DIGGING DEEP NO. 885 – June 2, 2021 SAY NO TO CARNALITY, YES TO CHRIST (PART 2) Col.3: 12- 14

The word elect means “chosen of God”. This miracle of divine election did not depend on anything that we have done, for God chose us in Christ before the foundation of the world Ephe.1: 4. Because we have trusted Christ and given our lives to Him, we have been set apart from the world unto the Lord. We are not our own; we belong completely to Him 1Cor.6: 19- 20. Just as marriage sets apart a man and a woman for each other exclusively, so salvation sets the believer apart exclusively for Jesus Christ. Col.2: 13 “Having forgiven you all trespasses”; God’s forgiveness is complete and final; it is not conditional or partial. How is the holy God able to forgive us guilty sinners? Because of the sacrifice of Jesus Christ on the cross Ephe.4: 32. We are chosen by God, set apart for God, loved by God, and forgiven by God. They all add up to grace. Now because of these gracious blessings, the Christian has some solemn responsibilities before God. He must put on the beautiful graces of the Christian life.

1. Put on tender mercies – as believers we need to display tender feelings of compassion toward one another. This is not something that we turn on and off, like the TV set. It is a constant attitude of heart that makes us easy to live with.

2. Put on kindness – we have been saved because of God’s kindness toward us through Jesus Christ Ephe.2: 7; Tit.3: 4. We in turn ought to show kindness toward others Ephe.4: 32. One of the most beautiful pictures of kindness in the Bible is King David’s treatment of Mephibosheth. If David had acted according to justice, he would have condemned Mephibosheth, for the man belonged to a condemned. But David acted on the basis of love and grace. He invited Mephibosheth to live in the palace as a member of his family, and to eat at the King’s bountiful table. This is the kindness of God and you and I have experienced an even greater kindness from God.

3. Put on humbleness of mind – Jesus Christ is the greatest example of humbleness of mind Phil.2: 1- 8. Humility is not thinking poorly of oneself, rather it is having the proper estimate of oneself in the will of God Rom.12: 3. The person with humbleness of heart think of others first and not of himself.

4. Put on meekness – meekness is not weakness; it is power under control. This word was used to describe a soothing wind, a healing medicine, and a colt that had been broken. In each instance, there is power: a wind can become a storm; too much medicine can kill; a horse can break loose. But a meek person has his power under control.

5. Put on longsuffering – This word literally means long-temper. The short tempered person speaks and acts impulsively and lacks self-control. When a person is longsuffering, he can put up with provoking people or circumstances without retaliating.

6. Put on forbearance – This word literally means “to hold up”or “to hold back”. God is forbearing toward sinners in that He holds back His judgment Rom.2: 4; 3: 25. Meekness, longsuffering, and forbearance go together.

7. Put on forgiveness – It is not enough that the Christian must endure grief and provocation and refuse to retaliate; he must also forgive the troublemaker. If he does not, then feelings of malice will develop in the heart; and these can lead to greater sins. It is Christ- like to forgive and forgiveness opens the heart to the fullness of the love of God Ephe.4: 32.

8. Put on love – Col.3: 14. This is the most important of the Christian virtues, and it acts like a girdle that ties all the other virtues together. Love is the first of the fruit of the Spirit and the other virtues follow. When love rules in our lives, it unites all these spiritual virtues so that there is beauty and harmony indicating spiritual maturity.