Colossians 3:12, commentary and pictures

Put on means to clothe the whole character with these graces as garments of righteousness, an inward religion reaching the inmost being and covering the life with humility. Those called to do this are the elect of God, holy and beloved, chosen and set apart by Him and loved by Him, and each person decides his own election by receiving Christ and letting truth shape heart and life. As His elect they are to put on deep tender compassion, kindness, humbleness of mind, meekness and longsuffering as the plain marks of the new life in Christ. This clothing goes on to forbear one another and forgive quarrels even as Christ forgave, putting on love above all as the bond of completeness and letting Christ's peace and word rule within. So clothed, believers of varied traits become of one mind with no division, and in home, marriage and church they replace harshness, faultfinding and criticism with tender sympathy, courtesy and encouragement.

Wording and Immediate Context

To put on is to clothe the character with mercy, kindness, humility, meekness and patience as garments of righteousness, with Christ's righteousness itself as the clothing. It is an inward, practical religion that reaches to the inmost being rather than being worn as a mere outside garment, covering the life with humility as with a garment through hiding in Christ and living in active communion with Him. Those so clothed are conscious of their own imperfections and therefore do not harshly blame others, but separate from the world, from its spirit and its practices, revealing that they are learning of Him who is meek and lowly in heart. With the heart brought into harmony with God they learn that Christ's yoke is a yoke of love and tenderness, speaking in His tenderness and teaching one another without tearing down another workman's work, needing no outside amusements but having fullness of joy and singing God's praises from a full heart.

Bowels of mercies means deep, tender compassion and consideration for others that shows mercy and gives practical help to those who are sick, humiliated, under fierce temptation, or accused and in need of help, even when those helping are themselves guilty. It puts oneself in the place of the accused, feeling what it would be to be in his circumstances, to be judged hastily without chance to answer charges or recover, to be denied a respectful or encouraging word, and remembering that oneself may also be tempted. Where this mercy is lacking there is hasty and dishonest judgment and harsh treatment that discourages the soul, injures prospects and ruins reputation, and without thorough conversion those who act so will keep treating others the same way. It also means fighting objectionable traits before they develop into giants of evil, casting out selfishness, covetousness, hardheartedness, striving for supremacy after the footsteps of the world, and the root of bitterness lest it spring up and defile many, for the leaven of selfishness gathers all to itself and leaves no bowels of mercy and forfeits the blessing. Such compassion remembered toward a beloved child of God in the furnace of affliction will never give cause for regret.

Those addressed are the elect of God, holy and beloved: chosen by God, set apart as holy, and loved and acknowledged by Him as holy unto the Lord. People decide their own election, and the elect are those who receive His Son as personal Saviour and let truth shape heart and life, cultivating the Spirit's graces in daily life. These qualities belong to the new life in Christ and are part of putting God's Word into practice in how believers treat one another.

The immediate setting is those risen with Christ to walk in newness of life, seeking those things which are above where Christ sits at the right hand of God. They set affection on things above, not on things on the earth, because they are dead and their life is hidden with Christ in God, requiring the transforming power of Christ's grace affecting heart and character. When Christ who is their life shall appear, they also will appear with Him in glory, and as God's elect holy and beloved they are to be holy in all conduct by clothing themselves with these virtues and practicing them in relationships among believers. Love, compassion and tenderness are to be revealed among them, with bearing with and forgiving one another exactly as Christ forgave, putting on love above all as the bond of perfection, letting God's peace rule in hearts called in one body with thankfulness, letting Christ's word dwell richly in all wisdom in teaching and admonishing with psalms and hymns and spiritual songs sung with grace, and doing everything in word and deed in the name of the Lord Jesus with thanks to God the Father.

The verse belongs to putting off the old man with his deeds — anger, wrath, malice, blasphemy, filthy speech and lying — and putting on the new man renewed in knowledge after the image of the Creator. In that new man distinctions of Greek and Jew, circumcision and uncircumcision, Barbarian, Scythian, bond and free disappear because Christ is all and in all. This clothing continues in forbearing one another and forgiving quarrels even as Christ forgave, crowned with love as the bond of perfection, with peace, thankfulness, and doing all in word and deed in the name of the Lord Jesus in preparation for appearing with Christ in glory. It is the character of those pledged by baptism to remain dead to the world, replacing worldly methods and practices, and all who come to Christ for power to become sons of God and members of the royal family must put it on with forbearance and forgiveness toward one another. So color of skin does not determine character in the heavenly courts and gives no ground for harsh speech, contempt, closing the heart, or disrespect; true and faithful colored believers who are precious in God's sight and purchased by Christ's blood are to be given just as much respect as any of God's children with the pitying tenderness of Jesus and pure, fervent, unfeigned love, for to despise them is to despise Christ's purchase and close the door of the heart to Jesus.

Humbleness of mind is to be disciplined into the life and cherished together with simplicity, standing opposite exalted views of self. Loving the truth, having the heart in the work, and having good qualifications for business is not enough without it, and a work by the Spirit is needed to supply what is lacking with unselfish interest, discerning minds, good judgment and sanctification. Meekness and humility are learned from Christ, and mercy, kindness, humility, meekness and patience are lessons taught by Christ that must be practiced by those who belong to God in family and church as part of the new life following being raised with Christ. Practicing them is moving ever forward and upward in the pathway of light in following Christ, which requires being daily learners in the school of Christ, receiving instruction from the great Teacher in order to impart it to others, because people have no wisdom to guide themselves aright. Mutual forbearance and charity learned there can reconcile Christians whose differences threaten to divide them.

Identity as God's Elect

As the elect of God, holy and beloved, believers are commanded to put on compassion, kindness, humility, meekness and patience as the marks of their renewed life in Christ. The instruction is straight, plain and unvarnished, giving the special work they are to do and keeping from the trap Satan has placed for the unwary. It is required even of those who think they already have abundant compassion. These qualities require showing fellow believers and those for whom Christ died the sympathy, tender compassion and unselfish love Christ has shown them. Remembering the obligation owed to Christ, who died to redeem them, should put selfish ambition and the desire for supremacy to death as Christ takes possession of their affections.

They shape how believers treat one another, including bearing with one another and forgiving grievances as Christ forgave them. They belong with putting on love as the bond of perfection, letting the peace of God rule in the heart with thankfulness, letting the word dwell richly in wisdom with teaching and singing, and doing all in word and deed in the name of the Lord Jesus with thanksgiving to God the Father. They shape how believers live together as one body, and the call to mercy grounds the duty to forgive others rather than hold bitterness or malice. Those who desire to be like Christ fulfill it by praying in faith, watching unto prayer, and then believing and singing songs of praise and thanksgiving.

This clothing belongs to the baptismal covenant. Those baptized in the name of the Father, Son and Holy Spirit have solemnly covenanted to be the Lord's, have died to the old sinful life, been buried with Christ and raised to walk in newness of life as those alive from the dead and risen with Christ, pledged to God's service, separated from the enemy and the world, from its spirit and its practices. Having put on the new man renewed in knowledge after the image of Him that created him, they are pledged to represent the life of Christ and to practice the virtues of the Saviour's character in life and dealings with one another. Those united to the church by baptism have entered a new life and are to show through conduct the power of heavenly grace under the control of the Spirit of truth, with attention set on heavenly things. As the elect they are under solemn covenant to distinguish themselves by humility of mind, to clothe themselves in garments of righteousness, to reveal learning of Him who is meek and lowly in heart, so that if they realize they have died with Christ and keep the vow the world will have no power to draw them aside to deny Christ.

Putting on this character is living the purified life of the divine nature here below in preparation for the higher life. It is the heavenly order lived under the Holy Spirit's guidance, without Satan's science spoiling the pattern, replacing worldly methods and the deeds of the old man, purifying the soul by obeying the truth and following Christ's example and escaping the corruptions in the world through lust. Those who set affection on things above, overcome pride and self-indulgence by Christ's grace, hold firm to truth, love God with heart and mind and soul and strength, and live Christ's life will be taken when He comes, changed from mortal to immortal, glorified with a higher nature, and appear with Him in glory when Christ who is their life shall appear. They let light shine in good works to glorify the Father, while the cruel-minded, impure and dishonest — swindlers, falsifiers, liars, adulterers — have no place in the heavenly courts and will never see His face.

The character makes calling and election sure and gives a clear distinction between those who honor God by keeping His commandments and those who disobey. It is to be learned by Bible study and lived in this life separate from those who disobey, leaving no doubt about what must be developed for the future reward, joined with forbearing and forgiving as Christ forgave, putting on charity, letting the peace of God rule, thankfulness, letting the word of Christ dwell richly, and doing all in the name of the Lord Jesus. It is the Bible standard to be reached by exercising living faith before claiming God's precious promises. It is the perfection God requires, nothing less than perfection, and the Christlikeness and doing of Christ's words required of workers, without which those engaged in the work are no blessing but a curse to the work.

The virtues reveal Christ's character and manifest that Christ is present in the heart. Believers as Christ's army and ambassadors are under solemn obligation to manifest Christ to the world by being melted, subdued, transformed and consecrated wholly to God to be molded and fashioned after the divine similitude, learning duty and doctrine from the Word under the Holy Spirit's guidance. This means revealing Christ and not the attributes of the enemy, loving others as Christ loved, showing tender sympathy and care, kindness, Christlike politeness, respect and deference to others as purchased by Christ's blood, and loyalty to the Captain of salvation by a different class of work, for unless the precious love of Jesus is brought into life a person is not abiding in Christ. They are to be evident in words and conduct, including when young people associate together, representing Christ rather than cheap speech, frivolity or an unworthy example, leading believers of every nationality to love one another as brothers and sisters, esteem others, live in unity, break down prejudice and jealousy, and blend hearts into one. Studying Christ's goodness and love makes them more like Him.

The call requires the transforming power of Christ's grace affecting heart and character, as those risen with Christ seek things above where Christ sits at God's right hand and set affection on things above, not on things on the earth. No one can save his own soul; Christ alone redeems and cleanses from all sin by giving His life a ransom. Putting on the merciful, kind, humble, meek, longsuffering character means putting no confidence in self and daily knowing self is not to be trusted, but with full realization of helplessness and feeling weakness and great need of Christ's grace, grasping God's promises with firm faith and asking for the Holy Spirit. Then when the Holy Spirit works, self takes no glory to itself; the Spirit takes the heart into His keeping, bringing to it all the bright beams of the Sun of Righteousness, and the believer is kept by the power of God through faith. When the soul is thus united by faith and love to God, believers are brought where they can have an influence over one another for good, and in simple faith and unlimited trust become as little children, made partakers of the divine nature and like Jesus — pure, holy, harmless and undefiled.

Forbearance Forgiveness and Unity

The clothing commanded does not stop with inward graces but continues outward into bearing with one another and forgiving any quarrel even as Christ forgave, putting on love above all as the bond of perfection, letting divine peace rule in the heart in one body with thankfulness, letting the word dwell richly in wisdom with teaching and admonishing and singing with grace, and doing all in word or deed in the name of the Lord Jesus with thanks to God the Father. This instruction is straight, plain and unvarnished, giving the special work to be done and keeping from the trap laid for the unwary, and those who desire to be like Christ fulfill it by praying in faith, watching unto prayer, and then believing and singing songs of praise and thanksgiving. These are the genuine fruit of righteousness by which disciples are known, and all who have a living connection with Christ manifest His spirit; every person must closely examine the heart to see whether kind thoughts and feelings, a meek and lowly spirit, longsuffering, forbearance and forgiveness are cultivated, for possessing them proves one is indeed holy and beloved. Failing to heed this brings blindness of mind, for believers live in an enemy's land where constant temptation pulls the soul from subjection to the Spirit, and continuing in criticism places a person on the enemy's side doing the enemy's work while thinking to do God service. The same character is to be learned by Bible study and lived in this life separate from disobedience, leaving no doubt about what must be developed to make calling and election sure and to mark a clear distinction between those who honor God by keeping His commandments and those who disobey.

Christ's forgiveness is the pattern and measure, forbidding dislike, resentment and retaliation for any provocation, since human transgression against God is far greater yet He bears with perversity and readily forgives the repentant and humbled. Hardness of heart dishonors God, because life each day depends on His mercy and continual forgiveness, yet people are reluctant to forgive others; no trust can be placed in personal goodness, only in the abounding mercy of Jesus who pardons transgression and sin. Realizing the greatness of that mercy and the boundlessness of that love makes believers partakers of the divine nature who show the same tender spirit of compassionate forbearance, mercy and love and are ready to forgive others rather than hold bitterness or malice. When a fellow believer has done wrong that is plain, it is not to be breathed to another, held up, condemned, kept under blame or sentenced, but is to be told to him alone with love for his soul and a heart full of compassion, then left with the brother and God as duty discharged. Each believer should first attend to the own heart and set it in order instead of neglecting personal wrongs while trying to keep brethren straight with an unsanctified heart, and should give doubtful conduct the best reasonable interpretation instead of suspecting or criticizing, remembering personal faults and bearing hurt feelings without letting them outweigh many kindnesses received. Love for one another should then become visible and move unbelievers around, with the witness of the Spirit telling the heart that believers are God's children, and reputation can be left with God rather than anxiously defended against every wrong impression.

Love is the foundation of acceptable service to God and the crown of Christian graces, binding compassion, kindness, humility, meekness, patience, forbearance and forgiveness together in completeness and perfection. Through faith Christ's grace enables believers daily to put away fault-finding, envy, jealousy, evil surmising, evil speaking, bitterness, impatience, malice, hatred and unbelief, and to cherish kindness, compassion, forbearance, meekness, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, hope, benevolence, tenderheartedness and love. Together with love these qualities express Christ's character and equip believers to serve others unselfishly. The church's harmony and unity thus fostered serve as evidence to the world that God sent His Son to give grace, light and truth.

With varied traits of character brought together in church fellowship as God's children, these graces harmonize believers to be of one mind and one judgment, speaking the same things with no division, a practical work from which none is excused and which requires an individual experience gained by constant watchfulness and unceasing prayer. No provision is made for Christians to draw apart from each other, but by unity and love they are to reveal Christ's character, practicing the known will of God by loving each other as brethren, cultivating kindness and forbearance and love, representing Christ in character, and leaving no place for evil speaking, accusing, faultfinding and misrepresenting brethren. The religion of Jesus blesses only when it works and influences inwardly as leaven works meal, producing oneness as Christ is one with the Father, where no one insists that personal course, words and reasoning are right without need of modification, but all seek to be of one mind and the same judgment. Believers therefore unite with brethren in love instead of choosing their own society and separating from any who will not accept their ideas and plans, serving in all lowliness of mind, walking humbly with God in words, spirit and action, treating one another without strife or complaint, overlooking minor differences, setting aside personal opinions on trifles, and speaking plainly yet kindly when needed.

Because people are dependent upon one another and differ in temperament, gifts and constitution, meeting persons of varied minds requires kindness, forbearance and love brought into the character, remembering that they do not differ any more than the self differs from them. By mutual contact minds receive polish, refinement and elevation, and the varied gifts God bestows according to His wise purpose for the promotion of His kingdom are to be appreciated and rightly used for the holiness and happiness of those united with Christ in preparing a people to stand in the day of the Lord. True religion changes character so that instead of sharp, dictatorial words a Christian gives encouragement, especially toward the young, and a life of purity and unselfish love reflects Christ while free-flowing words of bitterness that bruise the soul of others but the own soul more are held back and evil surmisings are put away.

In the new man renewed in knowledge after the image of the Creator there is neither Greek nor Jew, circumcision nor uncircumcision, Barbarian, Scythian, bond nor free, but Christ is all and in all, so color of skin does not determine character in the heavenly courts and gives no ground for harsh speech, contempt, closing the heart or disrespect. The command therefore forbids harsh speech, contempt and closing the heart against true and faithful colored believers who are precious in God's sight and purchased by Christ's blood, and requires giving them just as much respect as any of God's children, with the pitying tenderness of Jesus and with pure, fervent, unfeigned love. To despise them is to despise the purchase of Christ's blood and to close the door of the heart to Jesus, and those who do so need the transforming grace of Christ in their own hearts. Across all distinctions of race and status believers are members of one family, and mercy and kindness mean treating those despised or burdened with tenderness and respect.

Home Marriage and Family

In household life the chosen, holy and beloved of God are to clothe themselves with mercy, kindness, humility, meekness and patience, and these qualities are the practical remedy for troubles in families as well as churches, expressing the converted life and sanctification of soul and spirit. Where they are put on, faultfinding and harshness are replaced with peace, joy and rest in the Lord, as part of the new life of those raised with Christ, with meekness and humility learned from Christ. This heavenly character formed by the Spirit is to be evident in words and conduct, including when young people associate together, representing Christ rather than cheap speech, frivolity or an unworthy example. Kindness is to be practiced in the home, including toward children, and humbling of self opens the way for God to exalt, shaping how members treat one another including their children.

In marriage kindness, humility, meekness and patience are duties spouses are to practice toward each other, treating one another with courtesy and a grateful, submissive spirit without lording it over each other. Giving themselves wholly to God in married life to elevate one another, the elect put on mercy, kindness, humbleness of mind, meekness and longsuffering by being ever careful and tender of each other's feelings. A husband is forbidden bitterness against his wife when he finds her erring and full of faults, because bitterness of spirit will not remedy the evil. Married life so clothed means constant tenderness of feeling, watching words before speaking, modulating the tones of the voice, and letting only love, gentleness and mildness show in countenance and voice. It means never wounding with playful bantering, joking or censuring, never manifesting a dictatorial, overbearing, arbitrary spirit, but practicing self-control and yielding to one another and yielding judgment even when one's own course seems right. It means being forbearing, kind, tenderhearted, pitiful and courteous, keeping fresh the little courtesies of life, tender acts and cheerful, encouraging words, so that peace and happiness are preserved and the pathway of life is smoothed for each other.

Parents are to let compassion, kindness, humility, meekness and patience shape their conscientious and firm guidance of children. Affection and tenderness are to be expressed in a pure, dignified way, with kindly speech, checked hasty words, and patience and respect, as family members seek to make one another happy. Impatience, fretfulness and irritability are to be controlled, with pleasant speaking, soothing of children's troubles with tender sympathy, and allowance for their changing moods and condition. A kindly, forbearing spirit in parents encourages the same in children, and mutual kindness and forbearance make the home peaceful and welcoming.

The same clothing requires tender compassion with hearts of flesh in place of narrowed, selfish hardness, tearing away the covering of selfishness that leaves the needy, the exiled and the suffering unreceived and uncared for. It means coming into sympathy with Christ and having His tenderness for all the sheep and lambs of His fold, cherishing tender compassion for the erring, tempted and tried, restoring one overtaken in fault in meekness, bearing burdens, and doing practical labor for souls in danger of perishing. Especially orphans, widows, the fatherless, children and youth are to be received and not repulsed, given a place and treated as one's own, with care for the widow and fatherless and labor to save souls. Tender hearts are to feel the suffering of others and respond with help, especially when workers in a poor field need support so they can help themselves, since passing by people in need without sympathy or cooperation is contrary to duty. Without this inward mercy, those professing to seek glory, honor, immortality and eternal life will be found to blame when the Judge investigates and found wanting in the day of God.

Heeding the command preserves influence for good, for the word turns on Let: the peace of Christ comes when given place and welcome in the heart. When that peace is welcomed to rule continually and not as a transient guest, speech takes on the gentleness of Christ and words and manner become pleasant, replacing a harsh, abrupt, repelling manner that leads others to doubt one's Christianity and is not pleasing to God, and keeping empty, harmful words from pouring out. Fully heard and received, treating others as Christ treats sinners in mercifully and tenderly pardoning transgressions and mistakes converts the soul, brings the heart under the subduing influence of the Spirit, and thereby improves health. Putting on mercy, kindness, humility, meekness, longsuffering, forbearance and forgiveness as Christ forgave is the way to rest and to the health and spiritual blessings God has in store, by surrendering self entirely, finding God's expressed will by searching the Scriptures with prayer, then doing that will from the heart without selfish indulgence, doing the work that presents itself and taking by faith the abundance of grace promised to all who ask. When believers feel weakness and great need of Christ's grace, who alone redeems and cleanses from all sin by giving His life a ransom, they are brought where they can have an influence over one another for good, and in simple faith and unlimited trust become as little children, partakers of the divine nature and like Jesus, pure, holy, harmless and undefiled. Kindness, mercy and forbearance shown in every circumstance, including under temptation, belong to the everyday duties and courtesies on which happiness depends and prepare for the society of heavenly angels.

Church Ministry and Witness

Those in responsible positions in institutions, churches, and councils must put off a cold, critical, sarcastic, harsh, severe, self-important, dictatorial and overbearing spirit with sharp words, harsh criticisms, denunciations, favoritism and lording over others, for such a spirit bruises and discourages souls and wounds Christ Himself. The heart must be melted to tenderness and compassion, the vacuum left by expelling that spirit supplied with the spirit of Jesus, and tenderness of spirit, courtesy, refinement of feeling, kindness and love learned in the school of Christ. Others are to be treated as purchased by the blood of Christ and precious to God, as one desires to be treated, with great carefulness that will not dare exhibit objectionable traits, remembering that every transaction is recorded for judgment and what is done to suffering humanity is done to Christ. This clothing of mercy, kindness, humility, meekness and patience belongs to dealings with one another, especially in forbearing and forgiving one another even when there is quarrel, just as Christ forgave, with love as the bond of perfectness, the peace of God ruling in the heart, thankfulness, the word of Christ dwelling richly, and all done in the name of the Lord Jesus. Only when thoroughly converted, controllable by the Spirit of God, baptized with the spirit of Christ into love and tenderness, and laboring especially to save what is ready to die is a man prepared to give instruction to those who need it, for God will not accept work not done in tenderness and love and kindness.

Coming into sympathy with Christ means having His tenderness for all the sheep and lambs of His fold and cherishing tender compassion for the erring, the tempted and the tried, caring for God's heritage and doing practical labor for souls in danger of perishing. One overtaken in fault is to be restored in meekness, burdens are to be borne, and wrong in a fellow believer is to be addressed privately with love and compassion rather than spread to others, used to condemn, kept under blame, or judged, with each attending to his own heart. Rebuke of sin must be in the spirit of Christ from love for God and for souls Christ died to save, not from hasty or impetuous impulse, and humility, kindness, patience and forgiveness mark the penitent who endures testing with deep contrition rather than self-glory. This is working the works of Christ to restore not destroy, to lift up not cast down, to heal the brokenhearted, preach deliverance to captives, give sight to the blind, set at liberty the bruised, remember the bound as bound with them, loose the bands of wickedness, undo heavy burdens, let the oppressed go free and break every yoke, receiving orphans, widows, the fatherless, children and youth rather than repulsing them. True godliness proves its worth by such good works and bears the fruit of the Spirit in friendship to those for whom Christ died, in connection with seeking things above, putting off anger, wrath, malice, blasphemy, filthy speech and lying, and putting on the new man where distinctions disappear because Christ is all and in all.

Remembering the great obligation owed to Christ who died to redeem them should put selfish ambition and desire for supremacy to death as He takes possession of the affections, manifesting toward those He died to redeem the same sympathy, tender compassion and unselfish love He has manifested. Each must ask whether he possesses the grace of love and has learned to suffer long and be kind, putting away sins to come into harmony with God and then into harmony with one another in peace and love. Talents, learning and eloquence without this heavenly love are as meaningless as sounding brass or a tinkling cymbal, for discord and strife are the work of Satan and the fruit of sin.

Putting on this character leaves no place for evil thinking and evil speaking, suspicion, jealousy, unjust criticism, fault-gathering, unkind thoughts, uncharitable feelings, envy, accusing, faultfinding and misrepresenting brethren, but cultivates kindness, forbearance, gentleness, patience and love and reveals Christ in character by unity and love. It learns the eloquence of silence with fewer words and a heart closed to suspicion, holds back bitter words that bruise others and one's own soul, confesses one's own wrongs without referring to brethren's wrongs, cries to the Lord for wisdom until light breaks in, and gathers with the angels by pity and courtesy instead of scattering. No one is made a sin-bearer or judge to sit on the judgment seat, dissect character, or criticize the Lord's servants, but each is a peacemaker and blessing with life hidden with Christ, looking to Jesus, praying for self-control, meekness and peace, and receiving the peace Christ gives, opposite the unrenewed heart that lives irritated and spreads evil surmising, distrust, heartburning and roots of bitterness. Continuing in criticism brings blindness of mind in an enemy's land of constant temptation, placing a person on the enemy's side doing the enemy's work while thinking to do God service, and conduct reveals whether self or Christ is the center.

The third chapter of Colossians is to be read and studied by young men and women and young ministers preparing for service, teaching sanctification to God, godly example, grace and clearness of comprehension, with Christ formed within enabling successful work for those for whom He gave His life. Going out in Christ's humility and meekness to serve, believers must be daily learners in Christ's school, receiving instruction from the great Teacher in order to impart it to others, practicing mercy, kindness, humility, meekness and patience and moving ever forward and upward in the pathway of light, since people have no wisdom to guide themselves aright. This calling rests on all as Christ's ambassadors with consecrated hearts molded after the divine similitude, learning duty and doctrine from the Word under the Holy Spirit, bringing the message to parents and children, masters and servants, employers and employed, keeping the unworked parts of the vineyard in view and taking no narrow views of the work.

Living these qualities as a life joined with Christ and complete in character leaves unbelievers with a favorable impression of the truth, for visible love for one another influences those who do not believe. Those who serve Christ renounce anything that hinders spiritual progress or turns another from the narrow path, let light shine in good works to glorify the Father, and in right relation to God through Christ alone who redeems and cleanses by His ransom become as little children in simple faith, partakers of the divine nature, pure and holy, with influence for good over one another. When correction of a brother whose sin is plain is governed by mercy, told to him alone with love for his soul and a heart full of compassion rather than breathed to another or held under condemnation, and each first sets his own heart in order, love becomes visible to all, testimony comes from a full soul, onlookers are moved, and the Spirit witnesses that believers are God's children. Christ's grace received through faith enables putting away fault-finding, envy, jealousy, evil surmising, evil speaking, bitterness, impatience and malice daily and cherishing kindness, compassion, forbearance, meekness, gentleness, goodness, faith, hope and love, and the church's harmony and unity serve as evidence to the world that God sent His Son to give grace, light and truth.