Assessing Your Relationships
Written by Ed Allen
Saturday, 27 April 2002 19:00
Colossians 3:12-17
(12) Therefore, as God's chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience. (13) Bear with each other and forgive whatever grievances you may have against one another. Forgive as the Lord forgave you. (14) And over all these virtues put on love, which binds them all together in perfect unity.
(15) Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, since as members of one body you were called to peace. And be thankful. (16) Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly as you teach and admonish one another with all wisdom, and as you sing psalms, hymns and spiritual songs with gratitude in your hearts to God. (17) And whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him.
How to have meaningful relationships
1. Be Christlike in your character toward one another.
- "Clothe yourselves" vs. "put off" in verse 5
- These characteristics are favorite descriptions of Jesus
- Compassion = heart compassion
- Humility associated with servility outside of the Bible. But Bible applauds it. Sees it associated with wisdom (Proverbs 11:2)
2. Be Christlike in your attitude toward one another.
- Forbearing Verbal tense indicates continual forbearance
- Forgiving
- Not usual word for forgiveness. Literally means to give grace to.
- Standard = God's forgiveness of us
- Not because we have to but because we can.