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. 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.
Colossians 3:12-15
When you see the word, "therefore," then ask why it is therefore, what is pointing so I understand this word and how it applies to me. Well, therefore: "put on," the Greek word: ενδύσασθε: second person plural, aorist 1, imperative, middle voice, and carries the meaning to put as putting on clothes, to invest, to array, even to be invested with spiritual gifts, or graces or character. First it is a command, in the middle voice so that it has meaning for a person(s), it is plural, so all Christians are commanded to "put on," what then is to be put on? Why is this so important? Well, you as a Christian are "elect of God," and this is very important for you did not choose God, He chose you, elected you and this is for you to be holy, beloved and have the character of God, His Son Jesus Christ in which you are to become His image. God's elect are to full of compassion, kindness, humility, meekness, long-suffering, bearing with one another, and forgiving each other. When should this occur: the word is aorist1 and so a good translation is: you having put on, a thing that occurred in the past, not just for something that will come, albeit it does get pragmatically better as it is used, but all this should have become part of a person who is one of God's elect.
Do you have a complaint against a brother? Is that complaint due to that person promoting heresy, or living in a sin that God has revealed is a sin? If not, then, why do you still have that complaint? Are you not, as one of God's elect, to forgive? "...forgiving each other, if any man have a quarrel against any; even as Christ forgave you, so also do ye" (Colossians 3:13). The person who will not forgive has become a slave to the other person who may or may not know that you are angry with him or her and you suffer due to this complaint being not satisfied, forgiven as Christ has forgave you. How many Christians desire perfection and are not able to find it as they are looking to something they are doing, i.e., teaching Sunday School, going to seminars by those who are, (in most cases) teaching the Bible, as though this is a way to perfection: it is not! Christian are to add the love (literal Greek translation for the word for "the" is present meaning that it is not just "love" it is "άγάπην" and has the meaning of a love that has value, esteem, to feel or manifest generous concern for (someone), or to be faithful towards (someone), to be kind, devoted, to be worthy of love. Do you want love? Then love, not just brotherly love, a separate Greek word for brotherly love is in English: Philw, as in Philadelphia, that has two Greek word, one a love between friends and a brotherly love.
Do you want peace? Yes! Then put on what has been outlined by Paul above, and most important put on the love of God, a love that is principled and then the peace of God, not just peace, but the peace of God will preside in your hearts. Out of the heart comes what a man is, says, and does, so if you want to be as what God has said you are, an elect of God, then these words are not suggestions, they are the commands of God. Now you were called to in one body, and thankful. How can you be thankful if you are not living up to what you are: an elected person of God?
I am not here in this blog debating what many are debating: what, when, why, where, and how, a person is called "elect." What I am doing is simply quoting from the Greek writing of Paul to the Colossians and noting that God calls His children the elect and is so then you are called by God holy, and beloved. Now pass this on by putting on what the elect are to wear. Paul just outlined some very important things in this regard, not as a suggestion, but as a command.
I have a hunch: there are blessing in store for God's elect.
...as long as I have life within me,
the breath of God in my nostrils,
my lips will not speak wickedness,
and my tongue will utter no deceit.
Job 27:3
Live as what you are: God's elect
Richard L. Crumb
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