Beyond all these things put on love, which is the perfect bond of unity. Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, to which indeed you were called in one body; and be thankful.
— Colossians 3:14–15 —
Astrit A. | Albania
Love is a characteristic that needs to be continually present in a believer’s life. Putting on love is a beautiful metaphor of a life devoted to loving others in a sacrificial way. After a list of characteristics in previous verses regarding how a Christian should live, Paul places love as the most important in a believer’s life. Love is that which binds together everything else. As children of God, believers should reflect God, who is love (1 John 4:8). We ought to be thankful at all times because of God’s great love and grace demonstrated toward us sinners. It is also important that the peace of Christ should reign in our hearts. How can we understand this practically? Because of Christ, we who once were enemies of God are now reconciled. It is the same peace that characterized our Lord Jesus Christ, which He also purchased for us on the cross. This perfect peace with God is reflected in our interactions with other believers. The goal of every church is to see its congregation united by love and ruled by the peace of Christ. Finally, Paul commands us to be grateful. Living in a fallen world, where complaining is universal, it is imperative for believers to be thankful in every circumstance. We ought to be thankful at all times because of God’s great love and grace demonstrated toward us sinners. Of course, these exhortations to put on love, to let the peace of Christ rule in our hearts, and to be thankful, are only given to one class of person: “those who have been chosen of God” (Col. 3:12). The power to love, the reign of peace, and a heart of thanksgiving all come from God. For the Christian, this is not a burden; it’s a birthright.
Connect with TMAI on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and YouTube, and increase our schools’ reach by sharing our content with your family and friends.
