It’s my hope to help you be prepared to crack the character code in the message this morning. Paul in writing to the Christians at Colossae revealed the key to cracking the character code in chapter 3:12-14. It is summarized for us in the very first phrase of v.12 when he says . . . The NASB says it like this, And so, as those who have been chosen of God, holy and beloved, put on. . . The NIV says, clothe yourselves. So the key to cracking the character code is what we put on or what we clothe ourselves with.
To live with character requires having Jesus as Savior, Lord and Life. Oh, the Christian life is indeed an exciting adventure. It’s an inspiring pilgrimage filled with lots of challenges, failures, opposition and victories which all brings about transformation, growth and maturity in our lives. However, having Christ as Savior, Lord and Life is the real key to cracking the character code. So, let’s see if the Holy Spirit can help us with cracking that character code. How do we crack it? First of all by:
I. Putting On The Right Clothes v.12a
Or should we say, Putting on the Right Character. People in London, England and the beautiful British Isles wear kilts from time to time. They wear different clothes - their clothes may be a bit warm for our climate this summer, but these tee shirts should wear well for the casual occasion of attempting to crack the character code.
But that’s not what Paul is talking about when he suggests clothing yourselves with Christ or putting on Christ. The first word in verse 12 is “therefore” or as NASB puts it “And so” or as others have it “Since” which points back to the first part of Colossians 3:1a “Since, then you have been raised with Christ . . .”and verses 3-4a, “For you died, and your life is now hidden with Christ in God. When Christ, who is your life . . .” From this context, what Paul is saying in verse 12 can best be understood by the Living Bible paraphrase, “Since you have been chosen by God who has given you this new kind of life...” The point being, as a believer you’ve been given a new kind of life, Christ’s life. You see, when you received Christ, you died. You had to die to be reborn. Your old nature, self, spirit-man/woman died. A new you was created. Your character was changed. You don’t have two natures, you’re not a spiritual schizophrenic. Your spiritual identity was changed from sinner man/woman to saint man/woman. God changed your very nature, your spiritual personhood by crucifying your old spirit and starting all over again, not physically but spiritually. You’re a new creation, you’re literally a new spirit being.
So to crack the character code, you’ve got to embrace this spiritual reality and live like who you really are. And the only way you can do that is by putting on the right clothes - by putting on Christ. You’ve received Him as Savior and Lord. Now, you need to put Him on as Life each and every day. You must appropriate your new identity by faith. That’s the secret of cracking the character code. Also let me suggest you crack the character code by:
II. Being the Right Kind of Person v.12b; 13
How do you do that? By the Grace of God. By discovering and appropriating “the mystery. . . which is Christ in you..” (Colossians 1:27). That’s why Jesus came into you and me instead of alongside, under, behind or before us. He is the only one who has ever lived up to the character of Jesus Christ. So, He came into you and into me in order to express His life of rightness and victory and blessedness. When we discern, discover, understand, comprehend and appropriate His life we’ll be the right kind of person. We will be empowered to live on the outside what we really are on the inside.
And being the right kind of person is having characteristics like:
•compassion - tender mercies, an attitude of mercy and grace toward others that comes from the heart; genuine care about the feelings of other people, sympathizing, sensitive awareness to the hurts of others and willingness to help, sensing the needs of others and getting involved.
•kindness - tenderheartedness, loving words and actions that show concern and care for others; an ability to control one’s self-centered desires in order to serve the needs of others.
•humility - humbleness of mind which comes from a right view of ourselves and that comes from an awareness of our submissive status before God, totally dependent; thinking of others before yourself.
•gentleness - meekness, quiet strength, opposite of arrogance and asserting self, not being harsh in dealing with others, being mutually submissive to one another out of the fear of Christ.
•patience - longsuffering, discipline, the ability to endure difficult situations and difficult people without complaining, showing calm self-control and not responding with retaliation, resentment or bitterness.
Finally, to be the right kind of person you’ve got bear with one another, verse 13. You must make allowances for each others faults, to tolerate and put up with in a happy redemptive spirit. The full idea is to be helpful to one another. To be around some people is a burden, but Christian character is being committed to living in enduring relationships with the unlovely. This requires you forgive whatever grievances or complaints you may have. To be the right kind of person you’ve got to release those who have something against you or not holding a wrong done to you against another person. Let go of them, they’re holding you in bondage if you haven’t forgiven them. And if you haven’t forgiven them Christ is not at the center of your life, but Satan and sin is.
That’s the kind of Christians we need to be every day of our lives. The only way you can live like this is by putting on Christ, by being filled with the Holy Spirit. You can’t do any of this without Jesus doing it through you. As Paul said in Philippians 4:13, “I can do all things through Christ...” With Christ Life living in and through you, you’ll be the right kind of person. Finally, we succeed at cracking the character code by:
III. Walking in the Right Attitude of Heart v.14
“And beyond all these things put on love, which is the perfect bond of unity.” NASB The final article of Christian attire is love. This is agape and that’s what God is. Agape! The nature of God is agape. 1 John 4:8 says “God is love.” 1 Corinthians 3:22-23 says, “. . . all are yours, and you are Christ’s, and Christ’s is God’s.” The point being, agape, love is in you. In fact, because God is love, He created each one of us with a basic human need to be loved. To be loved and accepted is our most basic human need. To be loved and accepted is a God-given need. If we didn’t need love, we wouldn’t need God would we? Was God pretty smart or what?
As children of God we too are to agape others. Agape love is doing the most constructive, edifying, redemptive thing possible for another person. The greatest need a man, woman, boy or girl has is to know Jesus Christ. Because without Christ we can’t love another person like they need to be loved. Without Jesus Christ we can’t crack the character code.
The Kingdom work is an exciting escapade that compels all to know Jesus Christ, to accept Him as Savior and Lord and to live with Christian character in God’s Kingdom family. My hope is that each of you now realize the key to cracking the character code. You can’t live or teach or lead persons to Christ without Putting on the right clothes, Being the right kind of person or Walking in the right Attitude of Heart. There’s only 2 ways a Christian can operate. The Bible calls it walking: you can “walk in the Spirit” or you can walk “after the flesh.” Would you accept the key by putting on your identity in Christ and by faith appropriating His Life by totally surrendering your life and depending completely on Him to live His resurrection life through you right now?
