Positive Characteristics of a Believer

Transcript

GR 988
10/19/1997
Positive Characteristics of a Believer
Colossians 3:12,13
Gil Rugh

The book of Colossians in your Bibles and the third chapter. We can describe a Christian really in two basic ways or in two areas. You can describe a Christian by what he believes. To truly be a Christian in the New Testament sense of the word, there are certain things that you must understand and believe, such as you are a sinner, separated from God and under His condemnation. Jesus Christ, the Son of God, became a man, so that as the God-man He could be crucified on the cross and pay in full the penalty for your sin, that He was buried and raised from the dead. And there is salvation in no one else and in no other way but by recognizing your sinfulness and turning from that sin to Christ and believing in Him as your Lord and Savior. That is one way to describe a Christian.

Another way to describe a Christian is by the way he behaves. So the first way was by his beliefs; the second way was by his behavior. Paul is focusing on the second way to describe a Christian in Colossians chapter 3. How does a Christian, a true saved person, live his life? What is his behavior or his conduct like? So Paul is really asking, answering the question, what does a Christian look like. How can you tell by looking at a person whether they are a Christian or not? Well, a short look, you may not be able to tell very much, but as you examine the life and watched it over a period of time, there are certain characteristics that would become evident in that life, would cause you to recognize this person is a Christian. Paul is describing a Christian by both the negative side and the positive side. In Colossians chapter 3 verses 5 to 11 he focused on the negative side, those things which are not to be found in the life and conduct of one who is a child of God, sinful behavior. In verses 12 to 17 of Colossians 3 he will focus on what we will call the positive characteristics, those things which should be found in the life of a child of God.

And the picture Paul has used is that of the clothes that you are wearing. And certain clothes reveal certain things. The old clothes have been put away, verse 8. The old behavior like old clothes. In verse 8 of chapter 3, “put them all aside.” he commanded. All these sinful behaviors that I have been talking about, you discard them like old clothes. Now in verse 12 he will tell them to put on new garments -- behavior, activity, conduct that is consistent with the character of Christ. And it is very important that we keep in mind through this discussion that the reason your conduct is to change is not because you have made a resolution to do better or to be different. The reason your conduct changes is because you have been totally changed on the inside. The old person that you were, sinful and depraved and corrupted, called the old self or the old man, has been crucified with Christ and now you have been made a new person, a new man as it is titled. Verse 10, “you have put on a new self,” the new man. And so this new person that you are is to manifest His character in all that you do.

This new life that you have, the new man that you are is really the life of Christ now dwelling within you. Galatians 2:20 says, “I have been crucified with Christ, and it is no longer I who live but Christ lives in me.” So the life which I now live is not the old life which I used to live; it is the life of Christ who now dwells in me being lived out through this body. So the behavior of this body is transformed by the fact that I have been made new within. There in effect is a new person living within this body, the person of Christ. And it is His character that is being produced. In verse 11 of Colossians 3 Paul made clear not only were sinful practices dealt with with the death of the old man and the making new of the Christian but the things that divided us, the divisions that characterize fallen humanity have been dealt with also, racial divisions, cultural divisions, social divisions. These have been dealt with in Christ also so that when He makes us new, He brings us into a relationship with others who have been made new. And the divisions that characterize a fallen world do not characterize us as the body of Christ. And as such we function differently than the world around us.

So in that context Paul picks up with verse 12 with a direct command, “and so, put on a heart of compassion.” The command is “put on” in the middle of verse 12. Really in the Greek text of verse 12 as Paul wrote this, the first word in the verse is this command, “put on.” We have rearranged the order to try to make it a little more smooth in English. But he begins this verse with a command, “put on therefore, as those who have been chosen of God, holy and beloved [and so on.]” And the command is to put on the new clothes. Put on the new conduct that reflects the new person you are. This is the other side of the command that was given in verse 8. “But now you also, put them all aside.” There it was given as a command also, discard the old behavior and the old conduct. Put on the new behavior, the new conduct, is the command that he gives now in verse 12.

This is fitting since we are told in 2 Peter chapter 1 verse 4 that when we believed in Christ, we became partakers of the divine nature. That’s a strong statement, 2 Peter 1:4. “We have become partakers of the divine nature.” That does not mean we have become God. That cannot happen because one of the characteristics of God is eternality. But we have become partakers of the divine nature in that we have become partakers of His moral character, His moral attributes. The holiness of God, the goodness of God, the kindness of God, things that Paul will talk about in Romans in a moment, now are to be manifest in our lives. And what Paul is instructing and commanding here is when he says, “put on these things” is the same things he told the Romans in Romans chapter 13 verse 14 when he said, “put on the Lord Jesus Christ.” So since the life which I now live I live by virtue of faith in the Son of God who loved me and died for me, “it is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me.” We saw in Galatians 2:20. I am now to put on the Lord Jesus Christ. In other words, the clothes that I wear are to reflect the person that is living in here. Christ lives in me. Now my conduct, my behavior, my life reflects the fact that He lives in here. So he gives the command in verse 12, “put on these things.”

And he gives a further explanation of why they must be put on, that elaborates or gives another reason perhaps why this change must take place. We do this “as those who have been chosen of God.” We are in a remarkable position as those who have been redeemed by God’s grace. And what we are now in Christ as new people, new creatures, a new creation, a new man is not a testimony to our goodness, our work. It’s a testimony to God’s sovereign work in us. So we are those chosen of God. We get the English word elect or election from the Greek word translated chosen here. This is the biblical doctrine of election. Some people say, “Oh, I don’t believe in the doctrine of election.” Well if you believe the Bible, you believe the doctrine of election because it says we have been elected of God, chosen of God. Now you may not believe it the same way that someone else believes it, but you believe the doctrine of election if you believe the Bible. So you might as well have it straight, so I’ll tell you what it is.

The doctrine of election is very simply (and it relates to salvation) God’s sovereign work in choosing some from among fallen humanity to receive the free gift of life in Christ Jesus. Now the Scripture also says, “whosoever will, may come.” So if you want to be saved, if you want to be forgiven your sins, if you want to be made new in Christ, that can happen to you this morning where you sit. If you will but acknowledge that you are a sinner, guilty before God, recognize that Jesus Christ is the only Savior, He loved you He died for you. If you will turn from your sin and place your faith in Him, you will be cleansed, you will be washed, you will be made new. You will demonstrate by that that you have been chosen of God. For in election God selects from fallen, sinful, rebellious human beings who want nothing to do with Him, some to experience His salvation. It is an act of grace and love and mercy. Because if God did not intervene to overrule our rebellious rule, there would not be a person saved in the human race. That’s how sinful, how rebellious, how stubborn we are.

You know it is amazing. You read a letter like Colossians and Paul throws in this doctrine that sometimes causes us to go into a dither. He doesn’t elaborate on it. He just assumes we ought to understand that and be thrilled by it and our lives ought to be shaped by it. For you see this is not a new truth. It goes all the way back to the Old Testament. Jump back to Deuteronomy chapter 7. We are not going to do a whole study of the doctrine of election. There are tapes particularly out of Romans 9 if you want to go into detail on a study of the doctrine of the doctrine of Election from the New Testament. But back in God’s dealings with Israel, God made clear that He had chosen or elected the nation for Himself. Deuteronomy chapter 7 verse 6, God’s addressing Israel. And He says, “for you are a holy people to the Lord your God. The Lord your God has chosen you [There’s the word we are talking about.] to be a people for His own possession out of all of the peoples who are on the face of the earth.” Out of all the nations of the world God selected Israel and only Israel to be the nation that would belong to Him in a special and unique way. You say why did He do that. Because He chose to do it. There was nothing in Israel that made them desirable or made them a better choice than another nation. And God goes on in this context to say He didn’t choose them because they were a better or bigger people, because they were fewer. And you know from the history of Israel they weren’t any better. God chose to put His love in them. The amazing thing as is set forth in Scripture is not that God chose, did not choose other nations. The amazing thing is that He chose Israel.

Well, that doctrine of election carries through the Scripture. We come to the New Testament in Acts chapter 2, God begins the Church. And God’s work of election now centers on calling a people together not based on national identity or racial identity as it was with the Jews in Israel, but people from all races, all nationalities, all social structures, all cultures and making them one body in Christ. So that’s something unique and different. The Old Testament God’s election or choice centered in the nation Israel. Now it centers in people from all nations called together to form the body of Christ, the Church. Turn over to Ephesians chapter 1 verse 4. Now what we are really talking about is the sovereignty of God, the sovereignty of God particularly as it relates to salvation.

The reason we have so much trouble with the doctrine of election is we have a very difficult time acknowledging the absolute sovereignty of God. I am somewhat offended to be told that God did it His way when I am going about singing I did it my way. Now I am told it is His way. And so the doctrine of the total sovereignty of God (And with that goes the total depravity of man.) strikes at my pride. And even as a redeemed person, I find myself adjusting for space where it is God and I doing it together. It is very humbling to be told I am nothing; He is everything. And it’s His sovereign work. I say that because Ephesians chapter 1 verse 4 tells us that His work of choosing was done before He ever created the world. Back before Genesis 1:1 God chose you for salvation. Ephesians 1:4, “Just as He chose us in Him before the foundation of the world.”

I say well then if God made the choice, why do we bother? Those that God chose will get saved. Well, one of the reasons is God is sovereign and He tells me what to do. That alone would be good enough reason. There are other factors involved. Second Thessalonians chapter 2 verse 13 says, Paul writes, “but we should always give thanks [to you] for you brethren beloved by the Lord. For God has chosen you from the beginning for salvation through sanctification by the Spirit and faith in the truth.” The sovereign God has not only ordained the end (He chose us for salvation.), but the means to that end, the work of the Holy Spirit in setting us aside and our believing in the truth. So God’s work is accomplished in God’s way.

You’ll note in this context if you are still in Ephesians 1:4, “He chose us that we would be holy and blameless.” This matter of holiness in the context of God’s choice is crucial. We will see it in a number of passages. It is coming up next in Colossians chapter 3 verse 12. So why don’t you turn back to Colossians 3:12. For our purposes in Colossians 3:12, we recognize there is to be a change, a dramatic change in our lives because we have been chosen by God for Himself. He goes on to say “holy and beloved” in verse 12. The people that God has chosen for Himself are to be a holy people. Turn over to 1 Peter chapter 1 verse 14. 1 Peter chapter 1 verse 14. You see what Peter writes about is very similar to what Paul is writing about in Colossians. In 1 Peter chapter 1 verse 14 Peter writes, “as obedient children do not be conformed to the former lusts which were yours in your ignorance.” That’s what we were told to put off in Colossians 3:5 to 11. Verse 15, “But like the Holy One who called you, be holy yourselves in all your behavior because it is written ?you shall be holy for I am holy.’” That is a quote from Leviticus chapter 11 verse 44. “You shall by holy for I am holy.” The people that God chooses for Himself and calls to salvation in Christ, He chooses and calls in order that they might be a people who manifest His character. He is the holy One who called you. We are partakers of the divine nature. So to recognize we have been chosen of God is to recognize that we are a people called to holiness. The idea of the word holy is separate. Comes from the same basic word as the word for saint. It is the same basic word for the word for sanctification. It means to be set apart, to be separate. Someone is holy when they are set apart, separate from sin. God is completely, perfectly holy because He is completely set apart from sin. And we are to be a people like our God, holy, set apart from sin, from defilement.

Come back to Colossians chapter 3. We are beloved, holy and beloved. The word beloved here is a perfect passive participle. And that perfect tense describes us in our continuing condition. So the idea of the perfect participle here we are those on whom God has set or placed His love. So you are “chosen of God, holy and [those upon whom God has placed His love.]” It brings out the force of what he is saying. We are a unique people. Now it is true “God so loved the world He gave His only begotten Son.” There is a general love of God expressed to the world, but there is that specific love of God which those who are redeemed by His grace enter into and experience. And that is to shape our lives from the point of conversion until the call into glory.

Now what he is going to do now is give five virtues or characteristics that are to be manifest in the life of one and in the lives of those together who have been chosen of God, who are holy, the ones upon whom the love of God has been placed. Paul seems to have an affection for fives here. In verse 5 of Colossians 3 he listed five vices or sins that we are to have nothing to do with. In verse 8 he listed five more vices or sins that were to be put off. Now in verse 12 he lists 5 virtues or moral qualities that are to be part of the life and behavior of the redeemed. And you note each of these qualities that he will mention have to do with our relationships to one another. And we progress on here. You are going to see a focus on one another and his prime concern is how we relate to one another now in the body of Christ. Because he has made the point in verse 11 that the divisions that bring conflict have been removed in the body. Now it is of upmost importance that we manifest the character of God in the unity and oneness that God has produced in our relationships with one another.

So he gives the command in verse 12 to “put on a heart of compassion,” a heart of compassion. The word translated heart, sort of an ugly word, splanchnon. And splanchnon, you can get the idea it is your inner parts. King James calls it your bowels, your intestines, the inner organs, and you know that is really where your passions are felt, isn’t it? We talk about our heart. Not really. What happens? You say “I got butterflies.” You are talking about your stomach starting to feel light, fluttery. You know you say, “it just felt like they hit me in the pit of the stomach.” Those kind of things, that is where our feelings really are centered. What he is talking about here is a deep, what we would call heartfelt, emotion in action. These are passions, if you will, that come from inside us. This is a heart of compassion, a heartfelt compassion. That word compassion means compassion, pity, mercy. And each of these things mentioned, these five virtues mentioned are characteristics of God. We don’t have time to run down through the Old and New Testament showing the character of God, but for example Paul wrote to the Romans in Romans chapter 12 and verse 1 says, “I beseech you therefore by the mercies of God.” That word there translated mercies, it is the word we have translated compassion. Here, by the compassion of God, by the mercy of God. What has he done? He has just unfolded the marvelous work of God in salvation through 11 chapters. Now on the basis of the mercy and compassion of God shown to us, “I beseech you to present your bodies a living sacrifice. In 2 Corinthians chapter 1 verse 3 Paul refers to God the Father as the Father of mercies. The word we are talking about here, the Father of compassions. True heartfelt compassion, mercy is an evidence of God’s character in our life. He is our Father, and He produces His character in and through us. Heartfelt compassion comes from having God as our heavenly Father.

The second quality here is kindness. You are going to see some of these qualities that you would expect, overlap. Kindness, the word means goodness, kindness, generosity. Psalms 34:8 the psalmist said, “taste and see that the Lord is good.” That is our word here, kind. The Greek translation of the Old Testament uses the same word. “Taste and see that the Lord is good.” He is kind. Romans chapter 2 verse 4 says “The kindness of God leads you to repentance.” That is God’s kindness, His generosity, His goodness in dealing with us as fallen, sinful human beings in such a way as to draw us to salvation in Christ. As His people, to continue to deal with us in goodness and kindness in every way. “Every good gift and every perfect act of giving comes down from the Father of Lights with whom there is no variation or shadow caused by turning,” James said in his first chapter. There is not a natural ability. All these things that we are talking about we are to produce from the inside. The world can, if you will, mimic these for a time in given situations. But we are talking about is a true transformation of character that comes from within. This quality, kindness, is a fruit of the Spirit in Galatians chapter 5 verse 22. This is the work of the Spirit growing if you will, the character of Christ in our lives. In 1 Corinthians chapter 13 verse 4 Paul tells us, “Love is kind.” And love is a fruit of the Spirit. We are going to come to love. We’ll see a few verses down and true genuine, Spirit produced love produces this quality of God and godly characteristic in us as well. God’s kindness, goodness.

Humility is the third quality here. The word is really a compound word, literally it means lowliness of mind, modesty, humility. Jesus used the basic word here when He invited people to come to Him in Matthew chapter 11 verse 29. “I am gentle and humble [There is the word we are talking about.] in heart.” It was His true character.

It was not a put on humility; He was gentle and humble in heart. Turn back to Philippians (It is before Colossians.), the book of Philippians chapter 2. While you turn there, let me note something. This word we have translated humility or lowliness of mind here, was not used very often in secular Greek, Greek outside the Bible. True humility was not a virtue held in honor in pagan antiquity. They did not respect this quality in a life. We usually think that oh boy the emphasis today on self, self-esteem, self- love and all that goes with it, that’s new. We are just so much you know wow. What’s happened? Well you have to understand the Greeks did not even use this word but very rarely in their language. When they did, it was not with respect because they did not see this as a desirable quality that you were humble or lowly of mind. So understand sinful man has always been characterized by pride and self-love and self-exaltation. There are times at different times in different societies where it is more openly flaunted and honored and thus more disgusting. But it is always at the heart of a sinful, depraved person.

Look at Philippians chapter 2. We just have to break in. You can read the whole section. Look at verse 2, I mean verse 3 of Philippians 2. “Do nothing from selfishness or empty conceit, but with humility of mind . . .” There’s our word. Humility of mind. Here it is translated out fully, compound word. “But with humility of mind [now note this] let each of you regard one another as more important than himself.” Verse we ought to teach to our kids in a world that is telling them that they have to learn that they are more important than others. The Scripture says the godly person learns that others are more important than him. And you know he is talking particularly in the context of the body here again; that’s where his prime concern is right now. Does that mean, oh, I can’t do anything? I don’t have anything to contribute. No, that’s the false humility that Paul condemns in chapter 2 of Colossians, that characterized false teachers who want to parade a false humility that is not genuine. For me to say to some of you, “Oh, you’re a better person than I am. You preach better than me. I mean I can’t. You can preach . . .” I mean that’s just not true. I mean in all humility I have to tell you I am a better preacher than you are. Now I just blew my humility.

To recognize that God has graciously gifted you to do certain things and not gifted you to do other things is part of reality. In Romans chapter 12 in the context of the gifts, Paul exhorts us to think soberly in this context, to have proper evaluation in judgment. But for me to think I am more important than you because I can preach better than you now bring me into conflict with this because I realize you may not be gifted in the same area I am, but you are gifted by God. And with your gift you make a contribution to the body and the functioning of this body that I do not make. And to see and appreciate how God is using you in the body and the importance you have in the well-being of this body of believers and its functioning to honor God should cause me to hold you in high honor and thank God for the importance He has given to you in the body even though you may not have the same recognition as me. With this kind of attitude toward one another, we do recognize the importance of others. One preacher said it this way, “each man I meet is my superior in some way.” We often want to compare our strengths to someone else’s weaknesses and then puff ourselves up and think ourselves better than them. Really ought to be focusing on their strengths and pleased to recognize the importance they have. Good verse to be memorized today.

But we have to jump down to verse 5. “Have this attitude in yourselves [still in Philippians 2] which is also in Christ Jesus.” So now we want to think like Christ does. Look at . . . We have to jump down to verse 8. “And being found in appearance as a man [This is after He steps from glory and is born into the human race.] He humbled Himself [There’s our word again, same basic word, humility.] He humbled Himself by becoming obedient.” The Lord of glory is the pattern. He became my servant to do for me what I could not do for myself. At great cost to himself, at great sacrifice the creator of all things (We saw in Colossians chapter 1) humbled Himself. And I am to have that mind. I claim to be a follower of Christ and I am characterized by ignorance, a sense of my own superiority and worth, and I claim to be a follower of Christ. That’s a lie. Lowliness of mind, humility is a characteristic that is to be true of us.

Just jot down 1 Peter chapter 5 verse 5. 1 Peter 5:5, “And all of you clothe yourselves with humility toward one another, for God is opposed to the proud but He gives grace to the humble.” Can’t just miss a verse like that, can you? It’s a great one. “Clothe yourselves with humility.” And a good reason. “God is opposed to the proud, but He gives grace to the humble.” If I am truly humble, won’t the world walk on me? Won’t the world look down on me? God will give you the grace to manifest His character in an unappreciative and hostile environment.

Back to Colossians chapter 3 now. “A heart of compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness.” The word gentleness means humility, meekness, courtesy. Actually appreciated by its opposite. The opposite of this word, gentleness or meekness would be harshness or arrogance. It is also a fruit of the Spirit in Galatians 5:23. Now we want to be careful. To manifest this character does not mean you do not have firmness, that sometimes you don’t have to deal harshly with situations. F. F. Bruce has a great commentary on the book of Colossians, and he writes, “Paul intrigues his Corinthian friends ?by the gentleness and forbearance of Christ’ (2 Corinthians 10:1). [Now listen.] But if the language which follows that entreaty is one of gentleness and forbearance, one wonders what he would have said had he been unrestrained . . . been unrestrained by these graces.” Paul starts out 2 Corinthians 10:1 says I want to exhort you by the gentleness and forbearance of Christ. Then he proceeds to lambast them, rebuke them, correct them. He has some very hard things to say about the false teachers.

So we want to be careful. We don’t want to create an idea here, which is what they had done in the pagan world in the New Testament time, an idea of a weak, wimpy, mamba-pamby person. That’s now what is conveyed by these concepts. Our Savior was not weak in any way, not a wimp to use a modern word in any way. He had strength and power. He drove the money changers out of the temple with severity. He condemned the religious leaders calling them open, stinking graves. But in it all He had gentleness, humility, courtesy. We need God’s wisdom and God producing this quality in our lives so it is seen even in times of firmness, and so on.

Patience, the next quality mentioned. The word means long suffering, patient endurance. The opposite of this word would be resentment, revenge, wrath. One writer wrote, “it be notes that long suffering which endures wrong and puts up with the exasperating conduct of others rather than flying into a rage or desiring vengeance.” A person who puts up with a lot. It is a fruit of the Spirit in Galatians 5:22, another fruit of the spirit. This is what God is doing in producing His character in the lives of His children. It is another manifestation of genuine love in I Corinthians chapter 13 verse 4, “love is patience.” You know true love doesn’t get exasperated. True love doesn’t lose patience. We have to remember in our relationships of marriage with our husband or our wife. True Spirit produced love has true Spirit produced patience as its accompaniment. Well, I just can’t take anymore, I am exasperated. Well that is what this word means, remember. It endures wrong, it puts up with the exasperating conduct of others. Let’s face it you wouldn’t need to be long suffering if you were suffering long. Right? When I say I can’t put up with anymore, what am I saying? I am not willing to suffer any longer. I am not willing to be long suffering. I am not willing to have the Spirit produce this quality in my life. Well, I never want to say it quite that way. I always throw in all kinds of fog you know so that really what I am saying is, “I am a godly person, but you are not. You have driven me to this.” But by the gracious work of God, you can’t drive me to be what God doesn’t want me to be. That’s the point.

Paul says this is a quality of God and of Christ. Maybe you ought to turn there. Hate to quote the verses to you, and you don’t see them. 1 Timothy 1:16. And for this reason I found mercy in order that in me [Paul is writing his testimony.] as the foremost [talking about foremost of sinners from the previous verses] Jesus Christ might demonstrate His perfect patience.” In Christ we have perfect patience. As an example for those who would believe in his for eternal life. Paul says you know why I’m saved? I’m saved because of Jesus Christ’s perfect patience. He didn’t run out of patience with me. He was long suffering with me. He didn’t get exasperated and give up on me. And that serves as an example to others. You know why I’m saved; the same reason Paul is saved. You know why you’re saved, same reason. Some of you have sat here week after week, you’re not yet saved. But you are here again today because Christ is patient. He hasn’t gotten exasperated. He continues to draw you to Himself in love. I don’t have perfect patience. But my patience must be developing and growing and maturing as the One who has perfect patience has His character produced in me.

Come back to Colossians chapter 3. You know, can I make a confession at this point? I just hate preparing sermons on passages like this. You have to hear it one hour. I had to work on this for hours this week. And you read these passages and you just are reminded again and again how far short you yet fall, perfect patience. My goodness, I am glad for the little bit I have. Too often I am satisfied with that little bit. He goes on in verse 13, “bearing with one another and forgiving each other.” So it’s participles, two present participles: “bearing with one another and forgiving each other.” He sort of wraps his arms around what he is saying here. What he has been talking about here, “a heart of compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness, patience” truly expresses itself in “bearing with one another,” present participle, something that is to be ongoing characteristic of me. Participle here, the word means to endure, bear with, put up with. I love that translation of the word. One of the Greek commentators put it this way, “Put up with catches the sense of an acceptance requiring an effort of will because the actions or attitudes in question are immature and tiresome.” Be putting up with one another.

And you note, one another indicates he is talking about our relationship with other believers. When the character of Christ is being produced in us by the power of the Spirit, we will be putting up with one another. That’s a good reminder. We are learning to tolerate each other, to put up with each other. How often we say, “I can’t put up with that any longer.” You know we have high expectations of what it will be like in the body of Christ, and we are often disappointed. And often in the body of Christ the exact opposite of what we would expect and hope happens. We are unfairly treated. People say things that are unkind and untrue. People do things that are thoughtless or worse, mean intentionally. And my attitude is I don’t have to put up with that, I’ll go elsewhere. And the Bible says I have to put up with it. Be putting up with one another. I wouldn’t have to put up with you if you were perfect. You wouldn’t have to put up with me if I was perfect. By very nature of the word it implies things aren’t what they are ought to be. Be putting up with one another.

And more than that, you don’t just have to put up with me, I don’t just have to put up with you, I have to be forgiving you. Be bearing with one another and forgiving one another. There is another word in Greek for forgiving that is the commonly used word. It is a good word; it means to forgive. This word is not used that often for forgiveness but it is the word for grace at root. So it means to graciously forgive or freely forgive. The emphasis here is forgiving something freely or graciously. You do it as a favor. The idea, I may have been truly wronged. I have some very good grace in me. When a person comes and ask my forgiveness, I am willing to bestow it. But what we are talking about here is they don’t come and ask for your forgiveness. They don’t acknowledge the wrong. What do I do, I can’t forgive that? Well, if you are going to forgive with grace you do because in grace you are doing something undeserved or unmerited. Are you waiting for them to crawl? Well, if they’d at least acknowledge they did the wrong thing. Then you wouldn’t have to forgive them graciously. At least there would be an acknowledgment on their part. If they would at least take a half step toward me I have all kinds of reasons why I shouldn’t have to do this. But they all are washed out when I realize God tells me I have to do it.

So often with your kids when they are younger (That is relative.) they say, “I shouldn’t have to do that.” And your response is, “But you do.” “Why?” “Because I told you.” “Oh.” If it went no farther than that . . . But this goes farther than that. I am to be graciously forgiving “whoever has a complaint against anyone.” A cause for complaint. In other words this puts it into context. You may have legitimate grievances. This may be a legitimate complaint. You may have legitimately been wronged, but you still have to put up with these people and more than that, you have to forgive them. You know that just cleans up my life so nicely. I don’t have to spend all my time thinking well if they would just do this, I would forgive them. If they would just do this, I probably would accept it and not leave the church. If they would just drop me a note. . . If . . . You know I can just throw that all in the garbage can. Because Gil, you have to put up with them. And you forgive them. Now it is all done. What do you mean it’s all done? I mean I was rightly wronged. I had reason to be upset. You know I am like Jonah sitting under my gourd. Wait a minute. If you have any doubt about this, the last part of the verse (And here’s where we have to end and where we will pick up.)

“Just as the Lord forgave you, so also should you.” The issue is not how much we have been wronged or how we have been wronged, the issue is how much we have been forgiven and how we have been forgiven. I have been graciously forgiven an immeasurable offense and uncountable offenses. And out of that is going to come my limitless forgiveness to others. And no matter how much I forgive and no matter how often I forgive, it is nothing compared to what I have been forgiven. Where does that leave me? I’ll never get satisfaction out of this. I’ll never get vengeance. They may never acknowledge they are wrong. Forgive, as God in Christ forgave you, same thing is said in Ephesians chapter 4 verse 32. You forgive as God in Christ has forgiven you. Now with a standard like that Peter’s question in Matthew 18, “Lord, how often should I forgive my brother? Seven times?” No, “seventy times seven.” There is no measuring because of what God has done for us in Christ.

I tell you what we are looking at here is what a true believer is to look like. And I have to be honest, when you look at a passage like this and you begin to wonder I am looking in the mirror of the word, am I seeing a true believer? I mean “compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness, patience, bearing with one another, forgiving one another, just as the Lord has forgiven.” Sometimes we are embarrassed. We are looking in the mirror of the word; we don’t like the reflection we are getting. Well, that means then I need to make the steps and changes. We become bitter; we have grudges. We wouldn’t say it but we seethe on the inside. I just stop and say, “Lord, number one, am I your child?” Only He can change you on the inside. Nothing more pitiful than people trying to clean up the outside when they are rotten in the core. A heart that is deceitful and desperately wicked above all things. You need a new heart. You need to be made new on the inside. But when you have been made new on the inside it is pathetic and ugly to continue to manifest characteristics of what you were, unforgiving spirit. As though this offense was so great, it is even more than you could forgive in Christ. It shows that we have not come to understand the fullness and magnitude of His forgiveness that we have experienced without measure.

What a transformation it would make in this body if we were all concentrating on manifesting this character as fully as we should. You couldn’t offend me. I couldn’t offend you. I would be totally consumed with how I could help you, how I could encourage you. You would be totally consumed with doing that for others and the disharmony and divisions become nothing. Isn’t it wonderful to know that this is the new character that God has produced in us? I am disappointed I am not further along in my maturity. But I thank God for the growth I have had. And I am sure glad there is going to come a day when this will be perfectly realized in me, by His grace. I trust it will be a relentless passionate goal for us individually and as a church that the beauty of the new man, Christ Jesus in us, might clearly manifest in all we do. Let’s pray together.

Thank You Lord for Your grace, for Your power, for the beauty of Your person, for the joy that is ours to have that beauty produced in us. Lord, again we recognize and acknowledge that only by being made new within can change of any real significance come about. I pray for those who are here again by your goodness and kindness and mercy to hear of Your love and salvation. May this be a day where they bow before You and gladly turn from their sin and trust in Jesus Christ as their Savior. Lord for those of us who have experienced that wonderful salvation, may we never forget that we are what we are by Your grace. May we desire that this grace be manifest fully and clearly in all our behavior. Lord, particularly in our relationships with one another as the body of Christ. Thank You for Your patience. Thank You for Your love. Thank You for this body that You have raised up and brought together in this place for the manifestation of Your character. We pray in Christ name, Amen.