Character of the New Man
Therefore, vas the elect of God, holy and beloved, wput on tender mercies, kindness, humility, meekness, longsuffering; xbearing with one another, and forgiving one another, if anyone has a complaint against another; even as Christ forgave you, so you also must do. [1] (Colossians 3:12-13, NKJV)
3:12. Again Paul called on believers to take a
decisive action: Clothe yourselves (endysasthe). Because they have “put
on (endysamenoi) the new self” (v. 10),
they should live accordingly, with appropriate attributes and attitudes. In verses 8–9 Paul listed six vices (anger, rage,
malice, slander, filthy language, and lying). Now in contrast to them, Christians—as God’s chosen
people (cf.
Rom. 8:33; Titus
1:1), holy (“separated to God”; cf. Col. 1:2) and
dearly loved (cf. Rom. 5:8; 1 John
4:9–11, 19)—are to have several
virtues. These include compassion (splanchna oiktirmou, lit., “tender
sympathy of heartfelt compassion”—an unusually touching expression; in Phil. 2:1 Paul joined these two nouns with “and”),
kindness (benevolence in action; cf. 2 Cor. 6:6),
humility (a lowly attitude toward God; cf. Phil. 2:3; 1 Peter 5:5),
gentleness (prautēta), meekness, a lowly attitude toward others, and patience (makrothymian, self-restraint, a steady response in the face of
provocation; cf. Col. 1:11). The last three
of these are mentioned in the Greek in the same order in Ephesians 4:2; and Galatians
5:22–23 in the Greek includes three of them: patience and gentleness, as
well as kindness.
3:13. Furthermore, believers are to bear with each other (i.e., “put up with each other”) with the
attitudes just mentioned in v. 12. Also they
are to forgive whatever grievances
(complaints) they may have against
others. How? By forgiving as the Lord
forgave them, graciously and freely (Eph. 4:32).
Grudges have no place in a Christian’s life for they may lead to the sins
mentioned in Colossians 3:8–9.[2]
“When correction is
necessary, it should be done with kindness and love. In that way we become
imitators of our Lord Jesus Christ.”
Let your
speech always be kwith grace, lseasoned with salt, mthat you may know how you
ought to answer each one. (Colossians
4:6, NKJV) – Shirley Thomas
The New King James Version. Nashville:
Thomas Nelson, 1982. Print.
[2]
Geisler, Norman L. “Colossians.” The Bible Knowledge
Commentary: An Exposition of the Scriptures.
Ed. J. F. Walvoord and R. B. Zuck. Vol. 2. Wheaton, IL: Victor Books, 1985.
682. Print.
Research by: Rev. Lynwood F. Mundy
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