“Therefore, as the elect of God, holy and beloved, put on tender mercies, kindness, humility, meekness, longsuffering.”  Colossians 3:12
 
This is the first verse of Colossians 3:12-18 where Scripture is speaking of putting on the ‘new man’.  Look at our opening verse!  It is so full of who the Believer is in Christ that it can take your breath away.  Just look at ‘elect of God’ ‘holy’ ‘beloved’ followed by attributes of God that we are to put on!   Believer: a new man in Christ!  Let’s see what Scripture tells of these things.
 
*‘elect of God’  Elect: chosen!
When they asked concerning the end of the age, Jesus tells His disciples of the tribulation and He assures them,
“And unless those days were shortened, no flesh would be saved, but for the elect’s sake those days will be shortened.”  Matthew 24:22
And Vs. 31 says,
“And He will send His angels with a great sound of a trumpet, and they will gather together His elect from the four winds, from one end of the heavens to the other.” 
(Read the parallel verses in Mark 13:20, 22, 27 and Luke 18:7)
 
Romans 8:33-39 assures us of victory,  
“Who shall bring a charge against God’s elect?  It is God who justifies. Who is he who condemns?  It is Christ who died and further more is risen, who is even at the right hand of God, who also makes intercession for us.’  Vs. 33-34
 
Ephesians 1:4
“Just as He (God) chose us in Him (Jesus) before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before Him in love.”
 
Paul to the Thessalonians 2:13-14,
“But we are bound to give thanks to God always for you, brethren beloved of the Lord, because God from the beginning chose you for salvation through sanctification by the Spirit and belief in the truth to which He called you…”  
 
Concerning partiality in the life of Believers James 2:1-10.
“Listen, my beloved brethren: Has God not chosen the poor of this world to be rich in faith and heirs of the kingdom which He promised to those who love Him?”  James 2:5  
The answer is, He has!
 
*‘holy’: HAGIOS “separated from sin and therefore consecrated to God.” 
Believers are to be holy; living a holy manner of life.
1 Peter 1:13-21 refer to the Believer’s conduct.  Vs. 15-16 tells us, 
“But He who called you is holy, you also be holy in all your conduct, because it is written, ‘Be holy, for I am holy.’”  
 
2 Peter 3:10 describes how the day of the Lord will come, then goes on in Vs. 11 and onward,
“Therefore, since all these things will be dissolved, what manner of persons ought you to be in holy conduct and godliness…?”
 
Vine’s Expository Dictionary of Old and New Testament Words, tells us that “HAGIOS is more comprehensive. It is characteristically godlikeness.”
 
Referring back to our opening verse we have listed some of the attributes of God which the new man is to put on, therefore, godlikeness.
 
*‘beloved’:  AGAPAO.  Vine’s tells us, “In Jude 1 the best texts have this verb as ‘sanctified’”.
“Jude, a servant of Jesus Christ, and brother of James, 
To those who are called, sanctified by God the Father, and preserved in Jesus Christ.”
Then in verse 3, Jude calls them beloved.
 
We are chosen, separated, beloved!  So put off the old man and put one the new man!
“…put off, concerning your former conduct, the old man which grows corrupt according to the deceitful lusts, and be renewed in the spirit of your mind and…put on the new man which was created according to God, in righteousness and true holiness.”  Ephesians 4:22-24
 
As our opening Scripture says,
“…and put on tender mercies, kindness, humility, meekness, longsuffering;
And continues in Vs. 13-15,
“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…”
 
Thank you Lord for loving us with a love that is beyond our comprehension and making us Your own.  Lord we love and worship You!  We give You all praise, honor and glory!  Amen