Colossians 3:13

Commentary on Colossians 3:13

“bearing with one another, and forgiving one another, if anyone has a complaint against another; even as Christ forgave you, so you also must do.”

1. Context in Colossians 3

Colossians 3 launches the “put off–put on” section of Paul’s letter, where he exhorts believers to live out their union with Christ in practical holiness.

• 3:1–4 remind us that we have been raised with Christ and our life is hidden with him.
• 3:5–11 call us to “put to death” the old nature (immorality, evil speech, anger).
• 3:12–14 then instruct us to “put on” Christ-like virtues: compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness, patience…
• Within that list, 3:13 zeroes in on forbearance (bearing with one another) and forgiveness, modelled on Christ’s gracious pardon.

This flow reflects an emphasis on union with Christ (our positional standing), leading to sanctification (our practical living).

2. Exegesis of Colossians 3:13

1. “Bearing with one another” (forbearing)
   • Greek anechomai: to hold up under, to “put up with”.
   • Not passive indifference, but active patience when others irritate or offend us.
   • Flows from humility: recognising that we ourselves once provoked God but were shown mercy.
2. “Forgiving one another”
   • Greek charizomai: to grant grace, to pardon freely.
   • We are to forgive any legitimate complaint or grievance: real wrongs are acknowledged but not held against our brother or sister.
   • Forgiveness is a choice of the will, not an optional feeling.
3. “Even as Christ forgave you”
   • The exemplar and motivation for Christian forgiveness: Christ’s death–resurrection freely remitted our countless offences (Colossians 2:13–14; Ephesians 4:32).
   • In God’s sovereign grace, we forgive because we have been forgiven in Christ’s atoning work.

3. Theological Reflection

• Union with Christ
  Our capacity to forgive rests on being united to Christ in his substitutionary death and victorious resurrection. We now share his forgiven status (Romans 6:4; Galatians 2:20).
• Covenantal Community
  The local church is a covenant family. Forgiveness and forbearance preserve unity in the body (Ephesians 4:3–6). Mutual pardon is a visible sign of our common faith.
• Means of Grace and Sanctification
  Forgiveness is both commanded and empowered by the Spirit. As we practise it, God deepens our sanctification (Philippians 2:13).
• Sovereign Grace and Repentance
  Genuine forgiveness presumes acknowledgement of wrong (holy conviction) and repentance. Christian piety maintains a balance: we forgive readily, yet pursue truth and repentance lovingly (Matthew 18:15–17).

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4. Application to Modern Christian Living

1. Family and Marriage
   • Couples commit to daily forbearance when minor irritations surface (Ephesians 5:21).
   • Parent–child relationships flourish when elders forgive as Christ forgave them (Colossians 3:21; 1 Peter 2:18–19).
2. Church Relationships
   • In small-group settings or church councils, we model quick reconciliation rather than gossip or division (Matthew 5:23–24).
   • Forgiveness fosters genuine community, where confidentiality and grace replace slander.
3. Workplace Witness
   • Colleagues who wrong us become gospel opportunities when we bear with and forgive them, showing Christ-like morality (Matthew 5:44).
   • Rather than nursing grudges, we extend the same grace we enjoy in Christ.
4. Personal Devotion
   • In daily prayer, we thank God for pardoning our sins and ask for a forgiving spirit toward others (Matthew 6:12).
   • Scripture memory of verses like Colossians 3:13 anchors our hearts against bitterness.
5. Conflict Resolution
   • Follow Jesus’ pattern: acknowledge the offence, seek forgiveness, then release the debt (Luke 17:3–4).
   • Discipline and church restoration always proceed from a foundation of forgiven community.

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5. Key Teaching from Colossians 3:13

Christians are commanded and enabled to practise mutual forbearance and forgiveness in the covenant community, precisely as Christ freely forgave us. This marks our union with him and upholds the unity of the Spirit in the body of Christ (Ephesians 4:32; 2 Corinthians 5:18–19).

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