“Religion tells you what to do. Jesus tells you who you are. When you know who you are, you know what to do.”
Alan Caplin
I came across this quote this past week when I was in the middle of studying Colossians 3:5-17. I couldn’t help thinking what a perfect summary it was of what is written in the passage. In verse 12, Paul reminds us who we are. We are “chosen of God, holy and beloved.” Did you catch that?
Chosen.
Holy.
Beloved.
When you hear those words . . . when you let them sink deep into your soul, the actions that described our old selves no longer ring true. Fleshly behavior like sexual immorality, evil desire, greed, idolatry, anger, malice, obscene speech–these should no longer define us. They are dead.
Instead, we are now clothed in the very image of Christ. Compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness, patience, forbearance, forgiveness–these are the actions of a Christian. These are the actions of Christ. With Christ as our identity, we now know what to do. Our lives reflect the reality of our new position in Christ. We’ve been freed from our old bonds of sin to live lives filled with love, joy, peace and gratitude.
Equip Her 