Pastor. Carlos Perez Th.M . M.A.T Biblical Counseling
(Colossians 3:12–15)

The gospel does not merely inform us; it transforms us. In Colossians 3, the apostle Paul teaches that true and lasting change in the Christian life flows from the grace of God, not from human effort. If we desire genuine change, we must understand the biblical dynamic of change established by the gospel.

Transformation into the image of Christ is possible only because God, in His grace, grants believers a new position in Christ. From that new position, the Holy Spirit produces new virtues within us, which become visible through new dispositions of the heart. In other words, the gospel does not only change who we are before God; it reshapes what we desire, what we love, and how we respond.

One of the first dispositions grace produces is a renewed willingness to obey the Word of Christ. Paul never separates grace from obedience. While he constantly directs believers to what Christ has done for them and in them, he also calls them to live in light of that finished work. Because we have died with Christ, we are now enabled to put to death the remaining sin that still dwells in us. Grace does not remove responsibility; it makes obedience possible.

This is evident in the many imperatives found in the opening verses of Colossians 3. Commands such as “put on” and “clothe yourselves” can only be obeyed because God has already worked within us, creating a new inner disposition toward obedience. God produces these virtues, and believers are called to grow in them through the means of grace He has provided.

Among these new dispositions is the call to forgive one another. Where the unregenerate heart once sought retaliation and revenge, those who live a new life in Christ are called to cultivate forgiveness. The reason is deeply gospel-centered: Christ has already forgiven us. Those who truly grasp the grace of forgiveness are enabled to extend that same grace to others—not primarily for the sake of the offender, but for the glory of the One who forgave them.

This forgiveness flows from humility, meekness, and tender compassion. When believers understand their true condition before God and recognize that they were forgiven solely by grace, their perspective changes. Seeing their own sin as greater than the offense committed against them, they become capable—by God’s grace—of forgiving others.

Finally, grace also produces a disposition of love and gratitude. Those who are amazed by the depth of God’s love are positioned to love their brothers and sisters sincerely. As Scripture teaches, love for God is evidenced by love for one another, and a grateful heart is the natural response of a soul governed by the grace of Christ.