Therefore...

I read through Colossians again not very long ago. It is a short but extremely profound, wonderful book of the Bible, filled with awesome reminders and lessons. This time, while I was reading chapter 3, I noticed something that I had never seen before. Verses 12 through 15 are some of the most well-known verses in that chapter. They read:

"Therefore, as God’s chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience. Bear with each other and forgive whatever grievances you may have against one another. Forgive as the Lord forgave you. And over all these virtues put on love, which binds them all together in perfect unity. Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, since as members of one body you were called to peace" (NIV).

Such profound truths permeate this passage of Scripture! Truths that I desperately needed (need) to be reminded of. But I was particularly drawn to the word: "Therefore." I have learned that whenever you see words like "therefore" in the Bible, it is always prudent to figure out what the "therefore" is referring to. "Therefore, as God's chosen people" demonstrate selfless acts of love toward each other that are really hard to do! But why are they so hard to do? That's where the "therefore" comes in...

In verse 11, Paul writes, in reference to the body of Christ: "Here there is no Greek or Jew, circumcised or uncircumcised, barbarian, Scythian, slave or free, but Christ is all, and is in all." Spiritually, Paul is entirely correct. In Christ, we are all called to be one and we are one in Christ, because of our mutual faith in His sacrificial death for us on the cross. 

However, in our flesh, we are still "Greeks" and "Jews," "barbarians" and "Scythians," "slaves" and "freemen." Essentially, we are people who are vastly different from each other and usually have a very hard time reconciling those differences...Therefore, it is going to be extremely hard for us to always demonstrate compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness, patience, and forgiveness toward one another, and as a result, peace will be very hard to come by. 

This is exactly why Paul admonishes us to clothe ourselves with Christ, because Jesus was the only one on this earth who was able to look beyond anything and love anyone without having to first wrestle with His flesh. Apart from Christ, we can't overcome the irritation, annoyance, or even aversion that our differences can sometimes cause (and will cause) toward other believers--even toward the people we love the most.

I have learned that God does not command us to do anything that He knows we are capable of doing on our own already, and He does not command us to do anything without a very specific purpose. For example, if God knew it was second nature for us to treat one another with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience, He never would have commanded us throughout the Bible to do so. And God never would have commanded us to forgive one another as He has forgiven us, or even to live in peace with one another, if He did not know that we would be hurt many times, whether in big ways or small ways, by our brothers and sisters in Christ, or if He did not know that peace would be something we would have to fight for.

This is why I think Paul wrote "Therefore" at the beginning of verse 12. He knew that even though all those Greeks and Jews, barbarians and Scythians, slaves and freemen were now one in Christ, in their flesh they would still struggle greatly to overcome their differences. Differences which would warrant them plenty of opportunity to demonstrate those many attributes of love toward one another. Differences which would make loving each other in those ways all the more vital if they were to truly live in peace with one another, as one in Christ.

I thank God for the "Therefore" in that passage, because it made verses 12-15 all the more meaningful and applicable to me. I have no problem recognizing the differences between me and those around me, whether they are strangers or loved ones, and I have no problem recognizing those differences that bug me and consequently cause me to act less-than-loving toward others. Therefore, I can see all the more clearly now why God commands me to show compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience toward my brothers and sisters in Christ; why He commands me to forgive them as He has forgiven my sins and faults; and why I am going to have to fight for oneness and peace as much as it depends on me. 
  
Living as one in Christ is not easy, but praise be to God that He did not simply say "there is no more Greek or Jew, circumcised or uncircumcised, Scythian, slave or free," but He showed us how to be one in Christ by denying our flesh and demonstrating His love toward one another. Praise God that we do not have to do this on our own, but that He covers us with His love and enables us to love each other as He first loved us. 

Praise God for the "Therefore"...

Abba Father, I do praise You for the "Therefore." Thank You for the reminder--of the differences that exist between other believes and myself and the conflicts they will create--that comes before it, and for the guidance--to know how to overcome my flesh and love despite those differences--that comes after it. Most of all, thank You that I do not have to depend on my own strength or wisdom to love when it is so hard to love, but that You have clothed me with Your strength and wisdom to enable me to do so. Thank You for dearly loving me. I love You too. In Your holy name I pray, Amen.