The Exhortation to Christian Living--Colossians 3:12-17

      After the Apostle Paul presented doctrine in Colossians 1:1-3:4, he proceeds with the practical outworking of  that doctrine.  On the last web page this writer considered "The Basis of  Christian Living" set forth in Colossians 3:5-11.  On this one is ponder "The Exhortation to Christian Living" in Colossians 3:12-17.  You find that the exhortation is:

I. BASED ON THE BELIEVER'S POSITION IN CHRIST--vv. 12-14
     A. This Position in Christ Is Due to Being the Elect of  God.--v. 12a
          1. The nature of  the election
               a. It is not because you and I are holy.
               b. "We must keep in mind that God did not have to elect anyone.  His election is solely according to His own
                    purpose and solely by His grace."
               c. This is the believer's position in Christ solely on the basis of  faith in Jesus Christ and His work on the cross.
               d. Cf. Ephesians 1:4, 5
          2. The results of  this election
               a. Holiness
                    (I) The meaning is "consecrated, set apart to God, this consecration necessarily producing holiness of  life."
                         (Eadie, 240)
                    (II) Thus, holiness in the believer’s life is the result of  being set apart by God when He chose each one unto
                         salvation.
                    (III) Believers are holy because God made them so when He saved them; they do not make themselves holy.
               b. Beloved
                    (I) This election also makes believers "the objects of  God's special" care. (Ibid.)
                    (II) Cf.
                         (A) 1 Thessalonians 1:4
                         (B) 2 Thessalonians 2:13
     B. This Position in Christ Requires the Putting On of  Some Things--vv.12b, 13
          1. The bowels--v. 12b
               a. It refers to the inward parts of  man such as the heart, lung, and liver.
               b. Thus, it refers to the heart as the seat of  feelings.
               c. What it includes
                    (I) Mercies
                         (A) Pity or compassion
                         (B) This term has "more reference to feeling" (Ibid.)
                         (C) Cf. Luke 6:36
                    (II) Kindness
                         (A) Goodness, honesty, kindness, or good-nature
                         (B) This term has to do with service to others.
                         (C) "A courteous disposition becomes the elect of  God; for the design of  the gospel is not only to soften
                              the minds of  men, but to sweeten them, and to promote friendship among men as well as reconciliation
                              with God." (Henry, 764)
                         (D) Ephesians 4:32a
                    (III) Humbleness of  mind
                         (A) It is the opposite of  haughtiness and conceit.
                         (B) It "is submission to those above us, and condescension to those below us." (Ibid.)
                         (C) Cf.
                              (1) Romans 12:3
                              (2) Galatians 6:3
                    (IV) Meekness
                         (A) Mildness or gentleness
                         (B) The term is as much toward man as toward God.
                         (C) Our Lord is the supreme example--Matthew 11:29.
                         (D) Remember meekness is not weakness.
                    (V) Long-suffering
                         (A) Literally, long-mindedness
                         (B) Cf. 1 Corinthians 13:4
                         (C) "Many can bear a short provocation who are weary of  hearing when it grows long.  But we must
                              suffer long both the injuries of  men and the rebukes of  divine Providence.  If  God is longsuffering to
                              us, under all our provocations of  him, we should exercise long-suffering to others in like cases." (Ibid.)
          2. The forbearance
               a. The nature of  forbearance
                    (I) Cf. Ephesians 4:2
                    (II) Means "having patience with one another--waiting with composure under injury or provocation, till those
                         who so offend may come to a better mind." (Eadie, 242)
               b. The action of  forbearance
                    (I) Forgiving one another
                    (II) Cf. Ephesians 4:32
                    (III) Because of  our old natures, we will on occasion have contentions and quarrels with one another.
                         (A) Paul and Barnabas--Acts 15:39
                              (1) Paul was as much at fault as was Barnabas
                              (2) Paul was later reconciled to Mark--2 Timothy 4:11
                         (B) Paul and Peter--Galatians 2:14; although Paul was in the right, he might have handled it with more
                              forbearance.
                    (IV) "But it is our duty to forgive one another in such cases; not to bear any grudge, but put up with the affront
                         and pass it by." (Henry, 764)
               c. The extent of  forbearance
                    (I) Again see Ephesians 4:32
                    (II) "Christians are to forgive one another because Christ has forgiven them, for His example has all the force
                         of  a formal command.  They are also to forgive one another as He has forgiven them--fully and freely, at
                         once and for ever; not pardoning seven times, but demurring to the seventy times seven." (Eadie, 243)
     C. The Believer's Position in Christ Demands That They Clothe Themselves in Love--v. 14
          1. The action
               a. Put on love
                    (I) The words "put on" are in italics and not in the Greek; however, some such words are necessary to make
                         proper sense in English.
                    (II) The metaphor of  putting on clothes is carried through here.
               b. 2 Peter 1:5-7
               c. The fruit of  the Spirit is love, etc.--Galatians 5:22, 23.
               d. "And above all these things" means "In addition to all these, as last and best" (op. cit., 244)
          2. The purpose
               a. It is the bond of  perfection.
                    (I) It is not perfection as implied by many today (particularly Charismatics).
                    (II) It is the bond, or glue if  you prefer, of  perfection.
                    (III) It is "the cement and centre of  all happy society.  Christian unity consists of  unanimity and mutual love."
                         (Henry, VI:764)
               b. The fruit of  the Spirit begins with love--some even say that the fruit of  the Spirit is love with the rest being the
                    outgrowth of  love. 
               c. "No grace is complete without it [love].  Without it knowledge is but a selfish acquisition, purity an attempted
                    personal gain and zeal a defective struggle;" (Eadie, 245)

II. BASED ON THE BELIEVER' S PEACE WITH GOD--vv. 15-17
     A. The Peace of  God Is to Be the Rule of  the Believers' Lives--v. 15
          1. This peace is to govern believers' hearts.
               a. Believers  are called to this rule of  peace.
                    (I) The word "rule" means to be a judge or to be an umpire.
                    (II) Thus, peace is to be the umpire in believers' hearts.
                         (A) A lack of  peace in a person's heart should tell that one that something is wrong in their lives.
                         (B) Peace in the hearts tells one that this is the right course.
               b. Peace should be the arbitrator between disputes among believers.
               c. Christ is the basis of  this peace.
                    (I) Some manuscripts render it as the "peace of  Christ."
                    (II) Cf. Ephesians 2:14
          2. This peace is necessary to the Body of  Christ, the church.
               a. Believers are called to this peace.
                    (I) First, it is peace with God.
                    (II) Second, it is peace with one another.
                    (III) Yet, how many churches are torn by strife among believers.
               b. We are one body in Christ.
                    (I) This alone should cause believers to maintain peace in a local assembly.
                    (II) This unity of  the body is by the Holy Spirit--Ephesians 4:3
          3. This peace should result in thanksgiving.
               a. This giving of  thanks is commanded.
                    (I) "To preserve in us this peaceable disposition, we must be thankful." (Henry , 764)
                    (II) Cf. 1 Thessalonians 5:18
                    (III) Ephesians 5:4, 20
               b. This giving of  thanks will tend to unity in the church.
                    (I) Paul does not say this exactly.
                    (II) The implication is that the oneness of  the body is in part dependent on this thanksgiving.
     B. The Peace of  God Is Based upon the Word of  God.--v. 16
          1. The Word is to dwell in us.
               a. The word here is in particular the word of  Christ.
                    (I) This refers it to the gospel and/or the doctrine of  Christ; that is, it is the word that has Christ as its subject.
                    (II) Christ is both the source and its theme.
                    (III) The new birth is by the Word--1 Peter 1:23.
               b. The word is to dwell in us.
                    (I) The idea here is to make its home in believers' hearts.
                    (II) It is to "keep house . . . not as a servant in a family, who is under another's control, but as a master, who
                         has a right to prescribe to and direct all under his roof." (Ibid.)
                    (III) It is to do so richly.
                         (A) "That is, let it be completely understood, or let the soul be fully under its influence." (Eadie, 250)
                         (B) Unfortunately, "Many have the word of  Christ dwelling in them, but it dwells in them poorly; it has no
                              mighty force and influence upon them." (Henry, VI:764)
                    (IV) It is to do so in all wisdom.
                         (A) It is not to be in believers for mere knowing or speculation.
                         (B) It is to dwell in believers to make them better Christians.
          2. The Word of God is to teach believers.
               a. The Bible places no value on ignorance--cf. Ephesians 5:15-17.
               b. Teaching of  the Word leads to growth in grace--2 Peter 3:18.
               c. The teaching includes admonishment in music.
                    (I) Cf. Ephesians 5:19
                    (II) Types of  music.
                         (A) Psalms
                              (1) Certainly refers to the book of  Psalms.
                              (2) Many hymnals have such hymns.
                         (B) Hymns
                              (1) Might be "compositions divested of  Jewish imagery and theocratic allusions, and more adapted to
                                   heathen minds." (Eadie, 252)
                              (2) Hymns are more formal types of  music; some might called them classical forms.
                              (3) More likely to center on the Person and Work of  the Trinity.
                         (C) Spiritual songs
                              (1) The word is "odes."
                              (2) Might be a freer form of  music.
                              (3) More likely to center on personal experience and piety.
               d. The song in the heart will be of  the grace of  God.
                    (I) How often do you find yourself singing a melody either of  a known hymn or one that you improvise?
                    (II) "When the gospel so possessed the heart as to fill it with a sense of  blessing, then the lips might be tuned
                         to song." (op. cit., 253)
     C. The Peace of  God Results in Deeds in Christ's Name--v. 17.
          1. What is done.
               a. Whatever one may say
                    (I) Not idle chatter
                    (II) Will make a believer careful what is said
                    (III) Believers' words are to be in accord with the holy name of  the Lord Jesus.
               b. Whatever one may do
                    (I) This will make one careful in what one does.
                    (II) These deeds are to be in accord with the holy name of  the Lord Jesus.
                    (III) May refer to formal things, such as things done in a worship service.
                    (IV) The word "all" is much more inclusive suggested that everything done should be in accordance with the
                         holy name of  the Lord Jesus.
                         (A) Eating
                         (B) Sleeping
                         (C) Housework
                         (D) Jobs
          2. What is done is to be done in the name of  the Lord Jesus.
               a. This has already been stated.
               b. What does it mean to do something in His name?
                    (I) It is not just to speak and act to honor Him.
                    (II) It is to speak and act "under His sanction and with the conviction of  His approval." (op. cit., 254)
          3. How words and deeds are to be done
               a. By the giving of  thanks
                    (I) 1 Thessalonians 5:18
                    (II) Cf. Ephesians 5:20
               b. By the giving of  thanks to God the Father
                    (I) Ponder the verse just stated.
                    (II) One have many things for which one can give God, even the Father, thanks.
                    (III) Notice that this thanks is to be by Jesus Christ.
                    (IV) "The Lord Jesus must be the Mediator of  our praises as well as of  our prayers." (Henry, 765)

     Paul has set forth in Colossians 3:12-17, "The exhortation to Christian Living."  This exhortation is based on the
believer's position in Christ.--vv. 12-14:  due to election by God, requires believers putting on some things, and demands being clothed in love.  The exhortation is based on the believer's peace with God.--vv. 15-17:  it is to be the rule of  the
believer's life.--v. 15, it is based on the Word of  God--v. 16, and it is to result in deeds in the name of  the Lord Jesus.-- v. 17
     You are exhorted to live the Christian life in the light of  your position in Christ.  You are to be encouraged to live the Christian life based on your peace with God.
     May all believers so live the Christian life.