Christian lifestyle

READ: Jeremiah 17,18; Psalms 104; Colossians 3

SCRIPTURE: Colossians 3: 12 Therefore, as God’s chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience.
13 Bear with each other and forgive one another if any of you has a grievance against someone. Forgive as the Lord forgave you.
14 And over all these virtues put on love, which binds them all together in perfect unity.

OBSERVATION:  “Clothes make the man” is an adage. We see school-going children, employees of different companies wear uniforms. Their uniform plays a significant role in having a group identity, maintain equality. Their uniform gives them a sense of belongingness to their school or organization. Some churches emphasize wearing uniforms or white dresses. Usually, these dress codes focus more on the outward appearance of a person. Colossians 3 gives us practical advice for the Christian lifestyle. Col.3:12-14 tells us who we are in Christ and what we should do.

The word “therefore” calls us to conclude or make a decision based on what is said in the preceding verses. Verse 11 emphatically states, “Christ is all, and is in all.” It is a privilege that we are God’s chosen, holy and dearly loved people. It reminds us that we have the responsibility to live as God’s children, representing him in the world. Regardless of our social, national backgrounds, we all need to clothe ourselves with the five essential characteristics of the Christian faith. It helps us to identify ourselves with Christ and to represent him. We all want or expect that God has to accept us as we are and forgive us to be with him. However, when the Bible calls us to” Bear with each other and forgive one another,” we find it hard to do it. So Paul reminds us that Christ is our life model. We need to do the same that we received from Christ: “Forgive as the Lord forgave you.” Finally, we all need to put on love, a binding and unifying force that includes all the above. It is nothing but clothing ourselves with the Lord Jesus Christ. When we do this, Christ makes all things possible for us to live like him.

APPLICATION: I should take off my “old self with its practices” (v.9) and clothe myself with Christ (Rom.13:14). I should focus on inwardly being renewed day by day in Christ, not on my outward appearance. My love should be sincere. I am an ambassador of Christ to proclaim his message through my life.

PRAYER: Father God, thank you for your love to choose me to be yours. Lord, strengthen me to walk in love. Holy Spirit, help me to show Christian love to others just as Jesus loved and forgave me. Amen.

- Arputharaj Samuel
+91 9538328573

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