Set Your Mind on Things Above: Colossians 3:1-10

Col. 3:1 If then you were raised with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ is, sitting at the right hand of God.

If you are a true follower of Jesus you have been raised with Christ. Your focus, therefore, should center on Christ. The right hand of God is a metaphor for the place of supreme privilege and divine authority.

Col. 3:2 Set your mind on things above, not on things on the earth.

Our focus should be on the eternal and not on the temporal. This world is passing away and to put our focus on the things of this life is an unwise investment of our life.

C.S. Lewis wrote, “Hope is one of the theological virtues. This means that acontinual looking forward to the eternal world is not as some modern people would think, 'a form of escapism or wishful thinking:  but one of the things a Christian is meant to do. It does not mean we are to leave the present world as it is, if you read history you will find that the Christians who did most for the present world were just those who thought most of the next! It is since Christians have largely ceased to think of the 'other world' that they have become so ineffective in this one. Aim at Heaven and you will get earth thrown in. Aim at earth, and you will get neither."

Col. 3:3 For you died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God.

We died to living for this world and our life is wrapped up in our relationship with Christ.

Col. 3:4 When Christ who is our life appears, then you also will appear with Him in glory.

This is speaking of the Second Coming of Jesus.

Col. 3:5 Therefore put to death your members which are on the earth: fornication, uncleanness, passion, evil desire, and covetousness, which is idolatry.

Our life in Christ is supreme reality while this world is only temporary. Therefore we need to put to death those earthly desires that are contrary to God and Christ’s Kingdom.

Col. 3:6 Because of these things the wrath of God is coming upon the sons of disobedience,

Col. 3:7 in which you yourselves once walked when you lived in them.

Col. 3:8 But now you yourselves are to put off all these: anger, wrath, malice, blasphemy, filthy language out of your mouth.

Col. 3:9 Do not lie to one another, since you have put off the old man with his deeds,

We should have nothing to do with those things that are bringing God’s wrath on the disobedient.

Col. 3:10 and have put on the new man who is renewed in knowledge according to the image of Him who created him,

Col. 3:11 where there is neither Greek nor Jew, circumcised nor uncircumcised, barbarian, Scythian, slave nor free, but Christ is all and in all.

The metaphor is of putting on and off clothing. It is a choice to put off the old man and put on the new. We can still decide to live according to the old way of living or we can choose to live in accordance with who we now are in Christ. Our knowledge has been renewed to come in alignment with our new relationship with Jesus Christ. In Him the racial divides have been removed and we who have believed are all one in Christ.