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Character of the New Man



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.


v [1 Pet. 1:2]
w Luke 1:78; Phil. 2:1; 1 John 3:17
x [Mark 11:25]
[1] 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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