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The Old Life and the New

Colossians 3:12-17

Good News Translation (GNT)

12  You are the people of God; he loved you and
   chose you for his own. So then, you must
   clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness,
   humility, gentleness, and patience.
13  Be tolerant with one another and forgive one
   another whenever any of you has a complaint
   against someone else. You must forgive
   one another just as the Lord has forgiven you.
14  And to all these qualities add love, which binds
   all things together in perfect unity.
15  The peace that Christ gives is to guide you
   in the decisions you make; for it is to this
   peace that God has called you together in the
   one body. And be thankful.
16  Christ's message in all its richness must live
   in your hearts. Teach and instruct one another
   with all wisdom.
   Sing psalms, hymns, and sacred songs;
   sing to God with thanksgiving in your hearts.
17  Everything you do or say, then, should be
   done in the name of the Lord Jesus, as you
   give thanks through him to God the Father.

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Commentary taken from
'The Applied New Testament
Commentary' (Kingsway)

Paul describes this "new self".

In verse 10, Paul says that we have put on the new self.
Now in verses 12-17, Paul describes this "new self."

The qualities of the new self, - compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience - are the fruits of the Holy Spirit. These new qualities are essential for preserving our unity.

Why should we Christians clothe ourselves with these qualities? Because we have been chosen by God to be His holy and dearly beloved people. Let us not refuse what God has chosen for us!

Each of us has some bad qualities which others have trouble tolerating. Do we want others to tolerate us? Well, we must be willing to bear with theirs. Do we want others to forgive us? Well, we will have to forgive them.

Forgiveness is not given with the lips alone; it is given from the heart. Do we remain a little angry, a little hurt?
If so, then we have not completely forgiven our brother.

Instead of peace, there is anger and bitterness in our hearts. Not only that, if we do not forgive others, God will not forgive us (see Matthew 6:12).
As many times as you want God to forgive you that many times you must forgive your brother!
(Matthew 18:21-22).

Love is like a "rope" that binds these virtues together. All the qualities of the new self are included in love. All other virtues flow out of love. Like love, peace is a "rope" that binds us together in unity. Wherever there is love, there will also be peace.

If there is a lack of peace in our church, there must be a lack of love as well.

Be thankful.

A spiritual man needs spiritual food. It is the word of Christ - that is, the word of God, our Bible. Through studying the Bible, we will be able to teach and admonish one another with all wisdom.

Here we see how our church services and house fellowships should be! Not only are we to teach and admonish one another, but we are also to sing psalms, hymns and spiritual songs with gratitude ...to God.

"Whatever" we do means "everything" we do. That is, we must not only pray in Jesus' name; we must do everything - whether in word or deed - in His name. Our entire lives must be worthy of His name.

This is not some kind of magic formula. It means "for the sake of Jesus," and "with the authority of Jesus." Just as any ambassador must do everything in the name of his king or president, so in the same way must we Christians do everything in the name of Jesus.

In verses 12-17, we are given a description of the "new man," the man raised with Christ.
Are we like the "new man" described here?

Let each one examine himself.

Other versions are available here

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