The Unity of Love

Scripture Read: 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 whatever grievances you may have against one another. Forgive as the Lord forgave you. 14 And over all these virtues put on love, which binds them all together in perfect unity.

Application

I wonder if I really have taken the time to understand Biblical love. It is highlighted over all. In 1 Cor. 13 Love is called the greatest, and it will never cease. Here in Colossians it is the glue to the fruit of the Spirit. So what is humility without love, or compassion without love. I can see how they function apart yet it appears that the idea of love stands on it’s own. How can I forgive without love? Paul calls all these things virtues and then states that over these things we are to put on love which binds them together. For God so loved – obviously that carries with it compassion and forgiveness. I know that love is not completely separate then these other virtues, but it seems to function as some kind of qualifier. Am I loving Lord? Does the quality that is described in Scripture live in me? There is much here I need to consider. I also need to really study more about this quality. Help me Lord to understand all that I can and then allow it to thrive in my life. Let me commit to make a study of Love this year and have a clear understanding of this fruit. Thank you Lord for your Word

Inside – Out

Scripture Read: Colossians   3 1. Since, then, you have been raised with Christ, set your hearts on things above, where Christ is seated at the right hand of God. 2  Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things. 3  For you died, and your life is now hidden with Christ in God. 4  When Christ, who is your life, appears, then you also will appear with him in glory. 5. Put to death, therefore, whatever belongs to your earthly nature: sexual immorality, impurity, lust, evil desires and greed, which is idolatry. 6  Because of these, the wrath of God is coming. 7  You used to walk in these ways, in the life you once lived. 8. But now you must rid yourselves of all such things as these: anger, rage, malice, slander, and filthy language from your lips. 9  Do not lie to each other, since you have taken off your old self with its practices 10  and have put on the new self, which is being renewed in knowledge in the image of its Creator. 11  Here there is no Greek or Jew, circumcised or uncircumcised, barbarian, Scythian, slave or free, but Christ is all, and is in all.

Application

This is an interesting text. Here after listing a lot of the sins we need to rid ourselves from Paul gives us the real method. Take off and put on. But he goes even further and shows how the new self gains it’s power – “which is being renewed in knowledge in the image of its Creator.  This is where I fall into trouble. If the new man is to succeed he must be renewed. The only way for that to happen is if I keep feeding knowledge of my Creator in. This happens through the Word and Communion with Him. Why do I keep trying to change my insides from without? I need to re-examine my habits of word and communion. If I do not keep a steady flow of knowledge about Him, I will never see the new man really live in victory. God help me to meditate on this all day.

The Flesh Cannot Beat the Flesh

Scripture Read: Colossians   2:20  Since you died with Christ to the basic principles of this world, why, as though you still belonged to it, do you submit to its rules: 21  "Do not handle! Do not taste! Do not touch!"? 22  These are all destined to perish with use, because they are based on human commands and teachings. 23  Such regulations indeed have an appearance of wisdom, with their self-imposed worship, their false humility and their harsh treatment of the body, but they lack any value in restraining sensual indulgence.

Application

Application: This is a great principle. You cannot control sensual drives through sensual disciplines. This is the natural step that we would normally head to. This is a subtle way though for the flesh to keep it’s power. You appear to be moving toward holiness but in reality you are doing nothing more then moving back into fleshly living. This does not appear that way because the direction of the move appears toward God. That’s the deception! In reality you are functioning in the flesh, not faith. To overcome the flesh we must yield to the Spirit. Only through the channel of faith can we empower the new man to avail himself of the power from the Holy Spirit. This is more difficult. It would be easier to try to develop holiness through fleshy disciplines. This does not mean that the spiritual battle for the flesh will not involve discipline to the body, it will. The issue here is how do we approach that? It must be by faith through the power of His Spirit to our spirit. Help me Lord to live this principle.

Faith Walking

Scripture Read: Colossians   2:16. Therefore do not let anyone judge you by what you eat or drink, or with regard to a religious festival, a New Moon celebration or a Sabbath day. 17  These are a shadow of the things that were to come; the reality, however, is found in Christ. 18  Do not let anyone who delights in false humility and the worship of angels disqualify you for the prize. Such a person goes into great detail about what he has seen, and his unspiritual mind puffs him up with idle notions. 19  He has lost connection with the Head, from whom the whole body, supported and held together by its ligaments and sinews, grows as God causes it to grow. 20  Since you died with Christ to the basic principles of this world, why, as though you still belonged to it, do you submit to its rules: 21  "Do not handle! Do not taste! Do not touch!"? 22  These are all destined to perish with use, because they are based on human commands and teachings. 23  Such regulations indeed have an appearance of wisdom, with their self-imposed worship, their false humility and their harsh treatment of the body, but they lack any value in restraining sensual indulgence.

Application

I see two facets of faith here. One expressed by how we live, the other descriptive of what we should be. The first one is so applicable for today. The idea that the person talks about what he has SEEN. How appropriate for today’s church. That’s all that is talked about. A life of sight, not faith. God has to prove Himself with signs. What a step backwards the church has taken. The inward change and transformation that God works is not important. Only what we can hold, smell and taste. Sensual Christianity. Not faith walking. This ties right into the next thought. The church grows – notice – as God causes it to grow. We say it, but do we believe it. If we did we could relax and just focus on being faithful. This is hard to do. Relaxed does not equal inactivity, or laziness. But far to many times I think I live in such a way that I believe the work depends on me. I realize there is a balance here, but not so much in whether or not the church grows, but more in how. Am I going to play a part in it or not. Which really makes my own personal faithfulness to Him the key, not my gifts or talents. This is hard Lord, but with your help I can find that balance. Let me walk by faith and focus on being faithful.