So many times in my life as a follower of Jesus, I’ve had to be reminded to whom I belong. Colossians 3 is one of those “powerhouse” verses that helps me stay grounded. There are lots of commands in this chapter, but that’s not where Paul begins. He starts off declaring what God has already accomplished.
 
For those who belong to Christ, we’ve been raised with Him, hidden with him in God. We’ve put off the old self and covered ourselves in a new creation, one being renewed according to the image of our Creator.
 
Simply put, our identity comes before, and gives context to, our instruction. Paul isn’t telling the Colossians or us to develop a new identity through disciplined behavior from the outside in, he’s directing us to live according to the identity we’ve already received in Christ. This keeps us from turning faithful obedience into some sort of religious self-help. It’s a subtle trap, but one many fall into where we try to become more patient, generous, or disciplined so we feel worthy of God’s love or appear more spiritually mature.
 
Paul pushes back on this as he reminds us God’s people are chosen, holy, and loved deeply. We are placed on a path, a way of life, not because of our discipline, but because of who we are in Him, a life that fits our new reality.
 
Then Paul gets really practical, naming things like sexual immorality, greed, anger, malice, slander, filthy language, and lying as things we must put away, and his language is strong. The earthly things mustn’t just be put away temporarily, but put to death … permanently.
Anytime we purge our hearts and minds of the things of the flesh, there is left a void that must be filled. Paul also helps us to know what should take their place: compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness, patience, forgiveness, love, peace, and gratitude.
 
This Kingdom life isn’t some vague embrace of spiritual thoughts and good vibes. It changes everything from how we speak, how we forgive, how we handle desire, respond to irritation, and treat people who have nothing to offer in return. The Kingdom life is a life of change.
 
The Sermon on the Mount moves from words on a page to clearly visible to the world as it is lived out in ordinary relationships by those who love Jesus. Mercy becomes compassion, reconciliation becomes refusal to feed deep-seated bitterness, and truthfulness becomes speech absent of manipulation and self-serving. Love for enemies becomes patient kindness towards difficult people … and we all know someone like that!
 
Following the actions Paul and Jesus laid out for us will not earn us a place in His Kingdom, but they will reveal a life taking shape in people who belong to the King. One of the most difficult things for us to do is look into the mirror with honest abandon to see if we, too, are living a life marked by the King.

Which practices of the old self are you most tempted to keep wearing? Which quality from Colossians 3 would most clearly display Christ in one of your relationships today?

Prayer
Father, thank you that my identity is in Jesus and not my performance. Help me put away the habits, desires, and words that belong to the old me. Cover me in compassion, humility, patience, forgiveness, and love. Help me to show the character of Jesus in my ordinary, everyday life. Amen.

“One way I can put on the life of Christ today is __________________.”