<p>3:12 <em>Therefore, as God's elect</em>- The language of Old Testament Israel, and also of the Messiah. The new Israel are characterized and identified by their spiritual attributes, as the children of Abraham by the spirit, rather than fleshly identity. We again note that the false teaching plaguing Colosse and its surrounds was connected with a return to Judaism. But the main reference is I believe to us being as Christ, the elect.</p><p><em>And beloved</em>- A title of Christ, whose titles and personality is now counted to all of us in Him (Mt. 12:18; and the clear parallel in Eph. 1:6 is that He &quot;has made us accepted by being in the beloved&quot;).</p><p><em>Put on</em>- We cannot just sit down and acquire the listed characteristics. But insofar as we are in Christ, we have clothed ourselves with Him, and these characteristics of His personality are counted to us by grace. We have &quot;put on s.w. the new man&quot;, Christ (:10), who according to Isaiah's servant songs was &quot;the elect&quot;. The faith that that is indeed so leads us to naturally be the persons we are counted to be by status.</p><p><i>Sensitivity, kindness, humility, meekness, longsuffering</i>- These five characteristics are the antidote for the lists of five sins in :5 and :8. </p>