LET CHRIST RULE IN YOUR HEARTS

Passage: Colossians 3:12-17

Key verse: 3:15

NIV

12 Therefore, as God’s chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves(A) with compassion, kindness, humility,(B) gentleness and patience.(C) 13 Bear with each other(D) and forgive one another if any of you has a grievance against someone. Forgive as the Lord forgave you.(E) 14 And over all these virtues put on love,(F) which binds them all together in perfect unity.(G)

15 Let the peace of Christ(H) rule in your hearts, since as members of one body(I) you were called to peace.(J) And be thankful. 16 Let the message of Christ(K) dwell among you richly as you teach and admonish one another with all wisdom(L) through psalms,(M) hymns, and songs from the Spirit, singing to God with gratitude in your hearts.(N) 17 And whatever you do,(O) whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks(P) to God the Father through him.

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Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV® Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.
Source: BibleGateway

ESV

12 (A)Put on then, as (B)God's chosen ones, holy and beloved, (C)compassionate hearts, (D)kindness, (E)humility, meekness, and patience, 13 (F)bearing with one another and, (G)if one has a complaint against another, (H)forgiving each other; (I)as the Lord has forgiven you, so you also must forgive. 14 And above all these put on (J)love, which (K)binds everything together in (L)perfect harmony. 15 And let (M)the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, to which indeed you were called (N)in one body. And (O)be thankful. 16 Let (P)the word of Christ dwell in you richly, teaching and admonishing one another in all wisdom, (Q)singing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, (R)with thankfulness in your hearts to God. 17 And (S)whatever you do, in word or deed, do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus, (T)giving thanks to God the Father through him.

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The Holy Bible, English Standard Version. ESV® Text Edition: 2016. Copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers.
Source: BibleGateway

First, clothe yourselves with love (12-14). Now as God's chosen people, holy and dearly loved, we must take off our old self. Instead we should put on Jesus with his compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience. We should bear with each other forgiving one another as the Lord forgave us. Over all these virtues we must put on love (1 Cor 13:1-4), which binds them all together in perfect unity. Second, let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts (15-17). Once we had no peace with God, no peace with each other. But by Jesus' reconciliation, we became members of one body called to be peace- makers. When the peace and message of Christ rule and dwell among us richly, we can teach and admonish one another through psalms, singing to God, always giving thanks to God. Most of all whatever we do, we should do it all in the name of Jesus and for his glory.

Prayer: Lord, let me put on Jesus and let the peace of Jesus rule in my heart! Let his message dwell in me so that whatever I do, I may do for his glory in Jesus' name!

One Word: Do it all in Jesus' name!