Ephesians 4:32 But be kind and compassionate to one another; forgive one another just as God also forgave you in Christ.
The Greek word γίνεσθε (ginesthe) means "to be, to become, to let it happen," and the context determines which of the meanings is applicable. Well, Ephesians chapter 4 confirms that every believer ought to live in Christ as a new creation, thus being, yes to be who Christ has made us through His death and resurrection!
Now the thing is, very few things clearly show the world the true church as much as what Paul described here, because treating others kindly with compassion and forgiving like Jesus did sets a completely different tone.
Paul thus reminded us to reflect Christ by being who He made you anew!
People all over the world know that the Bible teaches about kindness and compassion and forgiveness, but now they ought to read and experience it in those who believe in Christ.
And that's why Paul reminded us of who we are, a new creation who is kind and compassionate, a people who forgive just like God did in Christ!
Now before you start measuring yourself as falling far short of such a person, just wait a bit, because Paul wasn't asking us for a bit more effort.
See, a Christian is not someone with faith in Jesus that still tries to become a new creation, but we are growing up in Him as we get to live and move and have our being in Him, reflecting His kindness and His compassion and His forgiveness just as we know He fully gave it unto us!
Now the kindness that believers get to carry is not like the world does on its best day, for it is a perfect kindness that came from the Perfect One, Jesus. And the compassion that a believer shows towards other people is completely different from that of this world on its best day, because it is a compassion from the Compassionate One, Jesus.
And then Paul reminded us of something that belongs exclusively to a new creation in Christ, forgiveness as God forgave. True forgiveness is totally different from the world’s way of "forgive and forget," because when a believer forgives, we do it as God forgave us in Christ, totally, by grace!
You see, this kindness and compassion and forgiveness are not elements that Paul mentioned as a bit of motivation to try harder to be a better Christian; nope, it's a reminder to be who we are in Christ.
BE who Christ made you to be.
No, we didn't deserve Jesus' kindness and compassion and forgiveness, yet He gave it fully unto us so that through His death and resurrection we could be made new, a people who now live in and through His kindness, His compassion, and His forgiveness.
Amen