in daring injustices or unpleasant circumstances without revenge or retaliation. Have you ever been wronged and it's been your desire to be right? It's been your desire to be vindicated.
It's been your desire to have it demonstrated that you were right. Longsuffering buries that. Longsuffering leaves it with the Lord God Almighty. Longsuffering realizes that on the day of judgment, all things will be righted that have been wrong.
Longsuffering does not insist upon one's personal rights or one's personal reputation. Again, we're speaking in generalities here. There are instances, there are times, resist the evil man, deal with things in a biblical way. Other portions of scripture deal with those things.
But as the identifying mark of your character, longsuffering must be there. It is characteristic of God. We've had cause to note that in our studies in Deuteronomy on Wednesday night. If anyone ever tells you that the Old Testament or the God of the Old Testament was only wrath and anger and fury and hatred, they've not read the Old Testament.
They have no knowledge of the Old Testament. They know nothing of Horeb. They know nothing of Exodus 32. They know nothing of God's statement to Moses.
They know nothing of God's blessing upon that people who went a-whoring from Him. God is patient even to the unconverted. Romans 2.4 says that patience ought to lead man to repentance. The Lord Jesus was patient.
The Christian must be patient. You must be long-suffering. If you've got a short fuse, take it to the throne of grace. God, be merciful to me.
God, root this out of me. God, deal with me. Tend to me. Fill me with the Spirit.
Fill me with your word. Let me hide it in my heart that I might not sin against you. That's his character, those five virtues.
The New Man's Community Relationships
Notice his community relationships, his personal character. Now, notice his community relationships. These five virtues fleshed out. These five virtues put into practice.
Notice verse 13. Bearing with one another. Bearing with one another. Again, what does that presuppose?
People aren't perfect. If everybody always treated you the way they were supposed to, you wouldn't have to bear with them. The text is there because people don't treat you the way they're supposed to. Therefore, you are to bear with one another.
Remember the context, local church life. Remember the context, family life. Remember the context, husbands, wives, parents, children, masters, employers, employees. You have to bear with one another.
It is not godly to engage in a tit-for-tat mentality as new men. Bruce defines it this way, mutual forbearance, mutual tolerance and mutual forgiveness should mark all their relations with one another. Tolerance, forbearance. Kindness, love, gentleness, forbearing or bearing with one another.
But it doesn't stop there. Notice he says forgiveness as well and forgiving one another. If anyone has a complaint against another, even as Christ forgave you, we need to be gracious. Do you have unresolved grudges?
I've shared with you before, when Rebecca and I got converted, we went to a Bible study, not long after having been Christians, and this lady, professing Christian, said, I will never forgive this man. We both laughed there, scratching our heads, saying, what? What do you mean you'll never forgive this man? Again, we're not dealing with the exceptions, we're not dealing with the horrifics, we're not dealing with those things, we're dealing with the typical biblical conduct and character of God's people.
He says, forgive. A brother wrongs you, forgive. A sister wrongs you, forgive. A husband wrongs you, forgive.
A wife wrongs you, forgive. Note the standard, note what he says here. Forgiving one another if anyone has a complaint against another, even as Christ forgave you. Gordon Clark makes this point on this passage.
He says, when we stop to consider how the offended God forgave our sins by the death of his son, we must be as hard as rock not to forgive a fellow church member whose sin against us is so small when compared to our sin against God. We must be hard as rock If inside our hearts there's a clenched fist, an unwillingness to resolve, an unwillingness to forgive, an unwillingness to bear with one another, our hearts must be as hard as rock when we consider what God has forgiven us in and through Jesus, what God has nailed to the cross. You know how much we've sinned against the Lord? You know how many times we've broken His commandments? since this morning, and yet He forgives us.
He cleanses us. The blood of Jesus Christ, His Son, cleanses us from all sin. If you cannot forgive somebody, if there is a hardness of heart, the evidence is there that you know nothing of the forgiveness of sin yourself. One petition in the Lord's Prayer that Jesus expands upon.
The petition is, forgive us as we forgive those who sin against us. Jesus revisits that in verses 14 and 15. The essence of it is clear. You don't forgive men.
It is an evidence. It is a manifestation that you yourselves have not been forgiven. That's another way we can look at what a Christian is. You know, you've seen the cheesy bumper sticker.
Christians aren't perfect, just forgiven. It's cheesy, but it's true. We're forgiven. One of the identifiers of the people of God, Revelation chapter 14, get that beautiful contrast, the beasts waging war against Christ, against his church in chapter 13.
And then the scene shifts. The lamb with his fair army stands on Mount Zion. It describes the followers of the Lamb as the redeemed. The redeemed.
How are we redeemed? It's through blood. How are we redeemed? It's through the death of the Son.
Brethren, the very word redeemed, the very word forgiven, the very gospel itself stands as a great argument as to why you ought to be forgiving to others. You see, as new men and new women in Jesus Christ, you have been forgiven much. Therefore, you ought to forgive others as well. That is his personal character, the five virtues.
That is his community relationships. Those two flesh it out, forbearance and forgiveness.
The Supreme Obligation: Love
And that brings us finally to consider his supreme obligation in verse 14. Notice, but above all these things. Above all these things, that's why I call it the supreme obligation. These five virtues are absolutely crucial.
These five virtues are absolutely essential forbearance in the Christian community, forgiveness in the Christian community. These things are no brainers. This is what identifies the new man. This is what his character is all about.
He looks like his Lord Jesus. These are true of Christ. These are true of the new man. But he says above all this.
Above all these things, he says in verse 14, put on off, which is the bond of perfection. When we take that imagery, that language of putting on, you put on the shirt, you put on the pants, you put on the shoes, you put on the jacket, you put on the belt, you put on those various aspects of your clothing. And then you put on the crown, you put on a hat, you put something up here, I think that's the progression. These five virtues, these five virtues expressed in the community.
But above all, put the crown of love on your head. O'Brien says it this way. Finally, love is the crowning grace which the new man has to put on as part of his distinctive dress. John Gill says it in this manner.
He says, for without this, all is nothing. You might be able to eke out some kindness to those around you. You might have an appearance of humility. You might be able to demonstrate something of a meekness.
Now, your heart may be totally not in it, but externally, you may toe the line. You may appear to be forbearing. You may appear to be most forgiving. But without love, it's useless.
He says, for without this, without love, all is nothing. They will only be done in show and appearance, in mere guise and hypocrisy, if love is wanting. He says love actuates and exercises all the rest. It is only from this principle that true sympathy, real kindness, undisguised humility and meekness, patient longsuffering and forbearance and hearty forgiveness proceeds.
You see the flow of thought. Your mind ought to be up there. As a result of your mind being up there, kill the sins of the body. Because your mind is up there, kill the sins of the tongue.
Because your mind is up there, live like this sort of a man in Christ Jesus. Evidence. These virtues. Flesh them out in the community in terms of forbearance and in terms of forgiveness.
But above all, supreme obligation, the thing that is most necessary, the thing that gives luster to all those virtues, is love. It's love. Isn't this how Jesus said that men would know us? By this, all men will know that you are my disciples.
If you can recite the 1689 London Baptist Confession, by this all men will know that you are my disciples. If you like Robert Raymond's New Systematic Theology, or you read the best books, By this, all men will know that you are my disciples if you open up with prayer, and then you sing a hymn, and then you pray, and then you sing a hymn, and then you read Scripture, and then you preach. If those things are in place, then everybody's going to know that you're my disciples. Or take it to the home and the preferences that we all manifest.
Oh yeah, men will know that I am Christ's disciples in the way that I rear my children. Men will know that I am Christ's disciples in the way that we do or don't do certain things. Not minimizing all that, not saying those things are unimportant, but the identifying mark of Christ's people is that you have love for one another. You love them.
You care for them. That that lusters all these other virtues, all these other characteristics, all these other identifying marks. We could say it's loving tender mercies, it's loving kindness, it's loving humility, it's loving meekness, it's loving long-suffering, it's loving forbearance, it's loving forgiveness. How does Paul say we are to love one another in Romans chapter 13?
By obeying the law. She's not left for your definition. Well, love means take them out for coffee. Love means give them flowers.
No, love means obey God's word with reference to that. I think a lot of times we get messed up on what love is. Tina Turner doesn't define it for us. Hollywood doesn't define it for us.
Paul the Apostle defines it for us. God manifests it for us. It's an amazing thing in Romans chapter 13, 8 to 10. It may take out what you Appreciate the warmth of it or the kind, you know, what we believe or the kind displays of it.
Love ultimately is obedience in terms of God's holy law. You want to know how to love your brethren as yourself? Paul says, don't murder them. So that's easy.
I don't normally murder people. Jesus said, if you say, fool, rock up, you've murdered in your heart. So it's not just about not cutting someone's jugular. Don't commit adultery with them.
Don't violate the covenant that they have in their home. Don't steal from them. Don't bear false witness against them. Don't lie about them.
Don't gossip about them. Don't slander about them. Don't cause rumors. Don't perpetuate rumors.
Don't let your ears welcome every nasty little trifle that wants to infect your heart. That's how you love. It's not magic, it's not mystery, it's not brain surgery, it's not rocket science, it's obedience to God's law. Conversely, how do we love God?
That same law speaks to that. You'll have no other gods before Him. You'll not make idols. You'll not blaspheme His name.
You'll not break His holy day. He hasn't left it to you to try to figure out. Love is the supreme obligation for the new man in Christ Jesus. Love for God.
Love for men. That's Paul's point. This is the bond of perfection. Above all these things put on love, which is the bond of perfection.
Love as the Bond of Perfection
Love is the glue that holds the other virtues together and brings harmony to the characteristics of the new man. You see the progression of thought. Get your mind where it ought to be. Yes, read good books on how to manifest these virtues.
Yes, read character studies on the things that Christians ought to manifest and bear. But even before that, get your mind where it belongs. Put your mind where Christ is. Back to that Owen quote.
It is the knowledge of God and Christ alone that is effectually powerful to work the souls of men into a conformity unto him. The more we know Him, the more we focus upon Him, the more we meditate upon Him, the more we contemplate Jesus, the better equipped we are for life in this world. You got a problem with sexual sin? Get your mind on Christ.
You got a problem with your tongue? Get your mind on Christ. You got a problem with these virtues? Get your mind on Christ.
You got a short fuse in an unforgiving spirit? Get your mind on Christ. You have trouble loving your brothers and your sisters and people in your own family. Get your mind on Christ.
That's the point in the passage. If then you were raised with Christ, seek those things which are above where Christ is sitting at the right hand of God. Set your mind on things above, not on things on the earth. Seek him in the word.
Seek Him in prayer. Seek Him in church. Seek Him in the sacraments. Seek Him in fellowship.
Seek Him. That's the message that Paul has for the new man in Christ Jesus to mortify sin and to put on the Lord Jesus Christ and to make no provision for the flesh to fulfill its lusts.
Conclusion and Application
In conclusion, brethren, I think it is very helpful for us to see how heinous the conduct associated with the old man is. We ought to loathe and despise the sins of the flesh. We ought to loathe and despise the sins of the tongue. Owen Elsewhere says that when we're dealing with sin, we need to load our consciences with the guilt of sin.
Far too often, we play games with sin. Far too often, we entertain sin. Far too often, we resist Jesus' words. We don't cut off hands, and we certainly don't pluck out eyes.
When it comes to the sins of the tongue, we just don't shut our mouths. We need to load our conscience with the guilt of sin. We need to see how bad it is. The conduct associated with the old man brings the wrath of God down upon his head.
It's no small thing. It's not just, well, you know, we all do this. Everybody has these issues. Everybody has these challenges.
I'm no different than anyone else. Well, you should be different as the elect of God, as a holy and a beloved one. We not only need to load our conscience with the guilt of the sins indicated in verses five to 11, we need to load our consciences with the beauty of the virtues listed in 12 to 14. This is what our Jesus is all about.
And it's always perplexed me when people talk about predestination or election and they get all mad and they get all angry and they get all upset. Oh, what a terrible thing. What a monstrous God. What a horrible thing.
What's God's purpose in predestination? Conformity to the image of his Son. What could be better? What could be more excellent?
What could be more glorious? Those whom he foreknew, these he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son. Romans chapter 8. Those he predestined, he called.
Those he calls, he justifies. Those he justifies, he glorifies. Never forget the grand end there. We are to be conformed to the image of Christ.
See the heinousness of sin. See the loveliness of Jesus Christ. See, when we go to pray, we ought to pray, God, help me to resist those things associated with the old man. Help me to put on these things that are associated with the new man, that are exemplified in our Lord Jesus.
Help me to pursue these things, Lord God most high. That's how we ought to pray. We need to engage in biblical churchmanship and in biblical family nut life. If those five things are true, or they're there to some degree or other, let's flesh them out in the way that we bear with one another, in the way that we forgive one another, in the way that we relate to one another.
The new man in Christ Jesus ought to be pleasant to be around. I hope it's not... Oh, I can't stand that guy. You go to someone's workplace.
Who's the worst guy in the world? Well, it's this guy. He's a new man. He shouldn't be that way.
The new man should be the best of men in the workplace. The new man ought to be the best of men in his home place. Lloyd-Jones says that when a man is converted, even his cat benefits. Boys love that.
Why? Because he's not coming home drunk anymore and booting the cat across the living room. The cat benefits when the man is new in Christ. As well, we need to inculcate, manifest this supreme obligation.
It is the way a Christian is identified by love for one another. It is the virtue that gives meaning, or it is the luster that gives meaning ultimately to all these other things. It is that persistent one in Paul's triumph. It is more primary than the gifts.
It is more primary than in your ability. It is more primary in all things. And then as we come ultimately to conclude this study, I hope you'll say with me, praise God for Jesus Christ. Did you see what we find here in this put off, put on?
We ultimately find law, don't we? We're not justified by law. We're justified by grace through faith in Jesus. You see, Christ never sinned these sins of the flesh.
Christ never sinned these sins of the tongue. Christ always manifested these five virtues. Christ always manifested this forbearance and forgiveness. Christ always manifested this supreme obligation of love, not only to his Father, but to his disciples as well.
Our status, our position, our acceptance with God is not based on how you and I perform in light of Colossians chapter 3. Our status, our position, our acceptance with God is based upon the Lord Jesus Christ. Praise God. Praise the Lord.
If you're like me, you read through a list like this, you say, forget it. Man, I don't even get the... from the tender mercies up. Humility? You're kidding me, right?
Meekness? Praise God for Christ Jesus. Praise God for His life. Praise God for His death.
Praise God for His resurrection. Praise God for redemption through His blood. If you are here this morning and you don't know this Jesus Christ, my encouragement to you is not to go out and be a better person. My encouragement to you is to flee to the cross of the Lord Jesus, to come to Christ in whom all the promises of God are yea and amen. in whom there is every blessing, there is justification, there is sanctification, there is glorification.
Your absolute necessity today is not to modify your behavior or be a better you. It is to flee to the Lamb of God who is slain, to look to Him in faith, to believe the Gospel, and you will be saved. is indeed good news. And brothers and sisters, let us, by the grace of God and the power of the Spirit, seek to put these things into practice. Well, let us pray.
Closing Prayer
Father, we thank you for your word. We thank you for its clarity. We thank you for the progression of thought in Colossians 3. Help us, Father, to seek those things which are above.
Help us to set our minds upon Jesus Christ. Help us to truly be knowledgeable and to be full of faith with reference to your gospel. And God, may this indeed affect the way that we live in this world. We just thank you that there is forgiveness with you.
We thank you that there is mercy and grace. We thank you that you don't call us to things that you yourself do not display. We praise you for your forbearance. We praise you for your forgiveness.
And even God, as we come face to face with this passage, we ask now, cleanse us afresh in the blood of the Lord Jesus Christ. And it's in His name that we pray.