Put On Love
But above all these things put on love, which is the bond of perfection. (Colossians 3:14)
When we appreciate the context, Colossians 3:14 is a stunning and beautiful statement.
In Colossians 3 the Apostle Paul wrote about bad behavior Christians should put off: fornication, uncleanness, passion, evil desire, and covetousness, which is idolatry (Colossians 3:5) and anger, wrath, malice, blasphemy, filthy language (Colossians 3:8). Then he wrote about good behavior Christians should put on: tender mercies, kindness, humility, meekness, longsuffering; bearing with one another, and forgiving (Colossians 3:12-13).
After all that, Paul wrote this remarkable sentence: But above all these things put on love, which is the bond of perfection. Note those words: above all these things.
Christian, you have put off fornication and evil desire – wonderful! Have you put on love?
You have put off anger and filthy language – what a blessing! Have you put on love?
You have put on kindness and humility – God be praised! Have you put on love?
No matter what else there is in our life, if we lack love then we lack the greatest thing. Yet in another sense we can say that love is the summary of all the things described in Colossians 3. Love perfectly fulfills what God requires of us in relationships.
If we truly pursue love, we will truly pursue all those other things. Love will lead us to them. Yet, if we pursue those other virtues without love, things will get distorted and imbalanced.
Inspired by the Holy Spirit, the Apostle Paul was bold enough to call love the bond of perfection. The idea of bond here is something like a chain or a rope that ties us up. Love binds us to God and binds us to each other, and it does so in a perfect way. In the best way, we need love as a tie that binds, bonding us to God and each other.
So, put on love.
Put on God’s love for you; this is the foundation of everything.
Put on your love for God that comes as a response to His love for you.
Put on the love He gives you for your brothers and sisters in Jesus.
Put on the love He Himself has for a lost, needy world.
Truly, this is the bond of perfection.
Am soo bless, God richly bless you.
All the Bible study in the world will not make a person Christlike if time is not spent face to face with the Father as Moses did. It is impossible to walk with Him and not be changed. It is a decision, not an emotion to wait on before seeking His face.
These words bring me down on my knees and think chapter upon chapter of how great God’s love is for me and the World. Thank you Jesus for Your love, forgiveness of our Sins, grace and mercy! I look at the stars and think of the sand on the sea and cannot count them. They are as many that have been forgiven and loved. All we do is just call on to be saved and receive love from Jesus. How perfect is the gift we do not deserve!
I fell in love with Jesus without reservation after years of finding out that man’s love is so selfish and on a contingency.
The unfailing love of Christ is never held from anyone and displayed through His sacrifice on the Cross and His enduring word. Anyone who calls upon the name of the Lord, Jesus will be saved.
He is faithful to complete a good thing He began in us.
I am convicted by His love to comfort, inspire and share a perfect love that does not return void.
The question is,”Do I love the unlovely and unlovely as I am?” I have been set free and free to love and worship the Lord. I look to Jesus’s love and tender mercies. This is the love I share and hold is from no one though the Bible of which His enduring word does not return void.