Aleethia!

This lesson was taught on Wednesday evening, 08-27-2008.

In the opening verses of Colossians 3, Paul gives a general outline of the philosophy of Christian life. He has already refuted the false teaching of the Gnostic philosophers, so now in contrast to that false philosophy, he presents the philosophy which should permeate the Christian life.

Remember that a philosophy is simply the lens through which you view the world. It is your fundamental understanding of reality and existence. Your philosophy acts as a guiding principle for your behavior.

This philosophy that Paul explains is the practical outworking of the teaching he has just presented of our being “in” Christ. This union of the believer with Christ is the root principle of the Christian life.

Paul begins verse 1 of chapter 3 with the statement

If then

This is a conditional statement. He is stating that “if” this holds true, “then” it should have this effect in our lives.

The “if” is our salvation, and our union with Christ and his resurrection, through our spiritual new birth, signified by baptism.

The design of the Gospel is not merely to give rules, but mainly to supply motives to holiness. ¹

Our salvation then, should be a motive for our doing what Paul here explains.

Paul’s intent is to make us aware that before we can become Christians, this power must operate within us; otherwise, though we may boast and fancy ourselves believing Christians, it will not be true. The test is, are we risen in Christ - is his resurrection effective in us? Is it merely a doctrine of words, or one of life and operating power? ²

What then follows Paul’s “if then” statement?

He tells us we are to

seek the things that are above

To “seek” something is to attempt or desire to obtain or achieve it. The Greek word carries with it the idea of striving, and longing for something. This Greek word is in the present imperative tense, implying continuing action, “keep on seeking.”

Two weeks from now we’ll take a closer look at exactly what these things are we are to be seeking, but for now, Paul tells us they are heavenly things. They are in heaven with Christ, who is

seated at the right hand of God.

This is the place of supreme privilege and divine authority. Once again Paul is placing emphasis on the supremacy of Christ. He is in heaven, in the favored position, at the right hand of God Almighty.

In our union with Christ, we have already been raised up to heavenly places (Eph 2.5-6). If Christ is our treasure, our head, our passion, we should strive to be prepared to live with in heavenly places.

If you are a Christian, then your primary focus should be on these “things above”

Paul tells us that seeking these things involves not only the desire for them, which resides in our hearts, but also our thought life.

Set your mind

There is active thought involved. But what does it mean to “set” your mind?

Calvin described it as, “intensity of aim.” Your mind is fixed on it. You are focused and nothing distracts you.

We are to seek heaven, and “think” heaven.

By contrast, we are not to fix our thoughts on the things of this earth. In the verses we’ll take up next week, we’ll see what Paul had in mind when he said “things that are on earth.” He obviously did not mean that we can’t think about what’s going on in our lives here on earth.

We are to seek and strive for, and think on, what is eternal, not the temporal things that the world places value on. What things do people make into life pursuits? (goals, subject of preoccupation)

This doesn’t mean we ignore physical things as the gnostics had concluded. It means that we live our physical lives differently. We have different values. Instead of valuing money, we value people. Instead of valuing ourselves, we value Christ and others. Instead of desiring things others have, we are thankful for what God has entrusted to us. Instead of lying we tell the truth.

Why?

Paul tells us we must make this change in our focus and thinking and the desires of our hearts, because we have died to the things of this earth and been made alive to the things of God. We have been raised from spiritual death to life.

You must prove the resurrection of Christ in you to be something more than vain words…Where this change does not take place, it is a sign ye are not yet Christians but are deceiving yourselves with vain fancies. ³

We have died to the world and risen to new life in Christ. Eternity has begun already. Eternal life does not begin after the death of our physical body, it begins at the moment of conversion. We are living the eternal life now. Paul wants us to act like it.

What does he mean when he states that our “life is hidden with Christ”?

That life is hidden in the sense that the world does not see it. In fact, it is opposed to our focusing on it. Because the world cannot see this new life, it makes no sense to the unregenerate and our pursuit of it will appear as foolishness to them. They will, therefore, oppose our desire to live for Christ, and attempt to persuade us to live as they do, which they see as wisdom.

This new life is also hidden to the Christian himself when physical senses or sensibilities are the means of perception. This new life is only to be seen, and experienced, by faith. (Col 2:12)

When our faith is weak, it seems that God is far off (see lesson on Psalm 13). When our faith is weak, we experience doubts about God, our salvation, our ability to live the Christian life, etc.

Paul gives us some encouragement in verse 4. Christ is our life, he tells us. Our spiritual, eternal life is not to be found in ourselves. It is not dependent on ourselves. It is found in, and dependent on Christ alone.

The hope Paul has spoken of before (Col 1:5) is this, that one day Christ will be revealed in glory, and the life that is now hidden in him, will be revealed with him, so that we, and indeed the whole world, will see not only Christ, but ourselves also, in the full splendor of his glory. Now we see only dimly, as though a reflection glimpsed in a mirror, or a mirage, but then we will see clearly and fully (1 Cor 13:12).

If we have truly experienced spiritual rebirth, the desires of our hearts, and the focus of our thoughts should be Christ. Only God can work that change to begin with, but in this passage, Paul has described our effort to make sure we stay focused on this new philosophy. Ultimately, it is God’s grace working in us that allows us to do so (without his grace, we would have no true desire to treasure Christ), but it does involve work and effort on our part. We need to long for heavenly things, and think about heavenly things.

1. JFB
2. Martin Luther, Complete Sermons of Martin Luther (Baker Books, 2000), vol IV-1, p 219
3. Martin Luther, Complete Sermons of Martin Luther (Baker Books, 2000), vol IV-1, p 221