Verses 12–17 contain the virtues that stand in contrast to the vices mentioned in the preceding verses. With the old discarded, the character of Christ is to be displayed in its place. Because of our new lives in Christ, all believers are called on to clothe ourselves in virtue, letting Christ’s peace rule our hearts and lives. God’s Word should dwell in us richly, and we should do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus.
Grace is God’s favor to undeserving sinners. Paul reminded the Colossians of what God’s grace had done for them. This miracle of divine election did not depend on anything that we are or that we have done; for God chose us in Christ “before the foundation of the world” (Eph. 1:4). If God saved a sinner on the basis of merit or works, nobody would be saved. It is all done through God’s grace that it might all bring glory to God.
Chosen by God, set apart for God, loved by God, and forgiven by God. They all add up to grace. Because of these gracious blessings, the Christian has the responsibilities to put on the beautiful graces of the Christian life. Paul named eight graces: compassion, kindness, humility, meekness, patience, bearing with one another (“forbearance”), forgiveness, and love.
12 Put on then, as God's chosen ones, holy and beloved, compassionate hearts, kindness, humility, meekness, and patience, 13 bearing with one another and, if one has a complaint against another, forgiving each other; as the Lord has forgiven you, so you also must forgive. 14 And above all these put on love, which binds everything together in perfect harmony. 15 And let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, to which indeed you were called in one body. And be thankful. 16 Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly, teaching and admonishing one another in all wisdom, singing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, with thankfulness in your hearts to God. 17 And whatever you do, in word or deed, do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him. (ESV)
KEY TAKEAWAYS
- Clothe ourselves in the virtues of Christ
- We are chosen by God, set apart for God, loved by God, and forgiven by God. Let’s continuously thank God the Father through Jesus for all He has given
- No matter how big or small, do everything for the glory of God
CLOSER LOOK:
Verse 12: As God is holy, we who are beloved by God must be holy and put on His characteristics. The exploitation of others was the old way of life; the new must be characterized by concern. Paul once again called on believers to take a decisive action: Put on or Clothe yourselves (endysasthe). Because they have “put on the new self” (v. 10), they should live accordingly, with appropriate attributes and attitudes. In verses 8–9 Paul listed six vices (anger, rage, malice, slander, filthy language, and lying). Now in contrast to them, Christians—as God’s chosen people,[1] holy,[2] and beloved,[3]—are to have several virtues. These include compassionate hearts (splanchna oiktirmou, literally, “tender sympathy of heartfelt compassion”),[4] kindness (the quality of being helpful or beneficial, goodness),[5] humility (a lowly attitude toward God; cf. Phil. 2:3; 1 Peter 5:5),[6] meekness (gentleness, prautēta, a lowly attitude toward others),[7] and patience (makrothymian, self-restraint, a steady response in the face of provocation).[8] The last three of these are mentioned in the Greek in the same order in Ephesians 4:2; and Galatians 5:22–23 in the Greek includes three of them: patience and gentleness, as well as kindness.[9]
Verse 13: Furthermore, believers are to be bearing with one another (i.e., “put up with each other”) with the attitudes just mentioned in v. 12. Also, they are to forgive each other for whatever grievances (complaints) they may have against others. How? By forgiving others as the Lord has forgiven them, graciously and freely (Eph. 4:32). Grudges have no place in a Christian’s life since they may lead to the sins mentioned in Colossians 3:8–9. A forgiving spirit is an essential characteristic for one who has been forgiven by Christ.
Verse 14: And above (or over) all these virtues (like an outer garment), Christians are to put on love. As Paul wrote in 1 Corinthians 13:13, “The greatest of these is love.” In one’s list of virtues, love should be the driver, because it is of supreme importance and is the perfect bond, binding (holding) everything together in perfect harmony (unity). Love is the basis and cloak of all the graces, and it binds everything together to completeness or maturity
Verse 15: Believers are also to let the peace of Christ rule in their hearts because they are called to peace as members of one body. The closer believers are to Christ (and His likeness), the closer they are to each other. The peace of God rules in our hearts when we are completely surrendered to God’s will, and thus our whole being is unified in obedience to Him. Christ’s reconciling work makes this surrender possible. In interpersonal relationships “peace” (eirēnē, a state of well-being, transcendent, God-given tranquility) should rule (brabeuetō, “arbitrate, decide every debate”; a word used only here in the NT; cf. katabrabeuetō, “decide against,” 2:18).[10] Christ’s followers who have put on the virtues Paul listed in verses 12-14, are focused on being ruled in every trying circumstance by His peace, not by their fighting. Also Christians are to be thankful (cf. Phil. 4:6; Col. 1:12; 3:16–17; 4:2; 1 Thes. 5:18). An attitude of gratitude contributes to an enjoyment of spiritual tranquility, whereas grumbling makes for inner agitation.
Verse 16: The new life Christians must “put on” is one in which the “word of Christ” dwells richly. Christ’s words were recorded by the apostles through the inspiration of the Holy Spirit (cf. John 14:26; 16:13; 20:31). The words of the Bible, God’s written Word, are to “dwell in” believers. That is, by study, meditation, and application of the Word, it becomes a permanent abiding part of one’s life. The Word will transform our lives if we will but permit it to “dwell” in us richly. The word dwell means “to feel at home.” If we have experienced the grace and the peace of Christ, then the Word of Christ will feel at home in our hearts. We will discover how rich the Word is with spiritual treasures that give value to our lives. When the words of Christ become part of a believer’s core, they spring forth naturally and daily in psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs with thankfulness (en tē chariti; lit., “in grace”). This thankfulness in grace can mean either (a) God’s grace, (b) graciousness in Christian singing, or (c) Christian thanks. In this case, it most likely means thanksgiving and gratitude. Psalms are songs from the Book of Psalms; they are the songbook of the early church as well as of Israel. Hymns would be the songs of the early church that reflected the new truth in Christ. Examples of such hymns are in Colossians 1:15-20; Phil 2:5-11; and 1 Timothy 3:16. Spiritual songs may have been other kinds of songs praising God. Such joyful singing is not only to please oneself or others but is to be praise to God. Letting the word of Christ dwell in us richly is apparently a parallel thought to Paul’s statement in Ephesians 5:18 where he says to be “filled with the Spirit.” Both here and in Ephesians, the result of being filled with the Spirit or the word of Christ is singing. Through this Spirit-filled kind of life, Christians can teach (instruct) and admonish (“counsel”) one another (cf. “admonishing and teaching” in 1:28) if it is done “in all wisdom” (sophia; cf. 1:9; 2:3; 4:5) and not tactlessly (cf. Gal. 6:1).
Verse 17: Whatever one does whether in word or deed should all be done in the name of the Lord Jesus (i.e., for His glory; cf. 1 Cor. 10:31) and with a thankful spirit (cf. Phil. 4:6; 1 Thes. 5:18). Three times in three verses Paul mentioned thankfulness: “be thankful” (Col. 3:15) “sing … with thankfulness” (v. 16), and give “thanks to God the Father” (v. 17). Paul sums up how Christians should live. We should commit everything we do or say to Jesus and continually thank God for all His good gifts.
[1] cf. Rom. 8:33; Titus 1:1
[2] “separated to God”; cf. Col. 1:2
[3] or “dearly loved; cf. Rom. 5:8; 1 John 4:9–11, 19
[4] an unusually touching expression; in Phil. 2:1 Paul joined these two nouns with “and”. See Norman L. Geisler, “Colossians,” in The Bible Knowledge Commentary: An Exposition of the Scriptures, eds. John F. Walvoord and Roy B. Zuck, vol. 2 (Wheaton: Victor Books, 1985), 682.
[5] χρηστότης (chrēstotēs). the quality of being helpful or beneficial, goodness, kindness, generosity. benevolence in action; cf. 2 Cor. 6:6; Eph 4:32
[6] ταπεινοφροσύνη (tapeinophrosynē); humility, humbleness, modesty
[7] the quality of not being overly impressed by a sense of one’s self-importance, gentleness, humility, courtesy, considerateness
[8] state of being able to bear up under provocation, forbearance, patience toward others
[9] Norman L. Geisler, “Colossians,” in The Bible Knowledge Commentary: An Exposition of the Scriptures, eds. John F. Walvoord and Roy B. Zuck, vol. 2 (Wheaton: Victor Books, 1985), 682.
[10] Norman L. Geisler, “Colossians,” in The Bible Knowledge Commentary: An Exposition of the Scriptures, eds. John F. Walvoord and Roy B. Zuck, vol. 2 (Wheaton: Victor Books, 1985), 682.