11And it was He who gave some to be apostles, some to be prophets, some to be evangelists, and some to be pastors and teachers, 12to equip the saints for works of ministry and to build up the body of Christ, 13until we all reach unity in the faith and in the knowledge of the Son of God, as we mature to the full measure of the stature of Christ.

14Then we will no longer be infants, tossed about by the waves and carried around by every wind of teaching and by the clever cunning of men in their deceitful scheming. 15Instead, speaking the truth in love, we will in all things grow up into Christ Himself, who is the head. 16From Him the whole body, fitted and held together by every supporting ligament, grows and builds itself up in love through the work of each individual part.

New Life in Christ

(Colossians 3:1–17)

17So I tell you this, and insist on it in the Lord, that you must no longer walk as the Gentiles do, in the futility of their thinking. 18They are darkened in their understanding and alienated from the life of God because of the ignorance that is in them due to the hardness of their hearts. 19Having lost all sense of shame, they have given themselves over to sensuality for the practice of every kind of impurity, with a craving for more.

20But this is not the way you came to know Christ. 21Surely you heard of Him and were taught in Him—in keeping with the truth that is in Jesus— 22to put off your former way of life, your old self, which is being corrupted by its deceitful desires; 23to be renewed in the spirit of your minds; 24and to put on the new self, created to be like God in true righteousness and holiness.

25Therefore each of you must put off falsehood and speak truthfully to his neighbor, for we are all members of one another. 26“Be angry, yet do not sin.” Do not let the sun set upon your anger, 27and do not give the devil a foothold.

28He who has been stealing must steal no longer, but must work, doing good with his own hands, that he may have something to share with the one in need.

29Let no unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building up the one in need and bringing grace to those who listen.

30And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, in whom you were sealed for the day of redemption.

31Get rid of all bitterness, rage and anger, outcry and slander, along with every form of malice. 32Be kind and tenderhearted to one another, forgiving each other just as in Christ God forgave you. Ephesians 4: BSB

Reflection:

Paul through the guidance of the Holy Spirit is asking us to walk in our gifting(God’s abilities that He gives us through the Holy Spirit) and to grow into the nature of God in the fruit of the Holy Spirit(God’s nature of love and what it looks like and how it is expressed)!!  From reading the Bible and growing in God’s likeness  we start to imitate His nature through practice and guidance of the Holy Spirit.  The Bible tells us to discern between good and evil, discern between Hearing God or  hearing the devil(Go(o)d an (d)evil), and others who may try to deceive us.

Paul tells us to take off our corrupt fallen nature that is not from God and that may causes us to  steal, kill and destroy which is work of the enemy the devil.  And He tells us to put on our new nature which is given to us from the Holy Spirit that lives within us as true born-again believers!

Of course this is done through God’s grace and mercy. However remember Grace is not something that should be abused but a safety net for when we mess up and away that we try not to do something in our own strength but letting God do it in His mighty strength that abides in all true believers!