"You are the people of God.." - Colossians 3:12-13 (GNT)

What sets us apart from the world? It is God's love for us! God saw us while we were still in rebellion to Him and had compassion on us.

"Christ died for us while we were still sinners. This demonstrates God's love for us." 

Romans 5:8 (GW)

We have the fruits of the Spirit that are demonstrated to us and working in us as we receive His love for us.

  

"But the spiritual nature produces love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. There are no laws against things like that".  
Galatians 5:22-23 (GW)

This is the active life of Christ alive in us that is changing us and transforming us to become more like Christ as we demonstrate that love to others.

"As all of us reflect the Lord's glory with faces that are not covered with veils, we are being changed into his image with ever-increasing glory. This comes from the Lord, who is the Spirit." 
2 Corinthians 3:18 (GW)

The kingdom of God expands and grows this way; we know Christ from our experience by trusting Him with the faith that He gives us.

"Knowing that a man is not justified by the works of the law, but by the faith of Jesus Christ, even we have believed in Jesus Christ, that we might be justified by the faith of Christ, and not by the works of the law: for by the works of the law shall no flesh be justified." 
Galatians 2:16 (KJV)

It is as if we are given a new set of clothes to wear, which is from our heavenly tailor, who fits us with the proper attire which comes from a transformed mind that demonstrates to others the beauty and the majesty of the virtues that this clothing represents.

"Do not conform yourselves to the standards of this world, but let God transform you inwardly by a complete change of your mind. Then you will be able to know the will of God—what is good and is pleasing to him and is perfect." 
Romans 12:2 (GNT)

We are the people of God, not by our choice but by His election. God chose us in the beginning, to show His love and kindness to expand the boundaries of His kingdom to the ends of the earth by our interaction with others.

"You did not choose me; I chose you and appointed you to go and bear much fruit, the kind of fruit that endures. And so the Father will give you whatever you ask of him in my name." 
John 15:16 (GNT)

Being a Christ-follower is also all about expansion, the word of God expands our comprehension of His love for us and His love for others.  We we reach out to others we are, "paying it forward" so to speak. 

We have received a gift of love that we didn't deserve, from a man whom we didn't know. He told us about the Father's love and demonstrated that love by dying on our behalf that we might live.

 "I have an obligation to those who are civilized and those who aren't, to those who are wise and those who aren't. That's why I'm eager to tell you who live in Rome the Good News also." 
Romans 1:14-15 (GW)

Paul tells us in today's verse to be tolerant of others, for God is working within them too. Transformative change within a person takes time; it doesn't happen overnight. 

Being patient with others as they are growing in Christ is a must, we didn't just become mature followers of Jesus in a day, it has taken a lifetime for most of us to grow in relationship with Him and to learn to trust Him fully.  

As God's sons and daughters, we are in the process of being changed into God's image, this process is so we may reflect His glory more fully every day.

"The God who said, "Out of darkness the light shall shine!" is the same God who made his light shine in our hearts, to bring us the knowledge of God's glory shining in the face of Christ." 
2 Corinthians 4:6 (GNT)

Forgiveness is the trademark of the Christ-follower, for we have been forgiven much by Jesus who sacrificed Himself on our behalf. 

Jesus didn't have to die but He chose to because He had foreseen the outcome of forgiving humanity of their sin that His death would redeem everyone back to God. 

Jesus saw the potential of our interaction with Him and others to be imagers of God once again.

That is the good news that we have a savior who purchased us from sin and death to live eternally with Him in His heavenly kingdom.

Be Blessed;
Stephen Barnett