Set Your Minds Above
Let’s take a better have a look at one in every of my favourite locations within the Bible. Colossians 3:1–4. Paul writes,
If then you have got been raised with Christ, search the issues which might be above, the place Christ is, seated on the proper hand of God. Set your minds on issues which might be above, not on issues which might be on earth. For you have got died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God. When Christ who’s your life seems, then you definitely additionally will seem with him in glory.
A few fundamentals proper up entrance. One, there’s a command that Paul provides proper on the middle of this part of verses. He says to “set your minds on issues which might be above.” That is fundamental Christianity proper right here: a self-discipline of focus, of perspective, cultivating a imaginative and prescient for the world to return that’s been promised as the last word future for all of God’s folks.
Paul’s calling us to a form of non secular self-discipline that meditates on the guarantees that God has given to us that we haven’t seen but and one thing we haven’t skilled but however that’s essential for our new id in Christ.
In these sensible meditations on biblical guarantees, Matthew McCullough reveals how cultivating heavenly mindedness shapes readers’ lives within the meantime.
The second factor I discover right here is that this command is rooted in who Jesus is to us. “Set your thoughts on issues above, not on issues which might be on earth.” Why? “Since you’ve died and your life is hidden with Christ in God.” Our life earlier than—the outdated self, the life that died—wished every part it may get out of this world proper right here, proper now. It’s all about kingdom constructing right here. All about squeezing as a lot goodness, as a lot standing, as a lot energy, as a lot wealth as we may. That life is useless now. Via Jesus we acknowledge that that life was useless already. It had no hope, no future, nothing lasting. And in Christ, we discovered one thing far larger.
So, now our life is hidden with him, and he’s the place we’re headed. The world to return is an expertise that we haven’t had but, however it includes an individual we do know and expertise and relate to proper now. We are able to lengthy for it as a result of we lengthy for and love him a lot. Verse 4: “when Christ, who’s your life, seems, then you definitely additionally will seem with him in glory.” That’s the horizon, and Paul’s placing it proper on the middle of the Christian life.
Most likely my different favourite factor about this passage shouldn’t be in these verses however within the verses that come subsequent. Typically there’s a knock on this heavenly-mindedness that Paul’s calling for, as if it’s a form of betrayal of the earth, minimizing how necessary issues are right here and now, a distraction from our calling right here and now to serve God on this world and this life.
And I’m positive folks have been responsible of that previously, from indifference or inaction with actual alternatives and actual wants round them. However Paul simply gained’t accept that form of dichotomy. Sure, he says set your thoughts on issues above, not on issues which might be on earth, however he doesn’t imply set your thoughts on heaven and pay no consideration in any respect to the life you’re dwelling now. That isn’t what he means.
Set your thoughts on what’s coming, not on what you have been dwelling for.
Set your thoughts on what’s coming, not on what you have been dwelling for. That’s what he means—not what this earthly life affords to you as a reward or any supply of hope. Set your thoughts, he says, on issues above exactly so that you just dwell on this world proper right here, proper now in a manner that honors God and all that he’s achieved for you. From verse 5 by way of the tip of the chapter, it’s one in every of his most complete, most lovely, most detailed descriptions of what it means to dwell proper now as a Christian.
All of that flows from a thoughts that’s set on issues above. He talks about intercourse, marriage, parenting, and work. He talks about envy, mendacity, slander, and gossip. He talks about forgiveness, endurance, humility, and meekness. All of it flows out of a thoughts that’s set on issues above. There’s nothing extra sensible to your life as a Christian and to your development and holiness than cultivating a heavenly mindedness that lets you see the issues of earth in mild of the place all that is headed.
So, I believe some of the necessary functions I might draw from this textual content is to study to acknowledge the place in Colossians 3 you’re eager to develop, whether or not it’s one thing you’re wanting to place off, as he says to do in verses 5–11, or placed on as he says to do in verses 12–17. After which see how that space connects again to what’s coming in your future due to Jesus.
Possibly you’re coping with evil want, envy, or wrath, or let’s say anger has been an issue for you. Have you considered how your anger may be related to not focusing sufficient on issues above and on issues to return? Have you considered if what you need is to develop in your endurance or your meekness in the direction of your kids as a guardian? Have you considered the truth that seeing your future as outlined by heaven is straight related to rising in endurance proper right here and proper now? Paul is saying that it’s. Have you considered how?
I believe what Paul’s given you right here is an excellent device to start out utilizing. The solutions that you just’re going to seek out are going to depend upon prayer and cautious considering and what God reveals you in his phrase. However the query is value asking: How can considering extra clearly about the place all that is headed give me extra victory as I struggle for holiness proper right here and proper now?
Matthew McCullough is the creator of Keep in mind Heaven: Meditations on the World to Come for Life within the Meantime.
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