Orthodoxy Before Orthopraxy: Knowing Who You Are
If you’ve been tracking with us through our Faith Under Pressure series in the book of Colossians, you know our golden rule: Orthodoxy before Orthopraxy. Right thinking always leads to right living. What we believe inevitably dictates how we behave.
In the first two chapters, Paul laid down the heavy doctrinal truth that Christ is preeminent and sufficient. Now, in chapter 3, he pivots to the practical duty of the believer. He reminds us that before we can “do” anything for God, we have to know who we are in Him. In verse 12, Paul calls us chosen, holy, and beloved. * You are chosen. You didn’t have to perform or try out for the team; God chose you before the foundation of the world.
- You are holy. You have been set apart to live a life totally redirected by God.
- You are beloved. You are loved unconditionally and sacrificially with an agape love.
Getting Dressed: Putting on the Virtues of Christ
If you just finished a grueling, sweaty workout in the summer heat, you wouldn’t just throw clean clothes over your dirty body. You’d shower, take off the old clothes, and put on something fresh. Spiritually, we are called to do the exact same thing. We mortify—or put to death—our old earthly habits, and we put on the character of Christ.
Paul lists five non-negotiable virtues we must “put on” as believers:
- Compassion: A heart that is willing to step into the mess and suffer with people.
- Kindness: The action step of compassion; a friendly and helpful spirit that just shows up when people are hurting.
- Humility: An attitude of modesty. It’s realizing you don’t always have to be the center of the universe or have the last word.
- Meekness: Don’t confuse meekness with weakness! Meekness is power under control. It is showing massive restraint when your flesh wants to explode.
- Patience: Being “long-suffering” and slow to anger.
The Messy Reality of Bearing and Forgiving
How do these virtues actually play out in real life? Paul tells us we must be “bearing with one another and, if one has a complaint against another, forgiving each other…”
Let’s just be honest: if you do life with people, there will be conflict. “Bearing with one another” literally means continually putting up with each other. It means looking at someone and saying, “I see your flaws, but I’m not going anywhere.”
And when that frustration turns into genuine hurt, we are commanded to forgive. Forgiveness is choosing not to keep score. It means you don’t hold past mistakes over someone’s head to win an argument, and you refuse to reduce someone down to their worst moment. Sometimes, forgiveness isn’t instant—it’s a daily process of saying, “God, I am still hurt, but I choose to let this go again today.” (And remember, true forgiveness can still include setting healthy boundaries with wisdom!)
Letting the Word Dwell Deeply
In verse 16, Paul writes, “Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly.” The word “dwell” means to be at home. You need to live in the Word of God like you live in your own house.
If you wake up at 2:00 AM, you can navigate your house in the pitch dark without stumbling because you are intimately familiar with it. The same is true spiritually. When you hide God’s Word in your heart like a treasure, you become so familiar with it that when you hit a dark season of life, you can navigate it without stumbling.
Truth, Grace, and the Power of Community
Why do we need the Word to saturate our hearts? Because you cannot give what you do not have. Paul tells us we are to teach and admonish one another in all wisdom. Christianity was never meant to be lived in isolation. If you isolate yourself, you become a target for the enemy. Your salvation is personal, but it was never meant to be private!
We desperately need trusted, Christ-centered relationships where people have the permission to speak into our lives. But it requires wisdom. Truth without grace wounds, but grace without truth misleads. We have to be people who bring the life-changing truth of the Gospel into our relationships, but always wrapped tightly in the unconditional love of Christ.
Lord Jesus,
Thank You for choosing me, setting me apart, and loving me with an unconditional love. Forgive me for the times I have kept score and refused to forgive the people around me. Help me to take off my old habits and put on Your compassion, kindness, humility, meekness, and patience. I want Your Word to dwell so richly in my heart that I can navigate the darkest seasons of my life with absolute confidence. Give me the wisdom to speak truth with grace, and surround me with a community that pushes me closer to You.
In Your holy name, Amen.
Are you trying to live your Christian life in isolation, or do you have people in your corner who can speak truth and grace into your life? Take a moment this week to reach out to someone you trust and invite them into a deeper, Christ-centered relationship. Share this post with a friend you are thankful for, because at ONE Church, No ONE Walks Alone.
