Colossians 3:1 - 4
If then you have been raised with Christ, seek the things that are above, where Christ is seated at the right hand of God. Set your minds on things that are above, not on things that are on earth. For you have died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God. When Christ who is your life appears, then you also will appear with him in glory.
Let's face it our World is just saturated in self-indulgence. Always thinking of the now. Always thinking of our own desires. What can I get and how fast can I get it. What is sad is that most "Christians" are caught up in this same self-satisfaction mentality. What is it that can bring me the most happiness? What is it that will bring me the most satisfaction? Is it more money? More prestige? More "Stuff"? Could it be that your children are the best at a certain sport or the best dancer? I guess in there place all that is well and good. But in those things what is sacrificed?
The Apostle Paul, being led by the Holy Spirit, is admonishing the "Christians" at Colossae. He is challenging them as it says in Verse 1 of Chapter 3 that "If you have been raised with Christ". Meaning if you are confessing to be a "Christian", if you are confessing to be a "Follower of Jesus", that if you have truly repented of your sins and have put your trust in Jesus as Lord of you life, then that should be evident in your mindset of where your priorities are.
The things of this World is in exact opposite of the things of God! Paul points out that if we are truly saved then we will seek the things of God where our Lord Jesus Christ is right now. God showed his acceptance of Jesus' sacrifice for his just wrath upon man's sin by raising Jesus from the dead. Jesus then ascended into Heaven where he is now seated at the right hand of God the Father (Hebrews Chapter 8).
Verse 2 says to "Set our Minds" on things that are above. What thoughts come to you when you think of the term "To Set"? I think of setting plants in the ground and you plant them in a way that the roots will grow and will become nourished. I think of concrete after it has been poured that it has to "set up" to become firm and stable. We set our minds on things above so we become rooted and firm in our faith and rooted in truth which comes from Jesus Christ who is "The Way, The Truth and The Life. What can also be said here is that we are to set our minds on what is Eternal that comes from God and not what is Temporary that comes from this World.
Jesus' words are recorded in the Gospel of John Chapter 6 verse 33 "To seek first the Kingdom of God and his righteouseness and all these things will be added unto you"! What will be added unto us? Stuff? All our Wants? No! The things we need in this life and the most important thing and that is a personal relationship with Jesus Christ our Savior.
Jesus died for the sins of mankind and God raised him from the dead. So if we have truly trusted Jesus as Lord then we have died to the selfish desires of this life. In the book of Galatians the Apostle Paul wrote "For I am crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me. And the life I know live in the flesh I live by Faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me!
Our lives become focused on Jesus and every aspect of our life is to glorify God and this is because of the hope we have that one day we will be with Jesus forever in Heaven. Where is our Focus? What are we living for? Or better said, Who are we living for?
In Christ,
Dale A. Jennings
If then you have been raised with Christ, seek the things that are above, where Christ is seated at the right hand of God. Set your minds on things that are above, not on things that are on earth. For you have died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God. When Christ who is your life appears, then you also will appear with him in glory.
Let's face it our World is just saturated in self-indulgence. Always thinking of the now. Always thinking of our own desires. What can I get and how fast can I get it. What is sad is that most "Christians" are caught up in this same self-satisfaction mentality. What is it that can bring me the most happiness? What is it that will bring me the most satisfaction? Is it more money? More prestige? More "Stuff"? Could it be that your children are the best at a certain sport or the best dancer? I guess in there place all that is well and good. But in those things what is sacrificed?
The Apostle Paul, being led by the Holy Spirit, is admonishing the "Christians" at Colossae. He is challenging them as it says in Verse 1 of Chapter 3 that "If you have been raised with Christ". Meaning if you are confessing to be a "Christian", if you are confessing to be a "Follower of Jesus", that if you have truly repented of your sins and have put your trust in Jesus as Lord of you life, then that should be evident in your mindset of where your priorities are.
The things of this World is in exact opposite of the things of God! Paul points out that if we are truly saved then we will seek the things of God where our Lord Jesus Christ is right now. God showed his acceptance of Jesus' sacrifice for his just wrath upon man's sin by raising Jesus from the dead. Jesus then ascended into Heaven where he is now seated at the right hand of God the Father (Hebrews Chapter 8).
Verse 2 says to "Set our Minds" on things that are above. What thoughts come to you when you think of the term "To Set"? I think of setting plants in the ground and you plant them in a way that the roots will grow and will become nourished. I think of concrete after it has been poured that it has to "set up" to become firm and stable. We set our minds on things above so we become rooted and firm in our faith and rooted in truth which comes from Jesus Christ who is "The Way, The Truth and The Life. What can also be said here is that we are to set our minds on what is Eternal that comes from God and not what is Temporary that comes from this World.
Jesus' words are recorded in the Gospel of John Chapter 6 verse 33 "To seek first the Kingdom of God and his righteouseness and all these things will be added unto you"! What will be added unto us? Stuff? All our Wants? No! The things we need in this life and the most important thing and that is a personal relationship with Jesus Christ our Savior.
Jesus died for the sins of mankind and God raised him from the dead. So if we have truly trusted Jesus as Lord then we have died to the selfish desires of this life. In the book of Galatians the Apostle Paul wrote "For I am crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me. And the life I know live in the flesh I live by Faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me!
Our lives become focused on Jesus and every aspect of our life is to glorify God and this is because of the hope we have that one day we will be with Jesus forever in Heaven. Where is our Focus? What are we living for? Or better said, Who are we living for?
In Christ,
Dale A. Jennings
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