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 you were also 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 – our verses today address practical holiness of the faithful. Life without God is futile and meaningless but as believers our position in Christ is safe and secure. We are to behave as we believe and we must consider our reborn selves – Paul uses the analogy of putting on new clothes as putting on new behaviors. We are judged – rightly or wrongly – by appearance and here paul is teaching us how to be judged by behaviors that characterize the new man/woman in Christ. We need hearts that are readily stirred to compassion; that delight in mercy. We must put pride aside and think less of self; to trust in God and seek to do His will. We must be long suffering; God will vindicate His own. We are to forgive those who harmed us; forgiven people should be the first to forgive. And love of God and others is to be our guiding principle. We love because we have been loved by Christ.

Righteousness is not found in natural man. It cannot be earned or worked for. It is the gift of God to all who place their faith in Christ for salvation. It is Christ’s righteousness that God accepts. God chose us as believers out of a mass of rebellious humanity who did not want or care for Him – we have been set aside by God in Christ and our hearts and minds should no longer be engaged in this world. We know the peace of Christ and should live to preserve it. ‘Where our treasure is, there will our hearts be also.’

I return again to the Big Book of Alcoholics Anonymous to underline that spiritual life is not a theory. We have to live it. “Without help it is too much for us but there is One who has all power – that one is God.” The promises of AA tell us that half measures availed us nothing. If recovering men/women practice the spiritual principles of AA, “We are going to know a new freedom and a new happiness. We will not regret the past nor wish to shut the door on it. We will comprehend the word serenity and we will know peace. No matter how far down the scale we have gone, we will see how our experience can benefit others. That feeling of uselessness and self pity will disappear. We will lose interest in selfish things and gain interest in our fellows. Self seeking will slip away. Our whole attitude and outlook on life will change. Fear of people and of economic security will leave us. We will intuitively know how to handle situations which used to baffle us. We will suddenly realize that God is doing for us what we could not do for ourselves.” May you find God now.

Therefore, when He came into the world, He said: (4)”Sacrifice and offering You did not desire, But a body You have prepared for Me. (6) In burnt offerings and sacrifices for sin, You had no pleasure. (7) Then I said, ‘Behold, I have come – In the volume of the book it is written of Me – To do Your will, O God’”. (8) Previously saying, “Sacrifice and offering, burnt offerings, and offerings for sin You did not desire, nor had pleasure in them” (which are offered according to the law), (9) then He said, “Behold, I have come to do your will, O God.” He takes away the first that He may establish the second. (10) By that will, we have been sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all.

The author of Hebrews is unknown. It was written to Jewish Christians who were in danger of reverting to their Jewish religion to escape persecution and warned not to do it. The point of our verses today is believers in Christ receive what those under the law could not receive; total forgiveness. All of the Old Testament points to Jesus Christ and because of Christ’s once for all sacrifice of Himself, believers in Christ have perfect standing with God. The faithful receive a complete, final, once for all pardon from all our sins – past, present and future. We are positioned in Christ as children of God.

Christ’s obedience to God’s will sets aside the Old Testament sacrifices. Our verses put emphasis on God preparing a body for Jesus to be offered as the eternal, suitable and never to be repeated sacrifice for sins. The dispensation of Old Testament sacrifices in the law were but a memorial of sin. Jesus came into this world to do God’s eternal will – the Father sent Him but the Son came. He took on Him our nature and by His own will He was made flesh. Only the Son of God could undertake the work of our redemption; only as man could He accomplish it. The will of man has no part in this. The work of justification is wholly of God.

Believers belong to God forever. It is settled and permanent as the peace which was made with God in Christ. On Christmas Day we celebrate – with overwhelming gratitude – that Jesus came into this world to save us from our sins. This season has become a commercial holiday that distracts us from this great truth. C.s.Lewis commented on this cultural aberration by saying that for many, by the time Christmas arrives families are in no mood for making merry but instead “look far more as if there had been a long illness in the house.”

Rejoice in the Lord always. Again I will say, rejoice! (5) Let your gentleness be known to all men. The Lord is at hand. (6) Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God; (7) and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.

The letter to the Philippians was written by the apostle Paul while in prison in Rome. Our verses open with the command (the repeated command) to rejoice. What is foundational in this command is an abiding confidence that God is sovereign. Our circumstances may not change but we can change. We must choose to obey – an attitude and a decision – and we are promised not superficial happiness but contentment and hope in our faithful God. Joy comes from God operating through the believer who finds joy not in the world but in his/her God through Christ. Believers don’t have righteousness in themselves from keeping the law but from saying no to self and yes to God. We are to live by faith not by feelings – to be rational not emotional.

Anxiety stems from a lack of faith – a wrong focus on things of this world. Living to please ourselves is counter productive to peace and never lasts. Lack of anxiety about things of this present life indicates NOT a lack of care but confidence in God. My college roommate’s mother used to say to us “what does it matter in the light of eternity?” At the time we laughed about it but it always stuck in my mind. Paul tells us to bring everything – all which pertains to body, mind, living conditions, friends, conflicts, losses, trials and fears – to the Lord. And to do so with clear eyed thanksgiving. God knows our needs but requires we come and express them to Him.

When we confidently know God will supply what we need – not want – we will have peace. This commitment to God has a peace not known elsewhere. Man cannot successfully live by his own powers. Turning to God through Christ in all trials and wants preserves the mind from distressing anxiety. Paul is telling the faithful just how to rejoice in the Lord always.

I thank my God upon every remembrance of you, (4) always in every prayer of mine making request for you with joy, (5) for your fellowship in the gospel from the first day until now, (6) being confident of this very thing, that He who has begun a good work in you will complete it until the day of Jesus Christ…(8) For God is my witness, how greatly I long for you with all the affection of Jesus Christ. (9) And this I pray, that your love may abound still more and more in knowledge and all discernment, (10) that you may approve the things that are excellent, that you may be sincere and without offense till the day of Christ, (11) being filled with the fruits of righteousness which are by Jesus Christ, to the glory and praise of God.

The letter to the Philippians was written by the apostle Paul while he was imprisoned in Rome facing possible execution. The letter is filled with joy because His focus was on God and not himself – specifically on what God was doing with the Philippians church. Paul makes the point that if there is evidence that God has begun the work of salvation in us we can be confident He will complete it. Genuine fellowship with the people of God is powerful proof of the reality of the gospel. This was certainly the experience of the early church in Philippi where the faithful were raised from spiritual death to life by God’s power. In verse 6 Paul teaches that no one whom God has brought to SAVING knowledge of Jesus Christ will ever be lost. Wow.

Scripture teaches salvation is entirely the work of God, not man. The true gospel is about our fundamental problem which is alienation from God arising from sin. Atonement has been made in Christ so that all who trust in Him are saved from God’s judgment. Salvation does not depend on us or any human decision – if that were true that decision could be reversed. The faithful are not saved so they can live happy self centered lives but to view and live all of life through the lens of the gospel. Faith is not the work of man. We are not to be passive but our assurance and confidence is not to be in ourselves or our works but ONLY in God who works in us. We are warned not to live by subjective/emotional feelings devoid of doctrine nor by doctrine denying biblical love. Paul prays for discerning love for the faithful in Philippi – not a feeling devoid of content but knowledge of God as revealed by Scripture. Faith does not abandon reason and discerning love leads to godly character.

Salvation is always accompanied by evidence and followed by sanctification or growth in holiness. The Spirit bears witness to this truth in the hearts of those drawn to God – apart from any human merit. Salvation is always and only of the Lord.