What Should Be True About Believers

Services

SunDAY: 9 AM Sunday School, 10:30AM Worship /TuesDAY 6 pm prayer/ WedNESDAY 6PM Bible study

May 17, 2026

 Pastor Henry M. Boyd
 Colossians 3:12-17
 Believers

Background:

  • A believer should be characterized by a transformed heart
  • A transformed heart is a process by which God replaces a stony heart with a soft heart that desires Him (Ezekiel 36:26)
  • We need a heart not of flesh, but of the Spirit...and we need a surrendered will that says God whatever You want me to do or wherever You want me to go...and bearing spiritual fruit (love, joy, peace, and real faith)
  • A desire to lead others to Christ
  • A desire to have the light on the inside shining through
  • Genuine faith is marked by obedience...even if we don't understand it
  • We must have a love for others and must confess our sins
  • We must have a deep relationship with Jesus Christ


Key Sermon Notes:

1. We have been chosen by God

  • No one becomes a Christian by their own choice; rather God has chosen us
  • The truth of divine selection is in scripture (Ephesians 1:4; 1 Thessalonian 1:4)
  • God did not call us because of our good works...there is nothing that we can do to work our way into God's Kingdom
  • God chose us...and we have the choice to accept the gift of Jesus Christ
  • God chose us according to His purpose and plan (2 Timothy 1:9; Revelations 17:8)
  • We have been separated for the purpose of God's call

2. The things we should put on

  • Christians need to put on compassion and kindness, which is showing deep empathy and a fundamental goodness
  • Jesus had compassion on the multitude
  • We need to have compassion on each other because we never know what others are going through
  • Even though some may handle things well, we still need to show compassion to others
  • Kindness doesn't cost anything
  • We need to put on mercy, humility and gentleness
  • We must put aside pride
  • Pride says we don't need God
  • We ALL need God (no matter what we think we have) !
  • We need to mirror Christ, including His attitude
  • Christ humbled Himself when He came down to us
  • We must put on meekness and longsuffering (patience)
  • We all need patience to wait on the Lord so He will renew our strength
  • We must bear one another...the community is around us
  • The above were the clean clothes
  • The dirty clothes are anger, wrath, malice, blasphemy, lies
  • We must be transformed by taking off the dirty clothes and put on the clean clothes

3. Jesus is the model of forgiveness

  • We MUST forgive others (not if we want to or if we feel like it)
  • Jesus is the supreme model of forgiveness...He showed us by pardoning offences without limits
  • Jesus forgave His persecutors while on the cross
  • Love our enemies and demonstrate God's grace rather than human reluctance
  • Forgiveness is the act of the will, a deliberate choice rather than an automatic feeling
  • Forgiveness should be done freely
  • It is a conscious decision to get rid of resentment and bitterness
  • We are to forgive as Christ forgave us
  • All of us have been injured by someone, including each of us injuring others
  • If we can't forgive, then the truth is not in us
  • If we don't forgive, then we become the hostage
  • Unforgiveness will destroy us
  • Forgiveness frees us up from carrying the weight and bondage