Dear Christian friends:

St. Paul asked the Christians at Colosia, "Why do you live like the people of this world?" Christians should live in a different new way; not the same as unbelievers. Paul wrote this letter to them to remind them that they are a new different people and should walk in a new and different way through this sinful world.

I think we need to get reminded about that, too. If we think like the world and do like the world are we Christians? Can we influence them to change if we are the same? Maybe we, too, live like the people of this world. Here Paul shows:


He reminds them that God has chosen them out of this world to be His people. "Therefore, as God's chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience. (Colossians 3:12) "But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, God's special possession, that you may declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light. Once you were not a people, but now you are the people of God; once you had not received mercy, but now you have received mercy." (1 Peter 2:9-10)

The world is in "darkness", sin-ignorant of God. Their hearts are proud and greedy, full of jealousy and hatred. If they obey the law, they do it because they don't want to get caught and punished. They don't do good because they love God or their neighbor. Their spirit is dead. Out of that terrible darkness of sin, God has called you and chosen you.

Before you did not know God's mercy, but now you have received His mercy through Jesus Christ His Son, our Savior. By baptism, by the Good News of Jesus God's Spirit has come into your hearts, and you have awakened to God. He gave you new birth and new life by forgiving all your sins. Now you are His people, and if you are His people, you want to be good and kind like He is and like Jesus showed us.

We love God and are eager to learn His Commandments and obey. We obey unlike the world. If you are His, you will want to serve Him. They don't like His Commandments and often argue against them. If they happen to obey, they do it only because of pride to show off or because they don't want to get punished.

But God's people obey because they love God and their neighbor. They know God's Commandments are good and wise and gladly obey. True, we still have our old sinful heart. The Bible calls that our "old Adam" or "flesh". Our old Adam is like the world's heart, it hates God's ways. It lusts against the new man in us. And although we know it is wrong, we often do sin like the world.

So Paul says in Colossians 3:5-10, "Put to death, therefore, whatever belongs to your earthly nature: sexual immorality, impurity, lust, evil desires and greed, which is idolatry. Because of these, the wrath of God is coming. You used to walk in these ways, in the life you once lived. But now you must also rid yourselves of all such things as these: anger, rage, malice, slander, and filthy language from your lips. Do not lie to each other, since you have taken off your old self with its practices and have put on the new self, which is being renewed in knowledge in the image of its Creator."

So daily with God's help by confessing our sins and hating our sins and trusting in Jesus for forgiveness we take off the old sinful self and put on the new self. Our New Self fights against the old. We resist and do not give up to temptations.

God's Word helps us. Yes, only God's Spirit can fight and keep the New Self alive and strong in us. So Paul says in Colossians 3:16-17, "Let the message of Christ dwell among you richly as you teach and admonish one another with all wisdom through psalms, hymns, and songs from the Spirit, singing to God with gratitude in your hearts. And whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him."

Use God's Word daily at home, Portals of Prayer. Come to Circle Meetings. I'm thankful to God because many of you are coming. Come to church here where we admonish and encourage one another to be God's people and walk in His holy ways.

In Colossians 3:12-15 Paul tells what we do when we walk in the New Life: "Therefore, as God's chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience. Bear with each other and forgive one another if any of you has a grievance against someone. Forgive as the Lord forgave you. And over all these virtues put on love, which binds them all together in perfect unity. Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, since as members of one body you were called to peace. And be thankful."

Walking in the New Life:

1. Compassion: Weep with those who weep and be happy with those who are happy.

2. Kindness and humility: Remember you too are a sinner and need God's mercy and forgiveness. Don't think you are better than others.

3. Gentleness: Careful with new members, young people and children. If you must correct someone about their wrong.

4. Patience: "Rome wasn't built in a day." Wait for people to improve. Wait for God to act. He will when He is ready. Don't quit or give up.

5. Forebearing one another: Don't get angry. Give up to the other. Let the other person have his way.

6. If complaint one against the other "forgive": as the Lord has forgiven you, so you also must forgive. 5th Petition of the Lord's Pray.

7. Love: Above all love one another. This is the golden chain which ties marriage, family and churches together. Show care and respect for the other person. Don't call him member. Call him brother or her sister or friend.

8. Let peace of Christ rule in your hearts: Don't fight and quarrel like unbelievers but practice the things we have explained before and peace and unity will be in your home and here in the church.

9. Thankful and happy: Always celebrate, for we have a very wonderful God. He has already done wonderful things for us and He promises to do more wonderful things for us in the future.

10. Thank Him: Sing and shout Hallelujah! He he has given us new life in Jesus Christ and that new life has begun and will never die. By baptism we are joined with Jesus in His death and by baptism we are joined with Him in His new life. We shall live forever with Him.

Amen.