Colossians 3:1-17 is one of my favorite passages in the bible. It’s hard to think of other passages that describe what it means to be a disciple of Jesus so well, It reminds me of the Sermon on the Mount! Today we are looking at Col. 3:12-15:
“Since God chose you to be the holy people he loves, you must clothe yourselves with tenderhearted mercy, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience. 13 Make allowance for each other’s faults, and forgive anyone who offends you. Remember, the Lord forgave you, so you must forgive others. 14 Above all, clothe yourselves with love, which binds us all together in perfect harmony. 15 And let the peace that comes from Christ rule in your hearts. For as members of one body you are called to live in peace. And always be thankful.” (NLT)
In Col. 3:10 Paul directed the Colossians to put on their new nature. This passage explains what that means, since we see Paul refers to clothing again in v. 12. Thus, this is a picture of our new nature in Christ. Observe how relational it is. We can sum this up by saying it is a community of love with God and his followers. This fits well with Jesus’ words in John 13:35 “By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.” (NIV)
So how do we know if our plans for discipleship are working? If we are growing in kindness, humility, forgiveness and peace then we are becoming Jesus’ disciple and our plan is working. If the people who stay involved in our church are becoming more and more this way, then our church’s plan for discipleship is working. But if we do not look more and more like Col. 3:12-15 then our plan is not working. The same would apply to our church.
So whatever we pursue in our Christian life it should make us more and more like this passage. This is the true fruit of discipleship. Great bible knowledge is not the true fruit. Supernatural power is not the true fruit. Even heartfelt worship is not the primary fruit. The true fruit is our love for one another.
The wonderful thing about this true fruit it that it tastes delicious. It is our haven and our home. It is where we find true friendship. It is where we give and receive. Moreover, it is a light to the world. It reveals what Jesus is doing in the world. It gives the lost a chance to see what Jesus is about. Some will embrace it and others will turn away.
And even more, this harmonious community appears to be a kind of taste of the New Creation to come. It reminds us of our future happiness. Thus, our fellowship now is a revelation to each other and the world of what God will one day make perfect.
Great reminder – thanks for sharing!