Let The Message About Christ, In All Its Richness, Fill Your Lives
Put Away All Offence
COLOSSIANS 3:12-17
“Therefore, as the elect of God, holy and beloved, put on tender mercies, kindness, humility, meekness, longsuffering; bearing with one another, and forgiving one another, if anyone has a complaint against another; even as Christ forgave you, so you also must do. But above all these things put on love, which is the bond of perfection. And let the peace of God rule in your hearts, to which also you were called in one body; and be thankful. Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom, teaching and admonishing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord. And whatever you do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through Him.
”Colossians 3:12-17 NKJV
https://bible.com/bible/114/col.3.12-17.NKJ
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Since we Spirit filled believers are one body of people of which Christ is the head, it is important that we get along with one another and be respectful to one another, forgiving one another as we walk together in Christ (EPHESIANS 4:11-16).
Paul suggest a strategy to help us live for God on a day to day basis:
To put on tender mercies; being merciful and kind toward one another with a forgiving attitude; showing humility, meekness, longsuffering, and being patient, bearing one another.
Furthermore, we are called to worship together, regularly singing praises to God (HEBREWS 10:25), giving thanks, and studying God’s word together in wisdom, by the leading of the Spirit, admonishing one another (to correct or counsel in a solid, but in a diplomatic, loving, mild or gentle manner).
Therefore, “Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for He who promised is faithful. And let us consider one another in order to stir up love and good works, not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as is the manner of some, but exhorting one another, and so much the more as you see the Day approaching.”
Hebrews 10:23-25 NKJV
My brethren, should you have a complaint against another, forgive him or her as Christ has forgiven you. But above all, put on love which is a duty of care placed upon all believers for all people, and is the bond of perfection, the foundation of our faith and Christian life, for regardless of one’s gifting, understanding, biblical knowledge, faith, or good works or deeds; without love, we are nothing (1 CORINTHIANS 13:1-4).
Problems in our relationships, past and present, wether in or out of the church, are like chains that separate us from God and give Satan access to our souls (our mind, will, and emotions) to demonise, mislead, manipulate, and torment; to bring more division and pain to the rest of the body.
We we cannot go forward in our walk with Christ holding a grudge.
However much one may of have been hurt, he or she must forgive so that your Father in heaven will forgive him (MATHEW 6:15; MARK 11:26).
The very moment you forgive the chains of are broken. You have overcome and are no longer the victim, but the victor.
The chains that tied you to the past sufferings that caused pain and offence over and over are broken, and you are free to move on and be delivered of any other holds the devil might have over you and be healed.
My beloved, who the Son sets free is free indeed (JOHN 8:36).
Furthermore, as the devil loses his grip over one’s life, the peace of God that surpasses all understanding will come upon him or her, and the joy of the Lord will flow as Gods peace guards his or her heart and mind through Christ (PHILIPPIANS 4:6-7), and joy of the Lord shall become his strength (NEHEMIAH 8:10).
He or she will grow and shine for Christ and bring a harvest of good fruits.
No longer will you live in the painful past, but in a glorious and wonderful eternal future.
Forgiveness isn’t always easy, but if we remind ourselves that we have all hurt someone, including God, it shall become easier. We all need forgiveness of our Father.
I encourage you to be confident of your forgiveness by praying a blessing over all those who hurt you, after all, not one of us can truly say, “I have never wronged anyone.” We all need forgiveness from both people and God.
Therefore, follow the example of Christ, and forgive just as our Father forgives.
Forgiveness does not mean you have to like, associate, or allow that person to continue to abuse or become his or her best friend, but rather, you must let go of all revenge and free him or her from the debt of their wrong doings against you.
Christ has paid a high price to free not only you, but all your aggressors too.
Jesus paid it all, and He wants no one to perish, but for all to come to Him in repentance (2 PETER 3:9).
Forgiveness is a choice that sets not just your aggressor free, but even more, it sets you free to be forgiven and live for Jesus (LUKE 6:37), to become an individual, productive part of the body of Christ that can operate in unity with the whole body in love.
Therefore, ““Be angry, and do not sin”: do not let the sun go down on your wrath, nor give place to the devil. Let him who stole steal no longer, but rather let him labor, working with his hands what is good, that he may have something to give him who has need. Let no corrupt word proceed out of your mouth, but what is good for necessary edification, that it may impart grace to the hearers. And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, by whom you were sealed for the day of redemption. Let all bitterness, wrath, anger, clamor, and evil speaking be put away from you, with all malice. And be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God in Christ forgave you.”
Ephesians 4:26-32 NKJV
We are all individual parts of the same body.
“But now indeed there are many members, yet one body. And the eye cannot say to the hand, “I have no need of you”; nor again the head to the feet, “I have no need of you.” No, much rather, those members of the body which seem to be weaker are necessary. And those members of the body which we think to be less honorable, on these we bestow greater honor; and our unpresentable parts have greater modesty, but our presentable parts have no need. But God composed the body, having given greater honor to that part which lacks it, that there should be no schism in the body, but that the members should have the same care for one another. And if one member suffers, all the members suffer with it; or if one member is honored, all the members rejoice with it.”
I Corinthians 12:20-26 NKJV
But we cannot be right with God while in offence or holding a grudge.
When we hold onto offence, we grieve the the Holy Spirit, and He retreats from the flesh and remains quietly within one’s spirit working from within to convict repentance and change.
It feels like we are alone in the wilderness, like He has left us, but Jesus will never leaves us orphans (JOHN 14:18).
When saved, His Holy Spirit joined our spirit (1 CORINTHIANS 6:17).
“For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, these are sons of God. For you did not receive the spirit of bondage again to fear, but you received the Spirit of adoption by whom we cry out, “Abba, Father.” The Spirit Himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God, and if children, then heirs—heirs of God and joint heirs with Christ, if indeed we suffer with Him, that we may also be glorified together.”
Romans 8:14-17 NKJV
The Holy Spirit leads us to do good works in Christ, and out of the belly/ heart shall flow rivers of living waters as He manifests Himself through our flesh (JOHN 7:38).
But when one grieves the Spirit with sin or offence, He retreats from the flesh and the process of conviction starts quietly from within.
The conviction to repent can feel like condemnation when pride is allowed to rule, when we refuse to take responsibility for our actions.
But “There is therefore now no condemnation to those who are in Christ Jesus, who do not walk according to the flesh, but according to the Spirit.”
Romans 8:1 NKJV
Jesus doesn’t condemn and nor should the congregation, but through loving discipline, led by the Spirit, and His work within, He convicts change.
My beloved, love is a weapon of mass destruction against the enemy.
Therefore my beloved, take heed of Jesus words. ““Judge not, that you be not judged. For with what judgment you judge, you will be judged; and with the measure you use, it will be measured back to you. And why do you look at the speck in your brother’s eye, but do not consider the plank in your own eye? Or how can you say to your brother, ‘Let me remove the speck from your eye’; and look, a plank is in your own eye? Hypocrite! First remove the plank from your own eye, and then you will see clearly to remove the speck from your brother’s eye. “Do not give what is holy to the dogs; nor cast your pearls before swine, lest they trample them under their feet, and turn and tear you in pieces.”
Matthew 7:1-6 NKJV
We are all responsible for our own salvation (PHILIPPIANS 2:12).
Therefore live right with God, “And whatever you do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through Him.”
Colossians 3:17 NKJV
All glory to God forever and ever! Amen.
