Biblical Infusion

Colossians 3:12-17

When you go through medical treatment, it is a great ordeal for the body. The tumor is cut out, radiotherapy and chemotherapy kill the remaining cancer cells. We preserve life by removing sickness. But health does not return just by removing the cause of sickness. There needs to be nourishment and supplements to restore health - an infusion of vitamin D intravenously. And aside from this, a new lifestyle must be adopted. Perhaps one with more exercise and rest. A whole new or better diet.

Last week, we saw the need to put off sin. We don’t do it to be saved. When we believe and repent, we are saved and accepted in Christ by God. There’s nothing we can do to make ourselves more acceptable or less acceptable. Nothing can separate us from the love of God. But sin makes us ugly. And since we’ve been saved from it, we shouldn’t give into it. We must put it to death. It is God’s will for his children to be made holy.

But spiritual growth requires more than removal of sin. There needs to be an infusion of virtues and new practices. There must be a new way of living. You see, growth is measured by how much you start changing. A gossip is no longer a gossip just because he stops gossiping, but when he is honest and speaks the truth and uses his words to build people up. An angry person is no longer wrathful just because she stops getting angry, but when she starts being kind and demonstrates her patience. And it’s hard. We’re so conditioned by habit to sin that we need to retrain ourselves to obey God. And change happens in the context of church. Growth never occurs without community.

Today, we want to speak about the virtues that believers need to put on - part 2 of the treatment plan. And these concern the sins of fraternity we saw last week. Not only do you put off anger, wrath, malice, blasphemy, etc, but you want to infuse your life with virtues by firstly, letting Christ’s character govern you; and secondly, letting Scripture inhabit you.

Firstly, let Christ’s character govern you. The principle is seen in several verses - 12-15. We’ll look at each one and see what we must do. As Christians, it’s not enough simply to have the mind of Christ or put off sin - but there must be positive changes. Verse 12 says, “Put on therefore, as the elect of God, holy and beloved, bowels of mercies, kindness, humbleness of mind, meekness, longsuffering.”

The verb tense of “put on” implies a once and for all action. Put on. No questions asked. Whether you feel like it, whether you’re ready, or whether others change first, you just put on these attitudes. Why? Because we’re God’s chosen people. We’re holy. We’re loved by him. No need to ask, “why?” It’s an expected action of those who are Christian. If you’re Christian, be clothed with Christ’s attitude. Verse 12 says, put on therefore. This is connected to verse 11, which says, “Christ is all that matters, and he lives in all of us.” Therefore, put on his attitude.

We put on Christ’s merciful heart. Yes, it says bowels of mercies; but where the Greeks used the intestines to express sympathy, and the Ethiopians would use liver, we would use the word heart. So to your brothers and sisters in church, put on the heart of mercy. Put off anger, wrath, and malice, but clothe yourselves with mercy. Remember, it was the Levite and the priest who could not show compassion to their fellow Jew. Instead, it was the Samaritan that took care of his enemy. He was moved in his heart, like Christ, out of compassion to help the injured man.

And be kind, verse 12. “Kindness” means benign, not malicious. A person who is unwilling to think badly or wickedly. Towards a speeding driver - we may react, “Wah, young punk! Go so fast for what?” But to react benignly, we may think - “maybe there’s trouble.” It’s a refusal to react with ill-will, to give the benefit of the doubt. It’s a refusal to give into your soap opera fantasies. As Philippians 2:14-15 says, to do all things without murmuring and fighting - to be blameless and harmless.

But the mind is involved too. To clothe the mind with humility and meekness. Why is there wrath and malice in church? Why that quick anger when someone cuts you in line? Because the mind is not lowly. But when we adopt the mind of Christ, who was God, but humbled himself to be a servant and was obedient to die on the cross, then we won’t be quickly offended. John Flavel said, “They that know God will be humble and they that know themselves cannot be proud.”

Booker T. Washington, was a well-known educator in America. He was humble and meek. He was black. He was President of a black university. One day he was walking in an exclusive part of town. A white woman came out of her house and called to him. She didn’t recognize him. She offered him money to chop wood. He didn’t have to be anywhere so he chopped wood. The president of a university, chopping wood. A girl in the neighborhood recognized him and told the lady. Embarrassed, apologized profusely. But listen to what he said - “It’s perfectly all right, ma’am; it’s always a delight to do something for a friend.” She thanked him for his humble and meek attitude. Not long after, she raised funds for his university among her rich friends.

Are you quick to be offended? To think ill of people, their intentions and motives? Not only put that malice away, but put on the attitude of Christ - his heart of mercy and kindness, his humble and meek mindedness. This attitude also acts itself out.

Because Christ was merciful and meek, he was patient, forbearing, and forgiving. This is his example we must follow. At the end of verse 12, Paul spoke about how we must put on longsuffering, and verse 13 says, “Forbearing one another, and forgiving one another, if any man have a quarrel against any: even as Christ forgave you, so also do ye.” Even as Christ forgave you, forgive others. While you may have put off anger, wrath, and malice, how do you deal with those who are angry, wrathful, and malicious? How do you deal with those who lie, blaspheme, and curse us? We follow Christ’s three examples.

Firstly, we will be longsuffering - this refers to the patience to those who wrong us. Christ was long-suffering toward sinners. Therefore, we may be sinned against, but we suffer through it. Secondly, we will be forbearing - that means to endure even the toughest trial. Despite being continually sinned against, and aggravated, we bear with it. We will be wronged, misjudged, hurt. They may never acknowledge their wrongs; or may justify their sinful action against us - we may never receive earthly justice - but we forbear. Thirdly, we will be forgiving - this means to be gracious toward and to pardon, to release an offender from the offense when we are asked for forgiveness, and not to hold it to our offender’s account.

If we are not willing to suffer long, how will we ever forbear and forgive? According to a traditional Hebrew fable - not a biblical account - Abraham saw an old man coming toward him. Abraham invited him into his tent. There he washed the old man’s feet and gave him food and drink. The old man began eating without saying any prayer. So Abraham asked him, “Don’t you worship God?” The old traveler replied, “I worship fire only and reverence no other god.” When he heard this, Abraham became angry, and threw him out his tent. After this, God called to Abraham and asked where the stranger was. Abraham replied, “I forced him out because he did not worship you.” God answered, “I have suffered him these eighty years although he dishonors me. Could you not endure him one night?” We may not do this to unbelievers - but we do it to believers all the time. As I said last week, Christians do and say the meanest things to one another.

Some people hope for the day when they never have to deal with difficult people again, or suffer because they are difficult people. Here’s some good advice from the 19th-century preacher A. B. Simpson: “Beloved, have you ever thought that someday you will not have anything to try you, or anyone to vex you again? There will be no opportunity in heaven to learn or to show the spirit of patience, forbearance, and longsuffering. If you are to practice these things, it must be now.”

Christ was able to suffer long, forbear, and forgive because of his virtues. Verses 14-15 say, “And above all these things put on charity, which is the bond of perfectness. And let the peace of God rule in your hearts, to the which also ye are called in one body; and be ye thankful.” It is because he loved his enemies, that he came in mercy and kindness, humility and meekness, so that he could forgive them, and bring all of these warring enemies and make peace between them and God. And that’s why love is described here as the bond of perfectness - or the glue if you will, that binds us in harmony together. Christ demonstrated that love, and made peace with his enemies. So we should let that peace govern our hearts. It should rule us in church. We are called to be one people. We must see the priority of love and peace. If God is love, we should love our wives, our children, our parents, our brethren, our neighbors, our enemies.

Christ came to demonstrate his virtue of love - to be merciful, humble, forgiving, and peacemaking. And where of all places do we see his character? Toward all men, yes, but especially towards his disciples. When the Samaritans refused to receive him into their villages, James and John - the sons of thunder - wanted to call down fire upon them. Jesus rebuked them for having this terrible spirit and said - “the Son of man is not come to destroy men’s lives, but to save them.” They were always quarreling with one another - who would be first. Jesus showed his humility and meekness by washing their feet. When Peter denied him three times, Jesus restored him three times. He bore with their unholiness and worldliness for 3 years. When they couldn’t stay awake at his greatest need, he bore with them. This motley crew of disciples who fought with one another, denied and left him - yet he loved them and served them. Even his betrayer received a piece of bread. No malice.

What do we see in church on the other hand? You offend me, I don’t talk to you. You hurt me, I bear a grudge. You dare to challenge me, I will react quickly with anger. You’re not so holy, so I judge you. Or you’re holy, so I hide my unholiness next to you. But with the heart and mind of Christ, the actions of Christ, the virtues of Christ - the church becomes what it should be. But that takes work. Do you not know that your conflict is ugly before God? Your little fights for preeminence? Your quickly worded, fast shooting, group chat retorts? Your unwillingness to receive admonition? Or your enthusiasm in giving admonition? If you are to grow in holiness, it’s not just to remove the sin, but it’s to be governed by Christ’s character.

Secondly, that the church would grow in holiness, you must let Scripture inhabit you. Verse 16 says, “Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom; teaching and admonishing one another.” And here, Paul is concerned with the corporate growth of the body - not just the individual. He addresses the congregation. Put on as the elect of God - not one but all. Forbear, forgive, one another. As you have been forgiven, forgive others. You are one body - let peace rule in all your hearts. And here again all of them must let Scripture inhabit them so they would teach and admonish one another.

Change takes place in the context of the church - we don’t change apart from the church. We need one another, especially the admonition of one another. Folks, the church is not a social club. You come here to be helped in becoming holier. If you are not involved in the activity and the fellowship of the church, and if you stand apart, there will be no change in others, and neither will you change. And if it is a social club, then no one will challenge anyone to grow, and there will be no growth. If you are always removing yourself from difficult situations, you will never grow. But if you are filled with God’s word, then in all wisdom, teach and admonish one another.

The new man does this. This is a Christian’s responsibility. Galatians 6:1-2 says, “Brethren, if a man be overtaken in a fault, ye which are spiritual, restore such an one in the spirit of meekness; considering thyself, lest thou also be tempted. Bear ye one another's burdens, and so fulfil the law of Christ.” If a brother is living in sin, then the more spiritual ones are to restore him, to help him fix what is broken - this is the law of Christ. Romans 15:14 says, “And I myself also am persuaded of you, my brethren, that ye also are full of goodness, filled with all knowledge, able also to admonish one another.” It is an obligation to admonish - or to warn each other to walk holy.

And admonition requires skill - Jesus didn’t deal with people the same way - he dealt with the stubborn with firmness and he dealt with the sorrowing and meek with gentleness. Admonition takes skill. If we think that the virtue of love is just to be nice and not to be exercised to help another person to change; and if we think that by Bible Study alone we will change in godliness - then we can expect there to be no change. In church, there will be angry, wrathful, malicious people; lying, slandering, gossiping people, people who struggle with sins of sensuality. People who will withhold unforgiveness and the sins of others over them. People who will struggle with other things like sloth, covetousness, or even a legalistic spirit. What are you to do? Admonish, but with Christ’s character.

“John Wesley and a friend, who had very simple tastes, were once invited to dinner where the host’s beautiful daughter, had been touched by Wesley’s preaching. During the meal, Wesley’s friend took the young woman’s hand and called attention to the sparkling rings she wore. “What do you think of this, sir, for a Methodist hand?” The girl blushed in embarrassment. Wesley was also embarrassed, because his dislike of jewelry was well known. But with a merciful smile, he simply said, “The hand is already very beautiful.” Wesley’s remark both cooled the too-hot water poured by his friend, and made the foot-washing gentle.” It takes great skill to admonish with love. It takes wisdom to know what to admonish. But we must do it. If you want to turn from an angry, wrathful, malicious, blaspheming, gossiping and lying person, not only must you put that off; but the evidence of growth is not that you simply stop those things; but you learn to use your tongue in kindness and mercy, to teach and admonish one another.

And if you are filled with Scripture, an evidence is your grateful worship of God. Verse 16 continues - “in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord.” I think one of the reasons why Paul put this here was to show how spiritually, if you have grown and put away sin, your worship of God is in line with how you use your tongue at other times. It’s not simply outward - ritualistic - it is inward - singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord. And Paul’s point is similar to James’ point in James 3:8 - “But the tongue can no man tame; it is an unruly evil, full of deadly poison. Therewith bless we God, even the Father; and therewith curse we men, which are made after the similitude of God. Out of the same mouth proceedeth blessing and cursing. My brethren, these things ought not so to be.” And the context of James is who is the spiritual and wise man? It’s the one who is not just a hearer but a doer. Who is wise among you and all knowledge? Show your conduct by your good works, your meekness. But if you have a bitter spirit, this is not from God - this is from the devil. Where there is envying and strife - there is confusion and every evil work. You see, the Pharisees were very harsh on everyone else. Everyone else did not do what they did - not as holy as they were - and they used their tongues to judge others. But what were they able to do? Raise their hands when praying. They told God - I thank you that you did not make me a sinner like this publican. Somehow they were able to praise God. But as Jesus said - their hearts were far from God. It’s very hard for a person like a Pharisee to see this - that’s why it’s the hardest to have enough love and courage to admonish someone like that. Beloved of the Lord Jesus Christ, as we come before God, may we know how utterly sinful we are. That out of a redeemed heart, we would love one another and seek to help one another and be helped by one another. And to be live our lives to glorify God.

And this leads very naturally to verse 17 - “And whatsoever ye do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God and the Father by him.” If Scripture inhabits us as it should, you will thankfully obey God. You will do all things in the name of Christ. Whatever you do and whatever you say. It is a natural consequence of being in Christ. That our words and deeds, flow out of hearts and minds which are above - fixated on heavenly things, not on earthly. God’s definition of what is heavenly, not ours.

Let me try to link all of this together. The Colossians were growing in faith. But they had false teachers who taught them to follow legalism, ritualism, mysticism. These things fool you into thinking you’re spiritual. But Christ is all you need. He has saved you. And if he has saved you, you need to be holy. You need to put off sin; you need to put on holiness. Whatever you do, in word and deed, you will do for Christ - because you are grateful to him for saving you.

1. Let Christ's Character Govern You

A. Be clothed with attitude of Christ

B. Follow the example of Christ

C. Be governed by the virtues of Christ

2. Let Scripture Inhabit You

A. Wisely instruct and warn other Christians

B. Gratefully worship God

C. Thankfully obey Christ