This episode includes me testifying of my fruitless search for love in drugs, sex and the flesh. Today, I have "put off" those vices and have "put on" the love of Christ. The apostle Paul wrote: "Put on therefore, as the elect of God, holy and beloved, bowels of mercy, 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 [the flesh] put on charity [agape love], which is the bond of perfectness" (Colossians 3:12-14, KJV, emphasis added). These verses, and those preceding them, say we are to "put on" these things as Christians. In verse 10, it says we ". . . have put on the new man," since the old man has been done away with in Christ. This new man has been regenerated in the image of God. "Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new" (2 Corinthians 5:17, KJV).
In Colossians 3:12, quoted above, Paul says that we are to "Put on, therefore, as the elect of God, holy and beloved . . ." We are the elect of God, holy and beloved; separated from the world. When we experience this, we begin to act differently. We become humble, patient, merciful, kind and forgiving; when we weren't before. Paul goes on to say, "And above all these things put on charity, which is the bond of perfectness" (v. 14). "Bond" is the Greek word for "ligament." Our born-again Spirit has been made perfect in Christ, and our soul [mind, choices and emotions] is the "ligament" to our bodily actions. We are to "put on charity," which is the Greek word "agape", unconditional, sacrificial love. The ancient Greek word translated "put on" in these verses is used elsewhere in Scripture to mean the putting on of garments. In other words, we are to wear God's love like clothing; as a covering for everyone to see and experience. As the chorus goes, "They will know we are Christians by our love, by our love; yes, they will know we are Christians by our love." Our love defines us and shows we are perfect in Christ. Selah! [See my article and brochure, "God's Divine Flow" at aboundinglove.org/outreach/gospel].
Let me hear from you - Charles
https://www.aboundinglove.org/
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