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Colossians
BC Weekly Digest Monday, January 19 1998 In this issue: Colossians 3:1 Colossians 3:2-4 Colossians 3:1 Colossians 3:1 (OPV) 1 If then you were raised together with Christ, seek the things that are above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. == 3:1 "Raised together with Christ" Just as we die with Christ (Rom 6:8; Col 2:20; 3:3), we are also raised with Christ when we are baptized: "having been buried with Him in baptism, in which you were also raised with Him through faith in the working of God, who raised Him from the dead" (Col 2:12 OPV). By the grace of God, Christ died on the cross that the penalty of death for our sins might be paid. This grace is effectively extended to those who believe in Jesus (Mark 16:15,16), who repent of their sins (Acts 2:38), who confess their faith in Christ (Romans 10:9,10) and who are united with the death, burial and resurrection of Christ in baptism. "We were buried therefore with him through baptism unto death: that like as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, so we also might walk in newness of life" (Romans 6:4 ASV). "But if we died with Christ, we believe that we shall also live with him" (Romans 6:8 ASV). God "even when we were dead through our trespasses, made us alive together with Christ (by grace have ye been saved) and raised us up with him, and made us to sit with him in the heavenly [places], in Christ Jesus (Ephesians 2:5,6 ASV). "Faithful is the saying: For if we died with him, we shall also live with him: if we endure, we shall also reign with him" (2 Timothy 2:11,12). 3:1 "Seek the things that are above" Through the ages, men of faith have looked for a blessing from God beyond this life. Abraham was willing to leave the wealthy, godless city of Ur and wander as a nomad on earth because "he looked for the city which hath the foundations, whose builder and maker is God" (Hebrews 11:10 ASV). Men of faith desire a heavenly homeland (Hebrews 11:16) and, like Moses, are willing to pay the price (Hebrews 11:24-27). 3:1 "Where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God" When Christ, after His resurrection, ascended to the Father, He was seated at the right hand of God. At His trial, Jesus told the rulers of the people: "from henceforth shall the Son of man be seated at the right hand of the power of God" (Luke 22:69 ASV). "So then the Lord Jesus, after he had spoken unto them, was received up into heaven, and sat down at the right hand of God" (Mark 16:19 ASV), "but he, when he had offered one sacrifice for sins for ever, sat down on the right hand of God" (Hebrews 10:12 ASV). On the Day of Pentecost after His ascension, Peter preached that Jesus was seated at the right hand of God (Acts 2:33,34). As Paul assured the saints at Rome: "It is Christ Jesus that died, yea rather, that was raised from the dead, who is at the right hand of God, who also maketh intercession for us" (Romans 8:34 ASV). "Therefore let us also, seeing we are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses, lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset us, and let us run with patience the race that is set before us, looking unto Jesus the author and perfecter of [our] faith, who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising shame, and hath sat down at the right hand of the throne of God" (Hebrews 12:1,2). Roy Davison ------------------------------ Colossians 3:2-4 Colossians 3:2-4 (OPV) 2 Set your mind on the things that are above, not on the things that are on the earth, 3 for you died, and your life is hid with Christ in God. 4 When Christ, our life, appears, then you will also appear with Him in glory. == 3:2 "Set your mind on the things that are above" These are the things we are to 'seek' (verse 1) and these are the things we are to think about. As Paul wrote to the believers at Philippi: "Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honorable, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things" (Phil 4:8 ASV). 3:2 "Not on the things that are on the earth" Jesus told Pilate: "My kingdom is not of this world: if my kingdom were of this world, then would my servants fight, that I should not be delivered to the Jews: but now is my kingdom not from hence" (John 18:36 ASV). Where we focus our thoughts affects our behavior. After Peter rebuked Jesus for predicting His approaching death, Jesus told Peter that his mind was set on the wrong things: "But he turned, and said unto Peter, Get thee behind me, Satan: thou art a stumbling-block unto me: for thou mindest not the things of God, but the things of men" (Mat 16:23 ASV). Notice that these are commands. We can DECIDE what we are going to think about. Of course we all develop certain 'habits' of thinking. And it can take effort to change our usual way of thinking. We all tend to fill our days thinking about the things of this earth. But God calls us to place our thinking on a higher plane. 3:3 "For you died" We died with Christ to get away from the principles of the world (Col 2:20) so we should no longer set our minds on the things of the world. Being dead to the world, we are to bear fruit for God. "Wherefore, my brethren, ye also were made dead to the law through the body of Christ; that ye should be joined to another, [even] to him who was raised from the dead, that we might bring forth fruit unto God" (Rom 7:4 ASV). 3:3 "Your life is hid with Christ in God" Is this not a beautiful and reassuring statement? 3:4 "You will also appear with Him in glory" We find this same train of thought in Paul's letter to the Philippians. We should not "mind earthly things" since our citizenship is in heaven. "For many walk, of whom I told you often, and now tell you even weeping, [that they are] the enemies of the cross of Christ: whose end is perdition, whose god is the belly, and [whose] glory is in their shame, who mind earthly things. For our citizenship is in heaven; whence also we wait for a Saviour, the Lord Jesus Christ: who shall fashion anew the body of our humiliation, [that it may be] conformed to the body of his glory, according to the working whereby he is able even to subject all things unto himself" (Phil 3:18-21 ASV). Roy Davison