You are the elect of God

"Therefore, as the elect of God, holy and beloved, put on tender mercies, kindness, humility, meekness, longsuffering; 13bearing with one another, and forgiving one another, if anyone has a complaint against another; even as Christ forgave you, so you also must do."                              Colossians 3:12-13   NKJV

Bob Gass wrote: 'It's much simpler to act like a Christian than it is to react like one. Anybody can put on an act. But your reactions expose what is really in the heart. And if you love God with all your heart, you won't merely act like it. You will react like it.'

                                                                                                            ©2023 Bob Gass

Striong words but, they have to be. This is a serious subject, this is why Paul wrote that we are the elect of God, holy and beloved. This is what He thinks of us and He trusts us to live like this every single day. Therefore, we need to adopt and practice diligently every form of relational righteousness; love, compassion, humble attitudes, self-giving behaviour, freely flowing forgiveness and patience with others.

Notice in the latter part of our text today, it says: "if anyone has a complaint against another; even as Christ forgave you, so you also must do."  We can't get away from the fact that we need to forgive people just like God forgives us. If we don't forgive people when they have wronged us, why should Jesus forgive us for our wrongdoings? Yes people hurt us but, we hurt them also, remember that. When we don't forgive we live with the misery of living with unforgiveness in our hearts, and this lasts longer than the pain of the offence - always! When we hold on to resentment, we open the door to depression and physical illness. We stumble around carrying a great baggage of wrongs done to us. At every opportunity we try to bring into a conversation what wrong someone has done to us and people can feel the bitterness that comes from our presence. This is not living as the elect of God - holy and beloved. Empty the bag at the dump and be free from it forever more. Otherwise it is destroying your walk with God.

Picture all of this on a white board and then, wipe it all off never to be seen again. Say out loud, 'I will remember this no more. It is finished.' And then move on with your life, holy and beloved.

Copyright 2025 Grahame Howard. 

If you don't know Jesus or, have fallen away, why not say this prayer right now
Lord Jesus, I have sinned. I ask you to forgive me and be my Lord and Saviour. Please come into my heart, fill me with Your Spirit and give me a brand new start today. In Jesus' Name. Amen.
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If you would like to contact me, grahame.howard@hotmail.co.uk

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