Colossians 3:12-17

This letter was written by Paul to the Christians (or “God’s holy people”) in the church in Colossi. I don’t know if I spelled that right or not, forgive me. He starts this particular passage by telling the believers that God has chosen them to be His people so they should be tenderhearted and kind and merciful and humble and gentle and patient. He tells them that they should forgive each other. He goes on to say that the most important thing, the most important characteristic that they could have is love. He says next that they should live at peace and that they should always be thankful.
I think that this is a familiar theme. It would seem that this may be an important idea that Paul is trying to get across to the believers and followers of Jesus (just look up: Ephesians 4:1-6. Galatians 5: 13-26, Romans 12: 9-21, Romans 15:5-9, and many more!). He is telling the church over and over again to be forgiving to each other, to allow each other to make mistakes that it is ok when it happens, that it will happen and that we should forgive and live at peace. I think that again this passage speaks directly to the modern church. I have seen firsthand what happens when the church decides to shoot it’s wounded. I know that as Christians we give up on our fellow believers from time to time. I don’t think that it is right, and I think that it needs to be stopped, just as this passage tells us.
There cannot be real unity in the church until we realize that “the most important piece of clothing you can wear is love.”(Col. 3:14, NLT) Until as a church, as a people group, as a family we understand that by condemning our own when they falter and when they fall is not only hurting them but our “religion” as well we simply will not change this world. Until we love as, Christ loved, the hurting and broken and outcast we will not see the change that we long for, we will not impact this world for Christ.
Thanks,
Joshua