Topic: Heart of Forbearance and Forgiveness in Love

Text: Colossians 3:12-14

 

Working together as a group is God’s strategy for the success of the gospel enterprise. No one ministry, agency or an individual can get the job done. Paul compares the church to the human body with different members working together to accomplish the same goal. Working together means coming together.

 

In today’s passage, Paul spoke to the Colossians about the state of their heart as the elect of God, saved by His grace and now together in fellowship and service of the Lord. He mentioned that for them to enjoy continuous fellowship and experience accelerated progress in their service to the Lord, they are to carry the right heart.

 

Paul mentioned bearing with one another and forgiving one another. This is so important for us today as we relate and work together. We know that it is not possible for us as humans to work together without stepping on one another’s toes, consciously or unconsciously. We are to be ready to patiently bear with each other and forgive each other when there is an offence. It is Christlike to forgive (Eph 4:32), and forgiveness opens the heart to the fullness of the love of God.

 

As believers we know that the regenerated heart chokes and suffers seriously when offence is retained in it. The flow of the Holy Spirit is hindered as the heart is weighed down by the load of offence. We get our liberty and healing when we forgive and let the offender go free. Forbearing and forgiving one another is more for our personal spiritual health and the healthiness of the group. We can perform maximally as individual or group if we are healthy and not sick at heart. The Apostle admonished the Colossian Christians to put on love above all. This is the most important of the Christian virtues, and it is like a “girdle” that ties all the other virtues together.

 

All of the spiritual qualities Paul has mentioned are aspects of true Christian love, as we see in 1 Cor 13. Love is the first of the fruit of the Spirit and the other virtues follow. Love expressing itself in bearing with and forgiving the offences of others is an indispensable quality in sustaining unity, relationship and collaboration that will yield accelerated success. We should, therefore, be ready and very willing to walk in forbearance and forgiveness so that we can see the results we long for; this year and the years ahead.

 

Prayer:

• Ask the love of Christ to manifest in our lives in increasing measure.
• Pray that we would bring God delight by living in love.

Pastor Dr. John Dolor

Zonal Chairman, South-South NEMA & General Overseer, Harvest-Time Christian Assembly Int’l, Warri