www.bible.com/111/col.3.12.niv
Therefore, as God’s chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience.-Colossians 3:12
Paul is reiterating here what he wrote to the Galatian church about the evidence of living by the Spirit. In his letter to the Galatian church Paul gives a much more detailed list of the fruits of a Spirit filled life. Here he gives a brief list, but tells something much more important. If you have paid close attention to the theme of Paul’s letters as you read them, you should have noticed something very important. The message Paul was trying to convey to his reader’s then to us now is really very simple. That message is: that is not adherence to set a rules or laws that save, but it is God’s grace that is freely given to you when you place your faith and trust in him. That is what Paul meant when he wrote “as God’s chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves”. We are dearly loved by God and it is as result of that love that we are to go out and be compassionate, kind, gentle, humble and patient. Remember compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience are a result of a changed heart and not the cause of the changed heart.