Our choices of clothes are a function of what tasks we have ahead of us, how we are feeling and what we want to convey to others. In this passage, Paul instructs us as to what “clothes” what identity we should put on as renewed people of God. The change that Christ has made in us, as a community erases the divisions among us, and creates a new people devoted to “compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience.” And over all of these, we are to put on love. If patience is a scarf, love is the whole ensemble.
But this isn’t a mystical experience that happens to us without our participation. We have to work it out within ourselves and between each other. The crux of this section comes in verse 13, as all those virtues, especially love, find themselves called upon to support the effort of forgiveness: “Bear with each other and forgive one another if any of you has a grievance against someone. Forgive as the Lord forgave you.”
We see this unity of love and forgiveness in Luke 7, where a woman washes Jesus’ feet to the chagrin of the religious leaders. Jesus says that “her sins, which are many, are forgiven—for she loved much. But he who is forgiven little, loves little.” Love plays itself out in forgiveness.
The hard part here is that the onus of forgiveness is put onto the wronged party. What if the sin is ongoing and repetitive? What if it’s systemic? What is if it is manipulative and abusive? Forgiveness is hard.
But that’s why Paul calls us back to Christ. He is our “all and is in all” and His peace is to rule in our hearts.
Forgiveness and reconciliation requires vulnerability and transparency. When we are hurt, our natural inclination is to move to avoidance. When we are hurt by someone or we disagree with someone, we just don’t spend time with them. But in the Body of Christ we are called to more. We are called to unity, even if we are not very good at it.
And that’s why we always fall back on Christ. Lord, help us put on Your clothes and help us forgive one another.
— Sermon Notes, Dave Sim, Renew Church, Lynnwood WA, October 2, 2022