Put On Love
Clothe your heart and mind with love
Colossians 3:1-4:1
As a Christian, you are ‘in Christ’. You are united with him in his death and resurrection. Therefore, Paul can write that ‘you died’ (3:3). And he can also write, ‘you have been raised with Christ… your life is now hidden with Christ in God’ (v.1,3). In the future, ‘When Christ, who is your life, appears, then you also will appear with him in glory’ (v.4).
Because of all that Jesus has done for you and made possible, you need to re-clothe your heart and mind.
Change what you think about (v.1–12). Right action begins with right thinking. You can now live this resurrection life, made possible by Jesus, Paul writes: ‘Set your hearts on things above… Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things’ (v.1–2). This is not easy because you are surrounded by ‘earthly things’ (v.2) and temptations. Take radical action. Paul writes, ‘That means killing off everything connected with that way of death: sexual promiscuity, impurity, lust, doing whatever you feel like whenever you feel like it, and grabbing whatever attracts your fancy’ (v.5, MSG). This is what we used to do before we were Christians. ‘Strip off’ the old clothes (v.9, AMP). You must ‘rid yourselves’ (v.8) of the bad stuff: ‘anger, rage, malice, slander, and filthy language from your lips. Do not lie to each other, since you have taken off your old self with its practices and have put on [‘clothed yourselves with’, AMP] the new self, which is being renewed in knowledge in the image of its Creator’ (v.8–10). Put on the new clothes. You are one of God’s chosen people and therefore, you are called to live as such. This means a radical change of your position in the world. Don’t be passive; be active. Instead of the bad stuff, you are called to clothe yourself with ‘compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience’ (v.12).
Change your reaction to others (v.13–15). Jesus lives in every Christian, regardless of background. In Christ there is no racial barrier (‘no Greek or Jew’), no religious barrier (‘circumcised or uncircumcised’), no national barrier (‘barbarian, Scythian’) and no class barrier (‘slave or free’) but ‘Christ is all, and in all’ (v.11). Paul goes on, ‘bear with each other’ (v.13). In the world, if someone lets you down, that is often the end of the relationship. But you are to ‘forgive whatever grievances you may have against one another. Forgive as the Lord forgave you’ (v.13). This kind of forgiveness is a uniquely Christian virtue. Others may forgive, but only Christians have such a solid basis for forgiveness. As C.S. Lewis says, ‘To be a Christian means to forgive the inexcusable because God has forgiven the inexcusable in you.’ One word sums up your new set of clothes: ‘love’. Paul writes, ‘And over all these virtues put on love, which binds them all together in perfect unity’ (v.14). Love is not just an emotion; it is an action. It is something you ‘put on’. As you put on your physical clothes, so you are to put on love. This is the beauty of the Christian community – Christ brings about a radical change in your relationships. The way Christians relate is very different from the world and should be so attractive. How is it possible? You must set your heart and mind in the right place and, as Paul goes on to write, ‘Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, since as members of one body you were called to peace’ (v.15). God’s peace acts like a referee in your heart – telling you what is in and what is out. One of the questions you should ask about any decision is: ‘Do I sense God’s peace about what I am about to do?’
Change your attitude to Jesus (v.16–17). Be constantly guided by ‘the word of Christ’ (v.16). Paul says, ‘Let the word of Christ – the message – have the run of the house. Give it plenty of room in your lives. Instruct and direct one another using good common sense. And sing, sing your hearts out to God!’ (v.16, MSG). This kind of community will be centred on the worship of God and listening to the word of Christ in the Scriptures. It will be a community of love, ‘sincerity of heart and reverence for the Lord’ (v.22). It will also be one of hard work. Whether you are an employer or an employee, you are serving Christ. Do your job well and with a good attitude in your heart and mind: ‘Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord… It is the Lord Christ you are serving’ (v.23–24).
