'How To' Instructions in Righteousness                    printer-friendly

 Lesson 27:
Put on mercy
kindness
humbleness of mind
meekness
longsuffering
forbear one another.
forgive one another
put on Love

Key verse:  Col 3:12-14
Put on therefore, as the elect of God, holy and beloved, bowels of mercies, kindness, humbleness of mind, meekness, longsuffering; Forbearing one another, and forgiving one another, if any man have a quarrel against any: even as Christ forgave you, so also do ye. And above all these things put on charity, which is the bond of perfectness.

 

Put on Mercy
If there is any affectionate bond by which you are united to me, and any regard for my sorrows, and any desire to fill up my joys, so live as to impart to me, your spiritual father and friend, the consolation which I seek. ~ Barnes

Be merciful, not in act merely, but in spirit and affection. In all cases of this kind let your heart dictate to your hand; be clothed with bowels of mercy-let your tenderest feelings come in contact with the miseries of the distressed as soon as ever they present themselves. Though I know that to put on, and to be clothed with, are figurative expressions, and mean to assume such and such characters and qualities; yet there may be a higher meaning here. The apostle would have them to feel the slightest touch of another's misery; and, as their clothes are put over their body, so their tenderest feeling should be always within the reach of the miserable. Let your feelings be at hand, and feel and commiserate as soon as touched.  ~ Clarke
 
Put on kindness
See study on Eph 4:32

Usefulness, i.e. moral excellence (in character or demeanor): ~ New Exhaustive Strong's Numbers and Concordance

In the New Testament, the Greek word translated as "grace" best represents the idea of God's kindness or lovingkindness. Because God has been gracious toward believers, they should treat all people with kindness or grace (Luke 6:35). All people are created in God's image and should be treated accordingly, no matter how badly they have twisted and deformed that image (James 3:9). Kindness is not an apathetic response to sin, but a deliberate act to bring the sinner back to God (Hos. 2:14-23; Rom 2:4). ~ Nelson's Illustrated Bible Dictionary
 
Have humbleness of mind
True 'lowliness of mind:' thinking lowly, and therefore truly of ourselves; not the mock "humility" of the false teachers  ~ Jamieson, Fausset, and Brown
 
Invoke meekness
An attitude of humility toward God and gentleness toward men, springing from a recognition that God is in control. Although weakness and meekness may look similar, they are not the same. Weakness is due to negative circumstances, such as lack of strength or lack of courage. But meekness is due to a person's conscious choice. It is strength and courage under control, coupled with kindness.

The apostle Paul once pointed out that the spiritual leaders of the church have great power, even leverage, in confronting a sinner. But he cautioned them to restrain themselves in meekness (Gal 6:1; 5:22-23). Even toward evil men, a man of God should be meek, knowing that God is in control.

Meekness is a virtue practiced and commended by our Lord Jesus (Matt 5:5; 11:29). As such it is part of the equipment which every follower of Jesus should wear (2 Cor 10:1; Gal 5:23; 6:1; Eph 4:1-2). ~Nelson's Illustrated Bible Dictionary
 
Invoke longsuffering
PATIENCE
1. Greek. makrothumia. Endurance, constancy, forbearance, long-suffering.

2. Greek. hupomone. "A remaining under," steadfastness, constancy, a patient waiting for.

[Notice] the difference between these two terms: "Makrothumia will be found to express patience in respect of persons, hupomone in respect of things. . . . We should speak, therefore, of the makrothumia of David (2 Sam 16:10-13), the hupomone of Job (James 5:11)." Patience is that calm and unruffled temper with which the good man bears the evils of life, whether they proceed from persons or things. It also manifests itself in a sweet submission to the providential appointments of God and fortitude in the presence of the duties and conflicts of life. This grace saves one from discouragement in the face of evil (Luke 21:19), aids in the cultivation of godliness (2 Peter 1:6), aids the development of the entire Christian character (James 1:4), and, continued till the end, will terminate in reward in the life to come (Rom 2:7; James 5:7-8). ~ New Unger's Bible Dictionary
 
Forbear one another
As to present offences.~ Jamieson, Fausset, and Brown

FORBEAR, FORBEARANCE
anecho NT:430, "to hold up" (ana, "up," echo, "to have or hold"), is used in the middle voice in the NT, signifying "to bear with, endure"; it is rendered "forbearing (one another)" in Eph 4:2 and Col 3:13.   ~Vine's Expository Dictionary of Biblical Words
 
Forgive one another
As to the past.  ~ Jamieson, Fausset, and Brown

Even as the Lord - But Christ's forgiveness of us is here made the reason for our forgiveness of others. See Matt 6:12,14 f. where our forgiveness of others is made by Jesus a prerequisite to our obtaining forgiveness from God. ~ Robertson's Word Pictures in the New Testament
 
Put on Love
The crowning grace which covers others' sins (1 Peter 4:8), must overlie all the graces enumerated. ~ Jamieson, Fausset, and Brown

Love embraces and knits together all the virtues. "Perfectness" is a collective idea, "a result of combination," to which "bond" is appropriate. ~ Vincent's Word Studies of the New Testament
 

Lesson 27: Instructions –
Put on mercy
kindness
humbleness of mind
meekness
longsuffering
forbear one another
forgive one another
put on Love
 
1] Mercy: Have a spirit and affection of mercy, not just action.
2] Mercy: Let your tenderest feelings be always within reach of the miserable.

3] Kindness: Be polite to everyone.  Have real benevolence or a desire to make others happy.
4] Kindness: Treat everyone with kindness, understanding they are individuals made in the image of God.

5] Humbleness: in lowliness of mind, esteem others better than yourself.

6] Meekness: Have an attitude of humility knowing God is in control.
7] Meekness: Understand that humility is strength and courage under control coupled with kindness.

8] Longsuffering: Be calm and with unruffled temper in bearing with the evils of life.
9] Longsuffering: Do not be discouraged in the face of evil.

10] Forbear one another: Bear with and endure one another in light of present offences.

11] Forgive one another: Forgive others as Christ forgives you.

12] Put on love:  Have love of God and fellowman.  Understand that love is the basis of all the virtues listed above.  Understand that righteousness is the result of combination.  Love combines all virtues within our heart and the result is righteousness.
back to top     back to Bible Study 5 - Righteousness       back to Bible Studies main page