Colossians 3:9-14

⁹Do not lie to each other, since you have taken off your old self with its practices ¹⁰and have put on the new self, which is being renewed in knowledge in the image of its Creator. ¹¹Here there is no Greek or Jew, circumcised or uncircumcised, barbarian, Scythian, slave or free, but Christ is all, and is in all. ¹²Therefore, as God's chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience. ¹³Bear with each other and forgive whatever grievances you may have against one another. Forgive as the Lord forgave you. ¹⁴And over all these virtues put on love, which binds them all together in perfect unity.

In v10, when Paul speaks of the new self, he is speaking of the character of God, which arguably, is what it means for us to be made in the image of God. Thus Paul adds that this “new self” is “being renewed in knowledge in the image of its Creator” (v10). In a parallel passage, Paul writes, “You were taught, with regard to your former way of life, to put off your old self, which is being corrupted by its deceitful desires; to be made new in the attitude of your minds; and to put on the new self, created to be like God in true righteousness and holiness” (Ephesians 4:22-24). The procedure deals with spiritual knowledge, attention, and attitude, thus it is decidedly intellectual and intentional. True spirituality is a product of an application of sound theology by the Holy Spirit through education and exercising of the intellect, which is then transferred to the heart from the mind, a progressive internal transformation. When Jesus said, “I am making all things new,” He is speaking of recreation in the sense of restoration – and it starts with the hearts and minds, the character, of His people (Romans 12:1-2). And this process, rightly described as sanctification, happens “naturally” as the believers grows “in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. To Him be glory both now and forever. Amen” (2 Peter 3:18).

In v11, Paul points out the unity of all kinds of people in Christ. The false teachers were causing cultural division, which is anti-Christ, who “is all and is in all.” A Barbarian was simply a person who did not speak Greek, and thus was deemed uncivilized. A Scythian was the Barbarian’s barbarian. They were outcasts, a group of uncultured slaves from the Black Sea area. The distinction of slave and free is important, especially in this letter, which was likely delivered by Tychicus and Onesimus, the former slave of Philemon, along with Paul’s letter to Philemon, who was from Colosse. But Paul includes the union of various social positions, as those social classes enabled Christian love to cross all boundaries per Christ’s example. But this congregational unity only works when the people embrace the call to individual growth in righteousness by the word of God. That was Jesus’ prayer, and so it’s something that God must do in us, in His Church.

V12-14 are a summary of Christian obligations to one another. Paul says that the Colossians, a small group of Christians from mixed people groups, are “God’s chosen people, holy and dearly loved.” They have no need to fear cosmic powers, since God has a firm grasp on them. He chose them before creation, loved them beyond measure, and even predestined them to be holy, conformed to the image of His Son (Romans 8:29). What a difference from what they were! Consider the “But God” of Ephesians 2:4. Paul explains what they ought to do since that is the case. He lists 5 inseparable “virtues” (v14) – compassion, which is an emotional caring relationship with those who are hurting, kindness, which readiness to do relational good, even when undeserved, humility, which is simply lowliness and servanthood, gentleness or meekness, which includes non-coercive efforts to better the lives of others, especially spiritually, and patience, which is a willingness to bear with human frailty in hope (forbearance) – that are all interwoven fruits of the Holy Spirit united by love. When the Holy Spirit works in people, these are some of the qualities we see in them.

V13-14 are tied closely to Paul’s teaching in Ephesians 4:32-5:2. The new man can forgive others as the Lord forgives (v13), and can exercise a love that binds the people of God “in perfect unity” (v14). Vincent Cheung says, “Therefore, on the basis of our new ‘vertical’ relationship with God, now we may live out this true spirituality in our ‘horizontal’ relationship with men.” Impressively, our forbearance, forgiveness, and love are grounded in the redemptive pattern of Christ’s love. And this continues into the relational aspects of life as well. We’ll talk more about that in a minute. But again it is love (charity) that binds all the virtues Paul mentions together in perfect unity. Individually taken, the virtues are not virtues; love unites with them to make them virtues. Virtues are built up under love, which is the bond of perfection.