Therefore, as the elect of God, holy and beloved, put on tender mercies, kindness, humility, meekness, longsuffering;  (13) bearing with one another, and forgiving one another, if anyone has a complaint against another; even as Christ forgave you, so you also must do.  (14) But above all these things put on love, which is the bond of perfection.  (15) And let the peace of God rule in your hearts, to which also you were called in one body; and be thankful.  (16) Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom, teaching and admonishing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord.  (17) And whatever you do in word or deed do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through Him.

The letter to the Colossians was written by the Apostle Paul who never actually visited Colosse.  Most likely this letter was written while Paul was a prisoner in Rome and he wrote urging the Christians in Colosse to stay true to the gospel Paul preached – most especially the true doctrine regarding the sufficiency and supremacy of Christ.

The verses we study today concern the vital and basic principles of Christian living and Paul moves form the specific to the general.  A true believer has been given eternal life.  We have died with Christ and have been resurrected with Him.  This is our spiritual position and we should live in light of that identification.  As new men (and women) we are transformed and should put on “new clothes” which are a new character and new behavior – we are to assume family characteristics manifested in the family of the Lord.  We should have the spirit Paul is talking about – gratitude, love and forgiveness.  The innermost miracle of transformation demands equally dramatic outer change in life style.  This external lifestyle is very specific – it is not cultural,  not relative and not situational – it is Christ like and eternal.

We are urged to put on real compassion – it is an action word and think the Good Samaritan.  Humility was alien to Greek thought in that ancient world.   We are to imitate the meekness of Christ who was willing to suffer for sinful proud man – we are not to be angry but to continue in God’s patience.  Finally we are to go beyond endurance to forgiveness.  Christ forgave us and we did not/do not deserve it.  Christ is to become our pattern.

So our new garments are on and we are to cover all this with a mantle of love.  Paul is telling the faithful in Christ that they will never know the true virtues without love.  We will just be posturing.  The fruit of the Spirit is love and the Spirit dwells in us – we cannot do this alone.  The priority of the new man is to let Christ dwell in him/her.  We will know the Word of Christ, the peace of Christ and  “whatever you do in word or deed do all in the name of the Lord Jesus giving thanks to God the Father through Him.”