"Therefore..." 
 
Colossians 3:12-17 " Therefore, as the elect of God, holy and beloved, put on tender mercies, kindness, humility, meekness, longsuffering, bearing with one another and forgiving one another; if anyone has a complaint against another; even as Christ forgave you, so you also must do. But above all these things, put on love, which is the bond of perfection, and let the peace of God rule in your hearts, to which also you were called in one body, and be thankful. Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom, teaching and admonishing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord. And whatever you do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through Him."

I come back to these verses today because l want to understand them better and be blessed by them more. This beautiful description of the character of Christian behavior is rich and deep and is a bottomless reservoir of thirst-quenching refreshment.  Drink with me as l try to plumb its depths.

Whenever a chapter or paragraph of verses begin with the word "Therefore", you must read the preceding verse or verses to find out what the "therefore" is "there for". Whenever l see a "therefore" l know the preceding verses are answering the question of why the author is saying what he is saying. The verse preceding our verses today in Colossians says... "Christ is all and in all"... meaning, He is everything and in each of us. Since that is true, we are the elect of God, holy and true,  because of what He has done for us and can and will do through us. We are elect, holy and true not of ourselves, but because of Him. That is why He can call us to this Christian character He demands, because He will accomplish it. He elects us and makes us holy and true. A great quote says that "God does not call the qualified, He qualifies the called." Enough to consider today, more tomorrow.

In Him,
Pastor Fred