March 12, 2014
The Character of a Child of God
In Paul’s beautiful letter to the church at Colossae, he writes this set of instructions for every child of God. It speaks to the heart of our Christian character:
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. — Col. 3:12-15
First of all I want you to remember these superlatives as they are describe how God sees you today:
You are called the elect of God. Now that’s a special designation. In other words He has chosen you, He has appointed you, He has elected you to be His representative on the earth and the possessor of His kingdom because of your faith in His Son Jesus Christ. When you gave your heart to the Lord you became the elect of God. No one else other than a believer in Christ can claim that title.
You are also called holy because you have been set apart to Him. That’s what holy means, one who is separate from the world. The apostle John spoke of this separateness like this:
Do not love the world or the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. For all that is in the world—the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life—is not of the Father but is of the world. And the world is passing away, and the lust of it; but he who does the will of God abides forever. — 1 John 2:15-17
He calls you beloved. You are His beloved, because of what His Son did for everyone of us on the cross.
Because God so loved the world (and right there you can insert your name) that He gave His only begotten Son, so that whoever believes in Him shall not perish but have everlasting life (John 3:16).
Now here are the character traits that one who is” the elect of God, holy and beloved” should possess. Just listen carefully and ask yourself today, does this describe me?
Tender mercies . . . kindness . . . humility . . . meekness. . . lonsuffering . . . bearing and forgiving one another . . . putting on love which is the bond of perfection.
Now I know that’s a tall order. I also know we miss the mark from time to time. But I also know that God will help us be exactly like that if we’ll let him.
Now to Him who is able to do exceedingly abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that works in us, 21 to Him be glory in the church by Christ Jesus to all generations, forever and ever. Amen.
— Eph. 3:20-21
— Pastor Don Kimbro
Nuggets of Truth is a daily devotional to help us walk closer with God and to know Him better.
