Basic HTML Version
Moral and Spiritual Perfection Promised, September 7
And above all these put on love, which binds everything together in perfect
harmony. And let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, to which indeed you
were called in the one body. And be thankful.
Colossians 3:14, 15
, RSV.
“Mortify therefore your members which are upon the earth,” Paul wrote to the
Colossians; “in the which ye also walked some time, when ye lived in them. But
now ye also put off all these; anger, wrath, malice, blasphemy, filthy communication
out of your mouth.... Put on therefore, as the elect of God, holy and beloved, bowels
of mercies, kindness, humbleness of mind, meekness, longsuffering; forbearing one
another, and forgiving one another, if any man have a quarrel against any: even as
Christ forgave you, so also do ye” (
Colossians 3:5, 7-13
)....
The letter to the Colossians is filled with lessons of highest value to all who are
engaged in the service of Christ, lessons that show the singleness of purpose and
the loftiness of aim which will be seen in the life of him who rightly represents the
Saviour. Renouncing all that would hinder him from making progress in the upward
way or that would turn the feet of another from the narrow path, the believer will
reveal in his daily life mercy, kindness, humility, meekness, forbearance, and the
love of Christ....
In his efforts to reach God’s ideal for him, the Christian is to despair of nothing.
Moral and spiritual perfection, through the grace and power of Christ, is promised
to all. Jesus is the source of power, the fountain of life. He brings us to His word,
and from the tree of life presents to us leaves for the healing of sin-sick souls. He
leads us to the throne of God, and puts into our mouth a prayer through which we
are brought into close contact with Himself. In our behalf He set in operation the
all-powerful agencies of heaven. At every step we touch His living power.
God fixes no limit to the advancement of those who desire to be “filled with the
knowledge of his will in all wisdom and spiritual understanding” (
Colossians 1:9
).
Through prayer, through watchfulness, through growth in knowledge and under-
standing, they are to be “strengthened with all might, according to his glorious
power” (
verse 11
). Thus they are prepared to work for others. It is the Saviour’s
purpose that human beings, purified and sanctified, shall be His helping hand. For
this great privilege let us give thanks to Him who “hath made us meet to be partakers
of the inheritance of the saints in light: who hath delivered us from the power of
darkness, and hath translated us into the kingdom of his dear Son” (
verses 12, 13
)
(
The Acts of the Apostles, 477, 478
).
[265]
266