← Back to sermon library

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. 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 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. 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. 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. 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. 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, 
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 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. 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. 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 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. 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. 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.