Commentary - Colossians 3:12-17

Bird's-eye view

In this portion of Colossians, Paul moves from the high theological realities of our position in Christ (vv. 1-4) and the mortification of our old man (vv. 5-11) to the practical outworking of our new life. This is not a shift from doctrine to ethics, as though the two were separable. Rather, this is the necessary fruit of sound doctrine. Because we have been raised with Christ, we must now put on the character of Christ. This passage is a glorious wardrobe for the Christian soul. We are to get dressed, and the clothes are provided for us. Paul lays out a series of virtues that are to characterize the believer, culminating in love, which he calls the "perfect bond of unity." This new way of life is to be governed by the peace of Christ, fueled by the Word of Christ, and expressed in constant thankfulness to God the Father through Jesus Christ. It is a comprehensive vision for the Christian life, lived out in community.

The logic is straightforward: you are the elect of God, holy and beloved, therefore you must live like it. Your identity determines your activity. The indicative (what you are) grounds the imperative (what you do). This is the consistent pattern of Pauline ethics. He doesn't give us a list of rules to follow in order to become Christians. He tells us who we are in Christ, and then commands us to become what we already are. The entire passage breathes with the air of the gospel. The forgiveness we extend is modeled on the forgiveness we received. The peace we enjoy is the peace of Christ Himself. The songs we sing are filled with the word of Christ. Everything flows from Him, through Him, and to Him.

Outline

Context In Colossians

This passage is the positive counterpart to the preceding section (Col 3:5-11). There, Paul commanded the Colossians to "put to death" the deeds of the flesh and "put off" the old self with its sinful practices. Having stripped off the grave clothes of the old life, the believer is not to remain naked. He is to be clothed with the virtues of the new man, which is being renewed in knowledge after the image of its creator (Col 3:10). This section, then, provides the content of that new life. It is a life lived in community ("one another"), characterized by forgiveness, ruled by peace, saturated with the Word, and overflowing with thankfulness. It is the practical outworking of being "risen with Christ."

Verse-by-Verse Commentary

v. 12 So, as the elect of God, holy and beloved, put on a heart of compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience;

Paul begins with the foundation, which is our identity in Christ. He calls the believers "the elect of God, holy and beloved." These are not titles we earn through our virtue; they are the source of our virtue. Because God has chosen you, set you apart, and loves you, you are therefore commanded to act in a certain way. The "so" or "therefore" is crucial. Christian ethics are always gospel ethics. The imperative flows from the indicative. And what are we to do? We are to "put on" a new set of clothes. This is the language of baptism; in baptism we put on Christ (Gal. 3:27). Here, Paul unpacks what it looks like to wear Christ. The first garment is a "heart of compassion." The old versions had "bowels of mercies," which is a more literal rendering of the Greek. It points to a deep, gut-level empathy for others. This is followed by kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience. These are not just external actions, but dispositions of the heart. This is the character of Jesus Himself, and we are to be clothed in it.

v. 13 bearing with one another, and graciously forgiving each other, whoever has a complaint against anyone, just as the Lord graciously forgave you, so also should you.

Here we see the new wardrobe in action, specifically in the context of community. Life in a fallen world, even within the church, will involve friction. People will have complaints against one another. The Christian response is not to demand our rights or to harbor bitterness. It is to "bear with one another." This means putting up with the foibles and failings of our brothers and sisters. But it goes further than mere tolerance. We are to "graciously forgive each other." The standard for our forgiveness is God's forgiveness of us in Christ. "Just as the Lord graciously forgave you." How did He forgive us? Completely, freely, and at great cost to Himself. This is the pattern for our forgiveness. It is not optional. If you are a Christian, you have been forgiven an infinite debt. You are therefore obligated to forgive the petty debts others owe you. To refuse to forgive is to demonstrate that you have not truly understood or received the grace of God yourself.

v. 14 Above all these things put on love, which is the perfect bond of unity.

After listing the individual garments, Paul points to the one that holds them all together: love. Love is the outer garment, the sash or belt that binds everything else in place. You can have kindness and humility, but without love, they become a clanging cymbal. Love is the "perfect bond of unity." It is what holds the church together. Without love, our communities will fly apart at the seams. This love is not a sentimental feeling, but a rugged, covenantal commitment to seek the good of the other, no matter the cost. It is the love with which Christ loved us and gave Himself for us. This is the supreme virtue of the Christian life.

v. 15 And let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, to which indeed you were called in one body, and be thankful.

Having been clothed in love, the Christian's inner life is to be governed by a particular authority. The "peace of Christ" is to "rule" in our hearts. The word for "rule" here is an athletic term, meaning to act as an umpire or referee. When conflicts arise, when decisions must be made, the peace of Christ is to have the final say. This is not our subjective feeling of peace, but the objective peace that Christ made through the blood of His cross (Col. 1:20). We were called into this peace "in one body." The peace of Christ is not just for individual tranquility, but for corporate harmony. And the result of being ruled by this peace? Thankfulness. A heart governed by the peace of Christ will be a grateful heart. The two go together.

v. 16 Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly, with all wisdom teaching and admonishing one another with psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with gratefulness in your hearts to God.

If the peace of Christ is the umpire, the "word of Christ" is the rulebook. The Word is to "dwell" in us. Not just visit on Sundays, but take up permanent residence. And it is to dwell "richly," meaning in abundance. This rich indwelling of the Word equips us for ministry to one another. We are to be "teaching and admonishing one another." This is a corporate activity. The primary way this happens, according to Paul here, is through our singing. "Psalms and hymns and spiritual songs." Our worship is not just vertical, directed to God; it is also horizontal, a means by which we instruct and warn one another. And this singing is to be done with "gratefulness in your hearts to God." Notice the recurring theme of thankfulness. A church saturated in the Word will be a singing church and a thankful church.

v. 17 And whatever you do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through Him.

Paul concludes this section with a comprehensive principle that covers all of life. "Whatever you do." There is no sacred/secular divide for the Christian. Every area of life, whether "word or deed," is to be brought under the lordship of Christ. We are to do everything "in the name of the Lord Jesus." This means acting as His representatives, according to His will, and for His glory. It means that the checkout line at the grocery store, the conversation with a neighbor, and the changing of a diaper can all be acts of worship. And how is this possible? By "giving thanks to God the Father through Him." Once again, thanksgiving is the fuel for a life lived to the glory of God. A thankful heart recognizes that everything is a gift from God, and therefore seeks to use everything for the Giver's glory. This is the capstone of Christian ethics: a life of all-encompassing, Christ-centered, thankful obedience.

Application

The application of this text is as broad as life itself. First, we must take our identity seriously. You are the elect of God, holy and beloved. Meditate on that. Let it sink into your bones. Your standing before God is not based on your performance, but on His gracious choice. This is the foundation for all Christian living.

Second, we must be intentional about getting dressed every morning. We must consciously "put on" compassion, kindness, humility, and the rest. This is not automatic. It requires diligence and dependence on the Spirit. It means we must be active in putting to death the old patterns of sin and actively cultivating the new patterns of righteousness.

Third, we must make forgiveness a central practice in our lives and in our church. We cannot let bitterness take root. We must be quick to forgive, remembering the immense debt that we have been forgiven. This is non-negotiable for Christian community.

Finally, we must cultivate a culture of thankfulness. This passage is shot through with it. Thankfulness is the antidote to grumbling, bitterness, and entitlement. A thankful heart is a heart that is rightly oriented to God. So, let the peace of Christ rule, let the word of Christ dwell richly, and in everything, give thanks. Do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, and you will find that even the most mundane aspects of your life become charged with eternal significance.