TEN LIFE RESOLUTIONS FROM GOD'S WORD (PART 4)

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In Christ, Mark

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The scriptures. May God bless the reading of His holy word.

Bear with each other and forgive one another if any of you has a grievance against someone. Forgive as the Lord forgave you.

Colossians 3:13

This ends this reading from God's holy word. Thanks be to God.

Set your heart on things above.

Put to death your earthly nature.

Clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience.

These are the first three of ten life resolutions from God’s word in Paul’s letter to the Colossians, ten resolutions that will lead us to the kind of life God desires, a life that mimics that of His Son Jesus.

In yesterday’s message, we saw how setting our hearts on things above, the ways of the Lord, coupled with a commitment to put to death our sinful, earthly nature will lead to living like Christ as we are to do with Christians. Specifically, we looked at living like Jesus will show others that we are clothed in compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience.

Today, we add to the positive indicators that we are living in and through Christ. Look at this fourth life resolution:

Bear with each other and forgive one another if any of you has a grievance against someone. Forgive as the Lord forgave you. Colossians 3:13

What does it mean to bear with one another?

Perhaps it’s easier to ask, "Can you think of someone right now who just seems to get under your skin, someone who annoys you to no end, someone you dread even being around?"

Maybe it’s a family member or a co-worker. Maybe it’s an entertainment or political figure. Maybe it’s even someone at church.

If we’re honest, we probably have at least one person that comes to mind and therefore we are challenged by this fourth resolution that demands we be more tolerant of one another.

God’s word is calling us to be more respectful of others. It’s commanding us to stop looking so closely at another person’s shortfalls while ignoring our own, for we’re all flawed and imperfect when we get down to the truth of the matter. And it’s calling us to forgive those who we need to forgive, doing so with the knowledge that the Lord has forgiven us, despite our sinfulness.

Friends, there is no doubt that our Lord is ordering us to change our ways through this resolution.

He is requiring us to be more tolerant and understanding of others, striving to resolve differences when they occur.

He is requiring us to build or even rebuild bridges instead of burning or tearing them down.

He is requiring us to pray for those we differ with and seek reconciliation.

He is requiring that we bear with one another.

He also commands us to forgive as He has forgiven us, not choosing to pardon others on our terms. For if left to our own devices, we could easily wiggle our way out of obedience to this forgiveness command by deciding who we do and don’t want to absolve. In other words, we often turn forgiveness into a selective process where we serve as the judge.

That’s why God had to use such stringency in His expectations, telling us we have to forgive others as He forgives us. For in doing so, He has removed any compromise from the matter.

As we clothe ourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience, let us also bear with one another and forgive others like the Lord has forgiven us.

As we see in the scriptures, it’s not optional.  

Amen.

In Christ,

Mark

PS: Feel free to leave a comment and please share this with anyone you feel might be blessed by it. Send any prayer requests to Gods4all@aol.com