Simply the Bible Blog

“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 whatever grievances you may have against one another. Forgive as the Lord forgave you.” (Colossians 3:12-13, NIV)

Yesterday we saw that when we receive Christ the Holy Spirit comes inside to “clean house”, ridding us of the junk of the old life—anger, rage, malice, slander and filthy language. But He doesn’t stop there; He wants to give us an extreme makeover!

It begins with the blueprint that God has chosen us in Christ from the foundation of the world to be holy and dearly loved. He builds us according to His eternal plan. I don’t know what it would be like to be born into a royal family, but I would imagine that it would affect every part of your life. The clothes you wear, the company you keep, and your entire persona would all be managed with the utmost care. If that is true of earthly royalty, then how much more is it true of heavenly royalty? As His dearly loved children, God clothes us with the majestic attributes of compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience.

Think how attractive these qualities are. Consider the compassionate ones, who suffer with us in our trials and truly identify with the pain we suffer. How lovely are those who show us kindness. What beauty we find in humility and gentleness. What a blessing it is when others are patient with us. And how we all love to be freely forgiven when we have caused offense. Are these things not the characteristics of Christ? If we are blessed to receive them, then we are even more blessed to give them to others.

If the Holy Spirit has cleaned your house, then He will also redecorate it with these new furnishings. But as with the housecleaning, you must cooperate with Him. You must choose to abide in Christ and His word and let the Holy Spirit have His way in you. You must daily choose to deny self and live after the Spirit.

If your house has been showing signs of wear, frustration, unbelief, bitterness, pride or contention, then ask God to give you an extreme makeover! He’ll haul off the old junk and bring in the new fine furnishings. And you’ll be the most beautiful home there is: a new creation in Christ!