Love as God loves

In Colossians 3, Paul talks about putting off the old man and putting on the new man, "who is renewed in knowledge according to the image of Him who created Him" (v.10).

As born again believers in Christ, we have become, and are becoming different.  Being renewed in the likeness of Christ, we are enabled to think on a different level of understanding. It is a new kind of life:

"where there is neither Greek nor Jew, circumcised nor uncircumcised, barbarian, Scythian, slave nor free, but Christ is all and in all (v.11).

That list above is quite a spread of cultural and racially different people. Greeks and uncircumcised are describing the Gentiles; "dogs" to the Jews.  And Scythians were an ancient cruel people.  Think of Isis, or Boko Haram in Africa. Just imagine some of these despised people converting to become followers of Jesus.  Cool, huh?   

Then one Sunday, they come to your church and want to join. Paul says here: in Christ, we are all the same. Christ is in all of us. And THAT means there is no "them" and "us". We're all "us".  He goes on describing how, in this new kind of life, we are to think toward others:

"Therefore, as the elect of God, holy and beloved, put on tender mercies, kindness, humility, meekness, longsuffering; bearing with one another, if anyone has a complaint against another; even as Christ forgave you, so you also must do.  But above all these things put on love, which is the bond of perfection" (v12-14).

In Scripture, perfection doesn't describe one who makes no mistakes.  (No, we keep doing that.)  Perfection means completeness.  And that is a description of what you are, not what you do.  Though the one should be influencing the other.

Thus Jesus tells us what godly perfection looks like:

"But I say to you, love your enemies, bless those who curse you, do good to those who hate you, and pray for those who despitefully use you and persecute you, that you may be sons of your Father in heaven; for He makes His sun rise on the evil and on the good, and sends rain on the just and on the unjust" (Matthew 5:44-45).  

To "be sons of your Father in heaven" is a character description; you'll be like God in how you regard others.

"For if you love those who love you, what reward have you?  Do not even the tax collectors do the same?  And if you greet your brethren only, what do you do more than others?  Do not even the tax collectors do so? Therefore you shall be perfect as your Father in heaven is perfect" (v.46-48).

Perfection means to love as God loves. Depending on who you're dealing with right now, that could be a challenge. It helps to remember how He's loved you during times when you weren't as loveable as you are now.

Have a blessed day.

Pastor Dennis Whitmore