“Since God chose you to be the holy people he loves, you must clothe yourselves with tenderhearted mercy, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience. Make allowance for each other’s faults, and forgive anyone who offends you. Remember, the Lord forgave you, so you must forgive others. Above all, clothe yourselves with love, which binds us all together in perfect harmony.”
Colossians 3:12-14 NLT
Christian’s are called to be like Christ. This likeness is expressed in two basic ways. The first is in Christ’s relationship with the Father. This is revealed in some of his teaching and the rest in scripture. The description of the Fruit of the Spirit, for example, is really a description of the quality of interaction between the Father and the Son. The second way it’s revealed is in his historical life and his work on earth. Christian’s are called to adopt his attributes in our behavior and mindsets. Therefore, there is, thankfully, a decent list by which we can measure our discipleship success. Being a Christian is not simply a catch all idea that can be molded into any form. It is a static idea that already has a form and standard. To some this seems restrictive and toxic, but men are made to serve something. With Jesus, we have a clear understanding of whom we serve. We can know that benefits of submission to him produce quality interactions that benefit everyone. We should be thankful for such clarity in who we ought to be. Christ is a blessing in the most exhaustive way. “Putting him on,” not only frees us from the cruel slavery of sinful and self, but naturally extends blessings to those whom we love.
JOSH McGARY. COM 