AT RHW WE PUBLISH A NEW COLUMN EACH FRIDAY. WE’RE GOING THROUGH FOUR SPECIFIC STUDIES WITH EACH SERIES BEING PUBLISHED ON A DESIGNATED WEEK OF THE MONTH.

In THE NEW LIFE series we’re studying one of my favorite chapters in the Bible: Colossians 3:1-17. As you will see this is a rich chapter full of valuable life transforming lessons. Join me on the third Friday of each month in 2020 for this in-depth Bible study with real world applications.

Since God chose you to be the holy people He loves, you must clothe yourselves with tenderhearted mercy, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience. Make allowance for each other’s faults, and forgive anyone who offends you. Remember, the Lord forgave you, so you must forgive others. ~ Colossians 3:12-13

As God’s chosen and beloved people we must live in a way that honors our individual value and what Christ has done for us. After all this new life wouldn’t be possible without Christ’s death and resurrection.

Loving Virtues

With our new life wardrobe we are clothed with the virtues of mercy, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience, given to us through Jesus Christ. Wearing these virtues ables us to bear other’s burdens and forgive their flaws. This allows opportunities to truly show the love of Christ in our everyday life.

Our lives are called to be a response to God’s self-giving love. Every good thing we do in this life — love, forgive, serve — is merely an echo of the love of God. ~ James Bryan Smith

Forgiven to Forgive

When we accept God’s forgiveness we too must be willing to forgive others. With those who are difficult to forgive we may need to meditate on the fact that because Christ has forgiven me completely, I must in turn forgive.

It’s important to stress here forgiveness doesn’t require continuing a relationship with someone who is toxic to be around. At this point we must forgive them, pray for and love them through Christ from a distance.

Beloved Chosen

Sometimes it’s easy to love and forgive others but somehow we can’t do the same for ourselves. For whatever reason we feel unworthy or not good enough to be called God’s beloved. No matter what we believe about ourselves God’s love for us is unstoppable!

YOU ARE THE BELOVED OF GOD!

There is nothing in our present or future circumstances that can weaken his love. There is no power above us or beneath us—no power that could ever be found in the universe that can distance us from God’s passionate love, which is lavished upon us through our Lord Jesus, the Anointed One! ~ Romans 8:38-39