Bible Society of South Africa
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Forgiveness
Forgiveness – Day 20
Ds Hein Barnard

Forgiveness – Day 20

The result of focussing on the important things that God wants us to focus on, is that we can live a new life (1-4). Verses 5-11 deal with what the old life was, where Paul made it clear that this is not how God wants us to live.

Bible text(s)

12You are the people of God; he loved you and chose you for his own. So then, you must clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience. 13Be tolerant with one another and forgive one another whenever any of you has a complaint against someone else. You must forgive one another just as the Lord has forgiven you. 14And to all these qualities add love, which binds all things together in perfect unity. 15The peace that Christ gives is to guide you in the decisions you make; for it is to this peace that God has called you together in the one body. And be thankful. 16Christ's message in all its richness must live in your hearts. Teach and instruct each other with all wisdom. Sing psalms, hymns, and sacred songs; sing to God with thanksgiving in your hearts. 17Everything you do or say, then, should be done in the name of the Lord Jesus, as you give thanks through him to God the Father.

Colossians 3:12-17GNBOpen in Bible reader

Forgiveness in the Pauline Epistles – 2

Paul started in verse 12 with how the new life in Christ would look like.  This matches the new identity and the new relationship we are part of – children of God.  Part of our new identity is our forgiving spirit.  Christ set the example on the cross (Luke 23:34) and taught us in the Lord’s Prayer to indefinitely forgive, as we have been indefinitely, perfectly forgiven.  We are mindful of how often we sinned and received forgiveness.  Therefore, we do it with love, experiencing the peace of Christ with gratefulness.

Bible Society of South Africav.4.18.7
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