Colossenses 3
Charles Spurgeon · Citado em PreceptAustin
Colossenses 3
Spurgeon - The if is used logically, not theologically, by way of argument, and not by way of doubt. All who believe in Christ are risen with Christ. Let us meditate on this truth… Oh! how often we need to be called to this, for the flesh is groveling, and it holds down the spirit; and very often we are seeking the things below as if we had not yet attained to the new life, and did not know anything about the resurrection power of Christ within the soul. Now, if it be that you, believers, have risen with Christ, do not live as if you had never done so, but “seek those things which are above, where Christ sitteth on the right hand of God.” Wuest emphasizes that the Colossians…to whom he was writing, were saved. They had been identified with (baptizo) Christ in His resurrection (Ro 6:2, 3+, Ro 6:4+). His was a physical resurrection out from among the dead, theirs, a spiritual resurrection out from among the spiritually dead and from a state of spiritual death into that of spiritual life. This was potential at the time Christ died, and actual for them when they placed their faith in Him as Saviour. (Eerdmans Publishing - used by permission) Horatius Bonar (biography)… The word "if" is not, in this place, expressive of doubt. It does not imply that those "saints at Colosse" were uncertain as to whether they were risen with Christ. Rather, it is the apostle's way of denoting the surest of all certainties. Thus he uses it in Romans 5:10+, "If when we were enemies we were reconciled to God;" and in Ro 5:15+, "If through the offence of one many be dead." So that more truly it might be rendered "since," as assuming the fact, and setting it down as beyond all doubt… The result of a believed gospel is not uncertainty--but certainty; not trouble--but peace; not the continuance--but the expulsion of all anxiety. The gospel presents me with that, in believing which I am entitled to say, "I am a child; forgiven, saved, risen." Such is its nature that, in receiving it, so far from being brought into uncertainty, or kept in uncertainty, I am relieved from all uncertainty; my soul is set at rest. I am not only warranted--but commanded to claim my sonship. My not claiming it, my standing still in doubt as to reconciliation between me and God, shows that I have not yet fully understood the freeness and fitness of the grace which the gospel makes known. For God here presents to us such a gospel as to shut each hearer of it up to this alternative--either to doubt the good news, or enter into conscious friendship with Himself. (Colossians 3:1-4 The Risen Christ and the Things Above - read Bonar's excursus on the sad plight of so many saints who are unsure about their great inheritance and holy privileges in Christ). Paul is reaffirming that our co-resurrection with Christ is a fact and is not in doubt. True spiritual life is nurtured in the "womb" of true doctrine. If you are going to live a holy life in an unholy world, your doctrine has got to be unadulterated, "pure milk" (1Pe 2:2, 3+). Spurgeon - Your Lord and Master has gone up to heaven. You profess that he represents you, and that you have gone up there in him and with him. Then do not seek the things that are down here below, the things of earth; but live where your life has gone. Where your treasure is, there let your heart be also. “Seek those things which are above.” Ryrie - Paul's appeal is simple: Become in experience what you already are by God's grace. The Christian is risen with Christ; let him exhibit that new life. (Borrow Ryrie Study Bible Expanded Edition) J Philip Arthur writes… The apostle Paul wanted his first readers in first-century Colosse to realize that, in this world, Christians are indeed a kind of resident alien. Their real identity and origin are not earthly, but heavenly. As physical organisms we were born in this world but, having died with Christ (Col 2:20+), we no longer belong to it. A second, spiritual birth means that our true citizenship is in heaven (Php 3:20+) and something of the quality of that place ought to cling to us even as we live out our days in this present world. The world needs heavenly people as never before, and this is what Christians are when they live up to their true identity. The message of this passage to Christians, whether in the first or twenty-first century, then, is: 'Be what you are!' In calling upon Christians to be what they are, Paul set before the Colossians the challenge to live as heavenly people and, in doing so, to bring something of the quality of heaven to earth to irradiate and suffuse all their relationships and life situations (cp Mt 5:16+, Php 2:14, 15+). Some Christians have certainly achieved this. The Puritan Richard Sibbes (1577-1635), the Covenanter Samuel Rutherford (1600-1661) and Robert Murray McCheyne (18:13-1843) in nineteenth-century Scotland all brought the glow of heaven to this broken world and made it much the better for their passing. The world still needs people like that. (Christ All-Sufficient Colossians and Philemon Simply Explained) Illustration of a heavenly life, a life seeking the things above - Adoniram Judson - Many years ago when the great missionary Adoniram Judson was home on furlough, he passed through the city of Stonington, Connecticut. A young boy playing about the wharves at the time of Judson’s arrival was struck by the man’s appearance. Never before had he seen such a light on any human face (cp 2Co 3:18, 1Co 15:49). He ran up the street to a minister to ask if he knew who the stranger was. The minister hurried back with him, but became so absorbed in conversation with Judson that he forgot all about the impatient youngster standing near him. Many years afterward that boy—who could never get away from the influence of that wonderful face—became the famous preacher Henry Clay Trumbull. (author of the insightful and fascinating book The Blood Covenant A Primitive Rite And Its Bearings on Scripture) In a book of memoirs he penned a chapter entitled: "What a Boy Saw in the Face of Adoniram Judson." That lighted countenance had changed his life. Even as flowers thrive when they bend to the light, so shining, radiant faces come to those who constantly turn toward Christ! WHO ARE YOU… Before God? Before Others? What I am when I am alone in the presence of God, is what I really am. What I am when I am with other people, should be the same or otherwise my public life is a veritable "spiritual charade". As someone has well said, reputation is what other people think about you. Character ("that which a person or thing really is") is what God knows to be true about you. In these last two chapters of Colossians, Paul is saying in essence that as believers (Colossians 3-4 is written to believers) we are to let our reputation match our new position, our new potential, our new character in Christ ("Christ in you the hope of glory" Col 1:27+, "in Him you have been made complete" Col 2:10+, "Christ your life" Col 3:4+). Right belief is basic, but such belief, when not lived out in right behavior, is virtually meaningless at best and hypocrisy at worst! Right belief must and can be lived out successfully in "this present evil age" (Gal 1:4), but it can only be accomplished by continual dependence on God's grace (1Co 15:10+, 2Co 12:9+) and His Spirit's empowerment (Gal 5:16+, Ro 8:13+). And so what are some of the effects of our new resurrection life, our supernatural union with Christ? Believers are no longer enslaved to and under the dominion of our inveterate mortal enemies - (1) The flesh (see old self = old man) (Ro 6:6+, Col 3:9+), (2) The world (Gal 6:14+) and (3) The devil (Col 1:13+, He 2:14, 15notes) (See chart contrasting in the flesh vs in the Spirit) John Eadie in his unique style explains that If the Colossian believers should act in accordance with their privileges (Ed: And their position; i.e., in Christ) —if they understood how the charge preferred against them by the law had been met with a discharge on the cross of Calvary—if the process of sanctification beginning in their hearts should work outward, and hallow and adorn their lives—if they felt that whatever blessings they enjoyed in part, or anticipated in fulness, sprang from union with Christ, then should they be fortified against every effort to induce them to sever themselves from the Head (Col 1:18+, Col 2:10+, Col 2:19+, Ep 2:22+), and against every attempt to substitute reveries (revery = a loose or irregular train of thought) for truth, or human inventions for Divine enactments. Then, too, should they learn that worship does not consist of superstitious invocations, and that sanctification is not identical with fanatical austerities. Let them move in a spiritual region lifted far above those earthly vanities (cp Ep 2:6+), and let them look down on them as the offspring of a morbid and self-deceived imagination, or the craving and the nutriment of a self-satisfied pride… Union with Christ enjoys a peculiar and merited prominence—“risen with Christ.” Their new position laid them under a special obligation, and they are thus enjoined—“seek those things which are above” Commentary on Paul's Epistle to the Colossians - Online - 1884) Ray
Colossenses 3
Spurgeon - On board iron vessels it is a common thing to see a compass placed aloft, to be as much away from the cause of aberration as possible; a wise hint to us to elevate our affections and desires; the nearer to God, the less swayed by worldly influences. ><>><>><> In his devotional entitled RISEN WITH CHRIST from Our Daily Walk F B
Colossenses 3
Spurgeon comments on Christ seated at the right hand of God: What a magnet to draw us towards heaven should this fact be, -that Christ sitteth at God’s right hand. Where should the wife’s thoughts be when her husband is away but with the absent and beloved one? You know, brethren, it is not otherwise with us: the objects of our affection are always followed by our thoughts. Let Jesus, then, be as a Great Loadstone (Ed note: lodestone: a naturally occurring rock consisting of nearly pure magnetite & thus naturally magnetic) drawing our meditations and affections towards Himself. Let us rise and rest with Him. He is sitting on a throne. Observe His majesty, delight in His power, and trust in His dominion. He is sitting at the right hand of God in the place of honor and favor. This is a proof that we are beloved and favored of God, for our Representative has the choicest place, at God’s right hand. Let your hearts ascend and enjoy that love and favor with Him. Take wing, my thoughts, and fly away to Jesus. My soul, hast thou not often said, “Woe’s me that I dwell in Meshach, and tabernacle in the tents of Kedar: Oh that I had wings like a dove, that I might flee away and be at rest” (Ps 55:6 - Spurgeon's note)? Now, then, my soul, here are wings for thee. Jesus draws thee upward. Thou hast a right to be where Jesus is, for thou art married to Him; therefore let thy thoughts abide with Him, rest in Him, delight in Him, rejoice in Him, and yet again rejoice. The sacred ladder is before us; let us climb it until by faith we sit in the heavenlies with Him. (Eph 2:6+) May the Spirit of God bless these words to you.." (Read Spurgeon's entire sermon) The right hand of - See the following passages… Matthew 26:64 Jesus said to him, "You have said it yourself; nevertheless I tell you, hereafter you shall see the Son of Man sitting at the right hand of Power, and coming on the clouds of heaven." Mark 14:62 And Jesus said, "I am; and you shall see the Son of Man sitting at the right hand of Power, and coming with the clouds of heaven." Mark 16:19 So then, when the Lord Jesus had spoken to them, He was received up into heaven, and sat down at the right hand of God. Luke 22:69 "But from now on the Son of Man will be seated at the right hand of the power of God." Acts 2:33 "Therefore having been exalted to the right hand of God, and having received from the Father the promise of the Holy Spirit, He has poured forth this which you both see and hear. Acts 7:55 But being full of the Holy Spirit, he gazed intently into heaven and saw the glory of God, and Jesus standing at the right hand of God; (This is an incredible passage - surely it implies Jesus rising from His seated position to welcome His bondservant into glory!) Acts 7:56 and he said, "Behold, I see the heavens opened up and the Son of Man standing at the right hand of God." Romans 8:34 - + who is the one who condemns? Christ Jesus is He who died, yes, rather who was raised, who is at the right hand of God, who also intercedes for us. Hebrews 1:3 - + And He is the radiance of His glory and the exact representation of His nature, and upholds all things by the word of His power. When He had made purification of sins, He sat down at the right hand of the Majesty on high; Hebrews 8:1 - + Now the main point in what has been said is this: we have such a high priest, who has taken His seat at the right hand of the throne of the Majesty in the heavens, Hebrews 10:12 - + but He, having offered one sacrifice for sins for all time, sat down at the right hand of God, Hebrews 12:2 - + fixing our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of faith, who for the joy set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. 1Peter 3:22 - + who is at the right hand of God, having gone into heaven, after angels and authorities and powers had been subjected to Him. Christ is at God's right hand, the place of honor. The OT high priest could never sit in the Holy Place or the Holy of holies because there was no chair. His work was never done because it is impossible for the blood of bulls and goats to take away sins (He 10:4+). Larry Richards has an interesting thought on the possible practical implications of the fact that Christ is at the right hand of God and believers are seated with Christ in the heavenlies (right now) stating that "This is the traditional symbol of royal power. In being raised with Christ we have been given vast power for godly living." Heavenly People - Christians are a "heavenly" people. That's what Paul meant when he told the Ephesians that God has "raised us up together, and made us sit together in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus" (Eph. 2:6+). We live on earth, but "our citizenship is in heaven" (Phil. 3:20+). We should therefore "seek those things which are above," and store up treasures in heaven. We see a graphic difference between an earthly minded person and a heavenly minded person when we look at two Middle Eastern tombs. The first is the burial place of King Tut in Egypt. Inside, precious metal and blue porcelain cover the walls. The mummy of the king is en-closed in a beautifully inscribed, gold-covered sarcophagus. Although King Tut apparently believed in an afterlife, he thought of it in terms of this world's possessions, which he wanted to take with him. Wise are those who gear their goals to heavenly gains. Jon Courson - A Day's Journey - If ye then be risen with Christ, seek those things which are above… Colossians 3:1 The only people who are truly happy on earth are those whose hearts are in heaven. Peter-John came into the kitchen one morning whistling and smiling. ‘Sixteen more days, Dad,’ he said. Sixteen more days until graduation, and he’s through with high school. He sees the finish line. Consequently, it causes him to go through the last couple weeks of school whistling. I am thoroughly convinced from watching people and studying the Word that the people who are truly content are those who constantly realize that this world is not where it’s at. On the other hand, those who try to find happiness here are perpetually frustrated. The possessions they purchase are never quite what they were supposed to be. The relationships they form are never as satisfying as they thought they would be. The dreams they pursue are never as fulfilling as they hoped they would be. Nothing is ever quite right until we realize, ‘Hey, it’s not here!’ I believe this is why the Lord constantly tells us in the Word to set our hearts on things above. People are bogged down, with stomachs churning, brows furrowing, and hearts breaking because they are taking life on earth far too seriously. When a person finally understands heaven is where it’s at, he is free to enjoy life. It doesn’t matter where he lives, what he does vocationally, what kind of car he drives, bike he rides, or skates he gets around on. All of that is irrelevant because he sees the finish line—he realizes that graduation is only sixteen days away. Set your heart on things above. It’s a central message not only of Paul’s but also throughout all of Scripture. Live for heaven, and you’ll enjoy life. Celebrating the Resurrection - One Monday morning, following an Easter Sunday, I picked up a newspaper and saw this headline: Entire World Celebrates the Risen Christ. On the same page a number of smaller head-lines appeared, and some of them read as follows: "Trouble in Vietnam." "Blacks and Whites Clash in Chicago." "Egypt Issues Ultimatum to Israel." There were also others equally discouraging. As I saw this, I thought, how ironic! The major head-line declares: Entire World Celebrates the Risen Christ, and then the balance of the page tells how men and nations go on disregarding the blessings and grace which Christ by His death and resurrection provides. What a way to "celebrate the risen Christ!" Of course, the headline meant by "celebrate" the fact that millions had flocked to churches all over the world in a ritualistic and traditional manner; yet, that's just what is wrong with the world today. There are great numbers who go through the motions of religion, claiming to honor the risen Christ, and yet they don't really believe in Him, either in the significance of His death or in the literalness of His resurrection. It all becomes a mockery. As a result, the world is slipping even farther on its way to judgment. But let's make this even more practical. Do you really believe that Christ arose from the dead? It will make a difference in how you act, what you say, and where you go. That's why Paul says in Colossians 3:1, 2, "If ye, then, be risen with Christ, set your affection on things above, not on things on the earth." Yes, I'm saved, but do I know Him In His resurrection power? Does some brightness of His glory Fill me every day and hour? — I. G. Hallan So let the resurrected Christ live in you that your life will be a rebuke to sin wherever you go! THE VALUE OF SEEKING "HIGHER GROUND" - A pilot was flying over the Arabian Desert and landed at an oasis to refuel his plane. After taking to the air again, he was soon over a mountainous area when he heard a scratching noise behind him. It sounded as if some animal had gotten into the fuselage of the plane. He became quite alarmed, for he knew if an animal gnawed away at the electrical wiring it could cause a serious malfunction. But there was no place to land in that rugged territory. Then the pilot had an idea. He accelerated the plane and nosed it upward. Higher and higher into the sky he took it until the gnawing and scratching ceased. Later, when he landed at an airport, he found a huge desert rat that had crawled in unnoticed when he had refueled at the oasis. But the unwanted stowaway was dead! Accustomed as it was to the desert, it could not live when the plane climbed to the higher altitude. We live in the world, but we must not let the world live in us. The Eagle - The Scottish preacher John McNeill liked to tell about an eagle that had been captured when it was quite young. The farmer who snared the bird put a restraint on it so it couldn’t fly, and then he turned it loose to roam in the barnyard. It wasn’t long till the eagle began to act like the chickens, scratching and pecking at the ground. This bird that once soared high in the heavens seemed satisfied to live the barnyard life of the lowly hen. One day the farmer was visited by a shepherd who came down from the mountains where the eagles lived. Seeing the eagle, the shepherd said to the farmer, “What a shame to keep that bird hobbled here in your barnyard! Why don’t you let it go?” The farmer agreed, so they cut off the restraint. But the eagle continued to wander around, scratching and pecking as before. The shepherd picked it up and set it on a high stone wall. For the first time in months, the eagle saw the grand expanse of blue sky and the glowing sun. Then it spread its wings and with a leap soared off into a tremendous spiral flight, up and up and up. At last it was acting like an eagle again. Torrey's Topic Self Denial Christ set an example of -Mt 4:8, 9, 10; 8:20; John 6:38; Romans 15:3; Philippians 2:6, 7, 8 A test of devotedness to Christ -Matthew 10:37,38; Luke 9:23,24 NECESSARY In following Christ -Luke 14:27-33 In the warfare of saints -2 Timothy 2:4 To the triumph of saints -1 Corinthians 9:25, 26, 27 Ministers especially called to exercise -2 Corinthians 6:4,5 SHOULD BE EXERCISED IN Denying ungodliness and worldly lusts -Romans 6:12; Titus 2:12 Controlling the appetite -Proverbs 23:2 Abstaining from fleshly lusts -1Peter 2:11 No longer living to lusts of men -1Peter 4:2 Mortifying sinful lusts -Mark 9:43; Colossians 3:5 Mortifying deeds of the body -Romans 8:13 Not pleasing ourselves -Romans 15:1-3 Not seeking out own profit -1Corinthians 10:24,33; 13:5; Philippians 2:4 Preferring the profit of others -Romans 14:20,21; 1 Corinthians 10:24,33 Assisting others -Luke 3:11 Even lawful things -1 Corinthians 10:23 Forsaking all -Luke 14:33 Taking up the cross and following Christ -Matthew 10:38; 16:24 Crucifying the flesh -Galatians 5:24 Being crucified with Christ -Romans 6:6 Being crucified to the world -Galatians 6:14 Putting off the old man which is corrupt -Ephesians 4:22; Colossians 3:9 Preferring Christ to all earthly relations -Matthew 8:21,22; Luke 14:26 Becomes strangers and pilgrims -Hebrews 11:13, 14, 15; 1 Peter 2:11 Danger of neglecting -Matthew 16:25,26; 1 Corinthians 9:27 Reward of -Matthew 19:28,29; Romans 8:13 Happy result -2 Peter 1:4 Exemplified Abraham -Genesis 13:9; Hebrews 11:8,9 Widow of Zarephath -1 Kings 17:12, 13, 14, 15 Esther -Esther 4:16 Rechabites -Jeremiah 35:6,7 Daniel -Daniel 1:8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16 Apostles -Matthew 19:27 Simon, Andrew, James, and John -Mark 1:16, 17, 18, 19, 20 Poor Widow -Luke 21:4 The Christians -Acts 2:45; 4:34 Barnabas -Acts 4:36,37 Paul -Acts 20:24; 1 Corinthians 9:19,27 Moses -Hebrews 11:24,25 Home Improvement - We are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works. --Ephesians 2:10 If you've ever wanted to live in a castle, this is your chance. The state of Saxony in eastern Germany has a dozen castles for sale, each priced at one German mark (which is just over half a US dollar). There is a catch, however. According to a New York Times article, the historic structures are in advanced stages of disrepair, and buyers must restore each property "consistent with its historical architecture." Estimates for restoration run from $7 million to $60 million per castle. It has occurred to me that buying a fixer-upper's nightmare gives us a picture of what God has done for each of us in Jesus. Ephesians 2:1 bluntly states our condition without Christ--"dead in trespasses and sins." But the hopelessness of the human condition never deters God's love. The renovation and renewal the Father carries out in all who receive His Son begins with new life. "But God, … even when we were dead in trespasses, made us alive together with Christ" (Ep 2:4, 5). And what God purchased at the great cost of His only Son, He gives to us freely (Ep 2:5, 6, 7, 8, 9). Putting It Into Practice - Colossians 3:1 tells us we were "raised with Christ." Because of that, what are some of the practical instructions we are given on how to live? (Col 3:5-17). When we receive Christ, God's work isn't over--it has just begun. Guy King agrees with the preceding devotional noting that… IT IS very evident that life for the Christian is intended to be very different from that of the worldling (Ed: Is my life really different? I'm not speaking of "weird" but different? How? If not, why not?) - different in nature, different in outlook, different in interests, different in aim. His (the Christian's) rightful ambition is indicated in our present passage. It is described here as a resurrection life - "If ye then be risen with Christ," Col 3:1; and in Philippians 3:10 it is perfected in "the power of His resurrection". Grant Richison comments on Col 3:1… Non-Christians are earth-bound, secular, materialists. They operate in a world of taste, see and feel. They spend all their time trying to keep body and soul together. That is life to them. They do not know that there is more to life than that. For the Christian, his life is Christ (Col 3:4). This is far more than existence. When we center our lives on Christ, life takes on a purpose, a life worth living. The Bible is the mind of God reduced to writing. We have what we need for the Christian life in writing. We have the Holy Spirit to help us dig it out. Principle: Every spiritual position is for the taking by faith and every spiritual function is for the action of faith. Application: God grounds our holy walk in two spheres: 1. Godly living grounds in faith in Christ’s accomplishments. 2. Godly living is governed by a continual exercise of faith in Christ’s accomplishments. God wants us to rest on what Christ has done, not on what we do. Everything we have before God is because we have been incorporated in Christ at our salvation. The Christian experience must relate to our position in Christ. (Colossians 31b Bible Exposition Commentary) J R Miller's devotional on Colossians 3:1,2… Paul reminds us that those who believe on Christ—should live a risen life. We live on the earth at present. We walk on earth's streets. We live in material houses, built of stones, bricks, or wood. We eat earth's fruits, gathering our food from earth's fields, orchards and gardens. We wear clothes woven of earthly fabrics. We adorn our homes with works of art that human hands make. We engage in the business of earth. We find our happiness in the things of this life. But there will be a life after this! We call it heaven. We cannot see it. There is never a rift in the sky, through which we can get even a glimpse of it. We have in the Scriptures hints of its beauty, its happiness, its blessedness. We know it is a world without sorrow, without sin, without death. Paul's teaching is that the Christian, while living on the earth—ought to begin to live this heavenly life. One day a friend sent me a splendid butterfly, artistically mounted, known as the Lima Moth. This little creature is said to be the most beautiful of North American insects. Its color is light green with variegated spots. In its caterpillar state, it was only a worm. It died and entered its other or higher state, as we would say—and then the worm became a splendid butterfly. This illustrates the two stages of a Christian's life. Here we are in our earthly state. After this will come the heavenly condition. "The things that are above" belong to this higher, spiritual life. But the Christian is exhorted to seek these higher things—while living in this lower world. We belong to heaven, although we are not yet living in heaven. Paul presents the same truth in another form, when he says, "Our citizenship is in heaven." Though we are in this earthly world—but we do not belong here. We are only strangers and pilgrims. Since, then, you have been raised with Christ, set your hearts on things above, where Christ is seated at the right hand of God. Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things." Colossians 3:1-2 It is good always to look up. Thousands of people dwarf their lives, and hinder the possibilities of growth in their souls—by looking downward. They keep their eyes ever entangled in mere earthly sights, and miss the glories of the hills that pierce the clouds, and of the heavens that bend over them! A story is told of a boy who one day found a gold coin on the street. Ever after this—he kept his eyes on the ground as he walked, watching for coins. During a long lifetime, he found a good number of coins—but meanwhile he never saw the flowers and the trees which grew in such wondrous beauty everywhere; he never saw the hills, the mountains, the sweet valleys, the picturesque landscapes; he never saw the blue sky. To him, this lovely world meant only a dusty road, dreary and unbeautiful, merely a place in which to look for coins. This really is the story of the life of most people (Ed: And sadly even the lives of many believers!). They never (Ed: Or only rarely) lift their eyes off the earth! They live only to gather money, to add field to field, to scheme for power or to find pleasure. Or, if their quest is a little higher, it is still only for earthly things. They never lift up their eyes to God! There is no blue sky in their picture. They cherish no heavenly visions. They are without God in the world. Things Above Seek those things which are above, where Christ is, sitting at the right hand of God. —Colossians 3:1 Today's Scripture: Colossians 3:1-13 Stepping outside and gazing heavenward on a star-studded evening always helps to soothe my soul after a trouble-filled day. When I peer into the night sky, I forget, at least for a moment, the cares of life on earth. Ancient Israel’s prolific songwriter wrote a poem thousands of years ago that still rings true: “When I consider Your heavens, the work of Your fingers, the moon and the stars, which You have ordained, what is man that You are mindful of him, and the son of man that You visit him?” (Ps. 8:3-4). When we try to imagine the immensity of God’s heavens, our problems indeed seem trivial. Yet God doesn’t think so! With all the galaxies He has to attend to, God is mindful of us. And not only are we on His mind, He cares for us. No wonder the apostle Paul advised new believers to set their minds on things above (Col. 3:2). In doing so, we raise our thoughts above the level of earthly disputes and focus instead on our loving, heavenly Father, who wants us to know Him, to know how to live peacefully with one another, and to know that we can live eternally with Him in a place even more beautiful than the heavens. Bless the Lord and sing His praises, Bless the Lord now, O my soul; Join the song all heaven raises, Let the anthem loudly roll! —Peterson © Renewal 1986, John W. Peterson Music Company. Because God gives us everything, we owe Him all our praise. The View from the Mountain Since, then, you have been raised with Christ, set your hearts on things above. Colossians 3:1 Today's Scripture & Insight: Philippians 4:8-13 Our valley in Idaho can be very cold in the winter. Clouds and fog roll in and blanket the ground, trapping frigid air under warmer layers above. But you can get above the valley. There’s a road nearby that winds up the flank of Shafer Butte, a 7,500-foot mountain that rises out of our valley. A few minutes of driving and you break out of the fog and emerge into the warmth and brilliance of a sunlit day. You can look down on the clouds that shroud the valley below and see it from a different point of view. Life is like that at times. Circumstances seem to surround us with a fog that sunlight cannot penetrate. Yet faith is the way we get above the valley—the means by which we “set [our] hearts on things above” (Col. 3:1). As we do, the Lord enables us to rise above our circumstances and find courage and calmness for the day. As the apostle Paul wrote, “I have learned to be content whatever the circumstances” (Phil. 4:11). Although I can’t always see You or what You’re doing, Lord, I rest in Your love for me. Share this prayer from our Facebook page. facebook.com/ourdailybread Faith can lift you above your fears. Colossians 3:1-4 The Far Side Of The World Our citizenship is in heaven. —Philippians 3:20 Patrick O’Brian (1914-2000) is a celebrated author of historic novels. In 1969 he published Master And Commander: The Far Side Of The World, a novel (later turned into a successful movie) about naval warfare during the Napoleonic War. One reason for this book’s popularity is O’Brian’s careful attention to navy lore and natural history with penetrating insights into human nature. In one stirring scene, Captain “Lucky Jack” Aubrey prepares his crew for battle. He tells them: “England is under threat of invasion, and though we be on the far side of the world, this ship is our home. This ship is England.” Captain Aubrey’s view of citizenship is based on loyalty, not location. And this conviction clearly illustrates a biblical principle. Paul wrote to the church at Philippi, a Roman colony: “Our citizenship is in heaven, from which we also eagerly wait for the Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ” (Philippians 3:20). Beyond earth’s sorrows, the joys of heaven; Beyond earth’s shadows, a glorious dawn; Beyond earth’s battles, sweet peace unending; Beyond earth’s sunset is heaven’s first morn. —Gilmore As you mind your earthly duties, keep heaven in mind. ANTIDOTE FOR THE DIZZINESS OF LIFE - In the early days when people were crossing America on horseback, a party of explorers came to the Susquehanna River. It was the spring of the year and the waters were turbulent and deep. Surveying the situation they decided they would have to ford the river in spite of the flood. As their horses waded out toward midstream, one of the riders was almost overcome with dizziness. Seeing the swirling waters on all sides, he began to sway in the saddle. His companion, noting his plight—and fearful lest he should fall from his mount—shouted, "Look up, man! Look up!" The dizzy traveler heeded the command and regained his balance. If you can't find a way out Try looking up! We must be always making choices in this world. We cannot take up everything that lies in our path—and we ought to choose the best things. Even among 'right things' there is room for choice, for some right things are better than others. There are many Christians, however, who do not habitually choose the best things—but second-rate things. They labor for the food that perishes—when they might labor for the food that endures unto everlasting life. Even in their prayers, they ask for temporal blessings, when they might ask for spiritual treasures! They are like "the man with the muck-rake", in Bunyan's 'Pilgrim's Progress'—who only looks 'down' and drags his rake among the weeds and worthless rubbish—while over his head are crowns which he might take into his hands! They are like Esau, who sold his valuable birthright, for some lentil stew. They toil for this world's vain things—when they might have been laying up treasures in heaven! We only have one life to live—and we ought therefore to do the best we possibly can with it. We pass through this world only once—and we ought to gather up and take with us the things that will truly enrich us—things we can keep forever! It is not worth our while, to toil and moil, and strive and struggle—to do things that will leave no lasting results when our life is done—while there are things we can do which have eternal significance! Thomas Watson… Keep your heart HEAVENLY. Colossians 3:1-2: "Seek those things which are above." Keep your heart down with the weight of humility—yet mount it up with the wing of heavenly-mindedness. When the heart is touched with the influence of the Spirit, it ascends. (From his paper The Spiritual Watch) ><>><>><> (Commenting on Colossians 3:1,2 Watson writes) You shall never go to heaven when you die—unless you begin heaven here. Grace puts high thoughts, divine affections, a kind of heavenly ambition into the soul. Oh, how sordid is it for him who has his hope in heaven—to have his heart upon the earth! The 'lapwing' insect has a crown on her head—and yet feeds on dung. A fit emblem of those who have a crown of profession on their head—yet feed with eagerness on earthly vanities. Let all the golden streams of worldly delights run into the heart of a man—yet the heart is not full. Strain out the quintessence of the creature—it turns to froth, "Vanity of vanities!" But in God is sweet satisfaction and contentment. He is a hive of sweetness, a mirror of beauty, a storehouse of riches! He is the river of pleasure, where the soul bathes with infinite delight! The bird, the higher it takes its flight, the sweeter it sings. Just so, the higher the soul is raised above the world—the sweeter joy it has. How is the heart inflamed in prayer! How is it ravished in holy meditation! These joys are those honey-streams which flow out of the rock, Christ! He has those tastes of God's love—which are the beginnings of heaven. So sweet is this kind of life, that it can drop sweetness into our troubles and afflictions—that we shall be scarcely sensible of them. It can turn the prison into a paradise; the furnace into a festival; it can sweeten death. A soul elevated by grace, can rejoice to think of dying. Death will but cut the string, and the soul, that bird of paradise, shall fly away and be at rest. Happiness is but the cream of holiness! (A Christian on Earth, Still in Heaven) J C Ryle sees a heavenly uplook as one sign of genuine conversion… The fourth mark of the new birth is spiritual-mindedness. We learn this from Paul's words to the Colossians: "If then you were raised together with Christ, seek the things that are above, where Christ is, seated on the right hand of God. Set your mind on the things that are above, not on the things that are on the earth. For you died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God." (Colossians 3:1-3) He who is born again thinks first about the things which are eternal; he no longer gives up the best of his heart to this perishable world's concerns. He looks on earth as a place of pilgrimage, he looks on heaven as his home. And even as a child remembers with delight its absent parents, and hopes to be one day with them, so does the Christian think of his God and long for that day when he shall stand in His presence and go no more out. He cares not for the pleasures and amusements of the world around him. He minds not the things of the flesh—but the things of the Spirit. He feels that he has a house not made with hands eternal in the heavens, and he earnestly desires to be there. "Lord," he says, "whom have I in heaven but You? and there is nothing on earth that I desire beside You." (Regeneration - Part 3 - Click to read Ryle's eight "Marks of the New Birth") "His Encouragement of Ambition" Guy King From Col 3:1-4 (Colossians Commentary)… IT IS very evident that life for the Christian is intended to be very different from that of the worldling - different in nature, different in outlook, different in interests, different in aim. His rightful ambition is indicated in our present passage. It is described here as a resurrection life - "If ye then be risen with Christ," 1; and in Philippians 3:10 it is perfected in "the power of His resurrection". See first - THE CERTAINTY OF IT "If ye then be risen with CHRIST," just as truly, "Since, then, you have been raised with CHRIST". There is no doubt about it. The apostle is writing to these people as Christians; and of all such it is indubitably true that these two basic certitudes abide. in view of their union with CHRIST, thank GOD, they are dead men; and, praise GOD, they are risen men. There is no "if" about either case, in the sense that it is in question, but the consequential "as," and "since". But what is this "union with Christ" that we speak of? It results from an exercise of Identification by Faith. We go, for elucidation, away back to Leviticus 1:4, "He shall put his hand upon the head of the burnt offering, and it shall be accepted for him to make atonement for him". The same transaction is in Lev 4:24. Under the Old Covenant to which we have already referred in these Studies, GOD made special arrangements for the temporary dealing with men's sins until the time came when it would be possible to deal with them permanently and eternally. "For it is not possible that the blood of bulls and of goats should take away sins," Hebrews 10:4+ - those sacrifices were ordained to cover sins, hence, "Blessed is he whose transgression is forgiven, whose sin is covered," Psalm 32:1. That is as far as the Psalmist could go, until "now once in the end of the age hath He appeared to put away sin by the sacrifice of Himself," Hebrews 9:26+. Those oft-repeated offerings of the Old Testament pointed on to, and drew their significance from, the once-for-all Sacrifice of CHRIST in the New Testament. We shall meet those Old Testament believers on exactly the same ground. We believers will be there - the Cross of Calvary. "That by means of [His] death, for the redemption of the transgressions that were under the first testament," as Hebrews 9:15+ has it. Or, as in Romans 3:25+, "Whom GOD hath set forth to be a propitiation through faith in His Blood, to declare His righteousness for the remission of sins that are past, through the forbearance of God". Well now, to come back to Leviticus. By Divine appointment the transgressor brought his animal victim as his offering for sin. The priest will have most carefully scrutinized the beast, to make sure that there was no spot or blemish. The offerer would now stand, and, placing his hand upon its head, confess his sin. In that moment the Great Transference would take place. GOD reckoned as if the sin of the man were laid on the beast, and the spotlessness of the animal accounted to him. The victim is then put to death as bearing the man's sin, and suffering in his stead. He left the scene a forgiven man. It was all a GOD-given, GOD-ordained, prophetic picture of what was afterwards to be; and old Isaac Watts has captured its significance for us in his great hymn - My faith would lay her hand On that dear head of Thine, While like a penitent I stand, And there confess my sin. Thus, by this heavenly Identification by Faith, we are joined to Him as ourselves dead to sin, and, moreover, as being alive in resurrection to "newness of life," Romans 6:4+, Ro 6:11+. This, be it ever remembered, not for any merit of ours, and quite independently of our understanding. Christian, as a matter of complete certainty, you are risen with CHRIST. The only question - for you and me - is whether we are living up to our high privilege, whether walking after "the power of His resurrection". Let us go on to another aspect of this truth. THE CENTRE OF IT Notice these phrases in our brief verses. "With Christ," (Col 3:1); "where Christ," (Col 3:1); "with Christ," (Col 3:3+); "when Christ," (Col 3:4+). It is pretty evident, isn't it, where the centre of the resurrection life lies. When all our life revolves around Him as our Living Centre, then we know resurrection life in happy truth. This indeed is Full Salvation. Mark here three statements that have an intimate bearing upon our relationship with Him. "Christ sits at the right hand of God," (Col 3:1). The Epistle to the Hebrews shows us that three things are implied in this posture of the Master. (1) Rest - "when He had by Himself purged our sins, sat down on the right hand of the Majesty on high," Hebrews 1:3+. In amazing grace, He undertook the plan of our salvation, till, on its completion, He was able to say, "It is finished," John 19:30+- . He undertook to pay in full the enormous debt of our sin, till, on its complete cancellation, He was free to say, "It is finished". The Cross was the payment in full; the Resurrection was GOD's receipt. He undertook, at the Father's will, to drink our cup of woe, till, on His drinking to the last bitter dregs, He handed back the cup to the Father, and said "It is finished". The plan that He came to earth to accomplish is now fully carried out, and He has gone back to Heaven to take His seat of rest at GOD's right hand. (2) Intercession - "seeing He ever liveth to make intercession for them," Hebrews 7:25+. Can we ever assess what we owe to our Saviour's prayers? Why, after his base denial, did not Peter fall away entirely? Listen: "I have prayed for thee, that thy faith fail not [utterly]," Luke 22:32. If anyone be so ill and weak that they cannot pray for themselves; or, if anyone be so lonely that there is no one they can ask to pray for them, what a deep comfort, in each case, to know that JESUS is there to pray for them. We say again that down here we shall never be able to estimate what we owe to His prayers for us. On one occasion, He looked into a house, and said of a man there, "Behold, he prayeth," Acts 9:11. When we are in need of comfort and strength, may we not look into Heaven, and say, "Behold, He prayeth"? (3) Sovereignty - "we see JESUS… crowned," Hebrews 2:9+. One day He is going to return to this earth to assume the Kingdom, which, on His present rejection, is in abeyance, when "the kingdoms of this world are become the kingdoms of our Lord and of His Christ, and He shall reign for ever and ever," Revelation 11:15+. But even now He reigns on high; and by reason of our union with Him, we, too, are entitled to reign with Him - in that one day of His millennial glory, "they shall reign with Him a thousand years". Revelation 20:6+. "We shall reign on the earth," Revelation 5:10+, yes; but even now He "hath made us kings and priests," Revelation 1:6+, in our degree to share in His present Sovereignty. and in His present Intercession. If only we would put into practical daily use our exalted position in Him! "Your life is hid with Christ in God," (Col 3:3+). Who, then, will say that our life, once hid, can ever be lost? The Son and the Father are pledged to its security - "I give unto them eternal life, and they shall never perish, neither shall anyone pluck them out of My hand. My Father which gave them Me is greater than all, and no one is able to pluck them out of My Father's hand" John 10:28, 29. "With Christ, in God" - what blessed safety: hidden as treasure deposited in a bank, the impregnable vaults of the Bank of Heaven, Matthew 6:20+; hidden as a root planted in a fertile soil to bring forth the rich fruit of good seed, Matthew 13:38a. Incidentally, how important it is that we should cultivate the hidden life. The harvest of the fruit depends so much on the health of the root. Earlier in these Studies, I have told the story of the pear tree from which I got practically nothing for fifteen years - "nothing but leaves," Mark 11:13. The very first year of his occupancy. and ever after my successor had an abundant crop - the simple secret was that he treated the roots of the tree. Even the old prophet knew that way to the spiritual welfare of a nation, let alone to the life of an individual - "the remnant that is escaped of the house of Judah shall again take root downward, and bear fruit upward" Isaiah 37:31. So, to be hidden in Him is to be fruitful for Him. as well as to be safe, in His keeping power. Now consider THE CIRCUMFERENCE OF IT This resurrection life, centered in Him, not being self-centered, has a magnificent wide sweep. The risen life will never forget that while "He is the propitiation for our sins," it is "not for ours only, but also for the sins of the whole world," 1John 2:2. Do you know that story of a great Salvation Army conference that met in America a number of years ago, attended by delegates from all over the world? All were thrilled when they knew that the Old General himself was to be there. Near the date, however, his doctors forbade him to travel; but he promised to send a cable to open the conference. When the time came, there was anxiety in the assembly, for the message hadn't arrived; but then, just in the nick of time, it was brought. It consisted of one word - "Others". What a start, what a theme, for any Christian conference. How like the Saviour, of whom even His enemies had to acknowledge that "He saved others, not Himself," Matthew 27:42. So it is that if He be our Centre, others will be our Circumference - "the whole world" of others, whom we may be able, by our prayers, our example, our testimony, to reach, to touch, and to fetch for Him. And now, to conclude, look at -: THE CIRCLE OF IT "When Christ, who is our life, shall appear, then shall ye also appear with Him in glory." So the fact of our union with CHRIST, through the Identification by Faith, has now come round full circle: - we died in Him, - we were buried with Him, - we have been raised with Him, - we are ascended with Him, - we are seated with Him, - we now anticipate the time when we shall return and reign with Him. Such is the glorious teaching of all these Pauline Letters - Romans, Galatians, Ephesians, Colossians. Thus we observe the Resurrection Life - from the root, in the Cross, to the Fruit, in the Coming. This is Full Salvation. "Life immortal, heaven descending, Lo! my heart the Spirits shrine: GOD and man in oneness blending, Oh, what fellowship is mine! Full salvation! Raised in CHRIST to life divine!" Colossians 3:1-4 Set your hearts on things above, where Christ is seated at the right hand of God. - Colossians 3:1 TODAY IN THE WORD Before playing for a major league ball club, almost every professional baseball player in the United States has to spend some time in the minor leagues. They spend long trips on buses, stay in hotels apart from their families, and play in less-than-ideal conditions on the field. And when the month of September arrives and the minor-league championship playoffs begin, some of the best players are promoted to their respective major league teams. Many of these players only see limited playing time, being used as last-minute substitutions in meaningless games. One might think that a player would rather compete in intense playoff games in the minors, but that isn't how the players feel about it. In the words of former pitcher and current baseball commentator Steve Stone, 'When you're in the minors, all you're thinking about is wearing a big-league uniform and playing in a big-league ballpark.' Every player has his mind set on advancing to the next level. Paul tells us to have a similar mindset towards our life on earth. He tells us to set our hearts, minds, emotions, and thoughts on 'things above.' We can't do that if we're busy getting upset about events, real and imagined, going on around us. Focusing on eternity is a great formula for a healthy spiritual life, but it's possible to read these verses and go off in one of two extreme directions. The first is to assume that the apostle is talking about some kind of dreamy, hazy 'other worldly' state of mind in which we float around in the clouds. The other extreme is to assume that Paul is advocating a grit-your-teeth, hard-nosed kind of Christianity you grind out in your own strength. Both extremes are far-removed from reality. Paul is telling us to live in a manner consistent with who we already are, citizens of heaven. He's saying that since reality for us is located 'in the heavenly realms' (Eph. 2:6) where the risen Christ is seated in power, we need to take our cues and commands for life from heaven. Focusing on things above makes perfect sense for people who have died to their old way of life, and who now draw their life from Jesus Christ. You don't have to ignore earthly concerns to anchor your mind on the things of Christ. But it does mean that daily concerns don't drive or control you Christ does. TODAY ALONG THE WAY If our minds and hearts are set on the things of Christ, this ought to be evident in some very practical ways. Consider your checkbook and your schedule, for example. It can be very enlightening to go back through your check register for the last six months or so and see how much your use of money reflects a Christ-first focus. It's also revealing to step back and look at your schedule for the upcoming week or month in the same light. Take time to review both of these today. Colossians 3:1–4 In the middle of Hebrews 11, popularly dubbed “Faith’s Hall of Fame,” the writer paused to summarize the lives of such heroes as Enoch, Noah, and Abraham. What set their faith apart? “Admitting that they were foreigners and strangers on earth, people who say such things show that they are looking for a country of their own. If they had been thinking of the country they had left, they would have had opportunity to return. Instead, they were longing for a better country—a heavenly one. Therefore God is not ashamed to be called their God, for he has prepared a city for them” (Heb. 11:13–16). To live as “foreigners and strangers on earth” and to be “longing for a better country” is exactly what it means to set our hearts on Christ (v. 1). Up to this point in Colossians, Paul had laid a powerful doctrinal foundation, explaining clearly and beautifully the person of Christ and the message of the gospel. He had also used that doctrine to expose and condemn the syncretism and false teaching that was infiltrating the Colossian church. Now he turned his full attention to the flip side. If the heresy had gotten it all wrong, then what is an authentic godly lifestyle? The rest of the book answers this question. An authentic godly lifestyle—that is to say, how people who have “died with Christ” should live—starts with us setting our hearts and minds on Him. This means our whole person, including thoughts, feelings, choices (our will), and creativity (our imagination). The weak alternative is to be preoccupied with and live for things that are only temporal, earthly, and human (v. 2). To set our sights on “things above” is to live every moment in light of the beauty of Christ (v. 4). Faith that strives for this orientation is the surest path to spiritual growth. Thankfully, we don’t have to (and can’t!) do this in our own strength. Christ, whose redemptive mission is complete (that’s why He’s pictured as seated at God’s right hand), will empower us because our life is now actually hidden in Him (v. 3). Apply the Word Living as “foreigners and strangers” can wear us down. We would rather be home (v. 4). The road can seem long, even when we’re walking with the Lord. A good book, some good music, or time with Christian friends might be the spiritual pick-me-up we need. Some recommended books in this regard are Hunger for Reality, by George Verwer; Don’t Waste Your Life, by John Piper; and Eternity: Reclaiming a Passion for What Endures, by Joseph Stowell. Colossians 3:1 Ephesians 1:15-23 Set your hearts on things above, where Christ is seated at the right hand of God. - Colossians 3:1 TODAY IN THE WORD Some of you may remember the TV game show, Let’s Make a Deal. Contestants had to choose one of three doors, all of which concealed various prizes. Suspense mounted as a contestant deliberated between a known prize and the possibility of a better one behind Door Number One, Door Number Two, or Door Number Three. Sometimes life can feel a bit like this game show. As believers, we are asked to give up attachments to this world for the “prizes” God promises in the world to come, which we have never seen. It can be hard to forsake what’s so familiar and comfortable without a clear idea of what’s behind the next door. Maybe that’s why Paul spent so much time talking about the glorious inheritance of believers. He wanted believers to be so focused on what was eternally theirs through their relationship with Christ, that they would become less distracted by things that would eventually pass away. Paul wrote Ephesians from a prison in Rome. It increases our appreciation for his heavenly focus and his prayer that believers would also be focusing upward. Paul’s prayer for the Ephesians is rooted in his praise for the work of God through His Son. In Christ, we have been chosen and called as believers (Eph. 1:3–14). It is the key starting place for any prayer--God’s plan of redemption. TODAY ALONG THE WAY Paul’s prayer not only shows us how we can pray for our needs; it is also an example of how we can pray for others. Set your hearts on things above, where Christ is seated at the right hand of God. - Colossians 3:1 TODAY IN THE WORD Before playing for a major league ball club, almost every professional baseball player in the United States has to spend some time in the minor leagues. They spend long trips on buses, stay in hotels apart from their families, and play in less-than-ideal conditions on the field. And when the month of September arrives and the minor-league championship playoffs begin, some of the best players are promoted to their respective major league teams. Many of these players only see limited playing time, being used as last-minute substitutions in meaningless games. One might think that a player would rather compete in intense playoff games in the minors, but that isn't how the players feel about it. In the words of former pitcher and current baseball commentator Steve Stone, 'When you're in the minors, all you're thinking about is wearing a big-league uniform and playing in a big-league ballpark.' Every player has his mind set on advancing to the next level. Paul tells us to have a similar mindset towards our life on earth. He tells us to set our hearts, minds, emotions, and thoughts on 'things above.' We can't do that if we're busy getting upset about events, real and imagined, going on around us. Focusing on eternity is a great formula for a healthy spiritual life, but it's possible to read these verses and go off in one of two extreme directions. The first is to assume that the apostle is talking about some kind of dreamy, hazy 'other worldly' state of mind in which we float around in the clouds. The other extreme is to assume that Paul is advocating a grit-your-teeth, hard-nosed kind of Christianity you grind out in your own strength. Both extremes are far-removed from reality. Paul is telling us to live in a manner consistent with who we already are, citizens of heaven. He's saying that since reality for us is located 'in the heavenly realms' (Eph. 2:6) where the risen Christ is seated in power, we need to take our cues and commands for life from heaven. Focusing on things above makes perfect sense for people who have died to their old way of life, and who now draw their life from Jesus Christ. You don't have to ignore earthly concerns to anchor your mind on the things of Christ. But it does mean that daily concerns don't drive or control you Christ does. TODAY ALONG THE WAY If our minds and hearts are set on the things of Christ, this ought to be evident in some very practical ways. Consider your checkbook and your schedule, for example. It can be very enlightening to go back through your check register for the last six months or so and see how much your use of money reflects a Christ-first focus. It's also revealing to step back and look at your schedule for the upcoming week or month in the same light. Take time to review both of these today. Set your hearts on things above, where Christ is seated at the right hand of God. - Colossians 3:1 TODAY IN THE WORD Before playing for a major league ball club, almost every professional baseball player in the United States has to spend some time in the minor leagues. They spend long trips on buses, stay in hotels apart from their families, and play in less-than-ideal conditions on the field. And when the month of September arrives and the minor-league championship playoffs begin, some of the best players are promoted to their respective major league teams. Many of these players only see limited playing time, being used as last-minute substitutions in meaningless games. One might think that a player would rather compete in intense playoff games in the minors, but that isn't how the players feel about it. In the words of former pitcher and current baseball commentator Steve Stone, 'When you're in the minors, all you're thinking about is wearing a big-league uniform and playing in a big-league ballpark.' Every player has his mind set on advancing to the next level. Paul tells us to have a similar mindset towards our life on earth. He tells us to set our hearts, minds, emotions, and thoughts on 'things above.' We can't do that if we're busy getting upset about events, real and imagined, going on around us. Focusing on eternity is a great formula for a healthy spiritual life, but it's possible to read these verses and go off in one of two extreme directions. The first is to assume that the apostle is talking about some kind of dreamy, hazy 'other worldly' state of mind in which we float around in the clouds. The other extreme is to assume that Paul is advocating a grit-your-teeth, hard-nosed kind of Christianity you grind out in your own strength. Both extremes are far-removed from reality. Paul is telling us to live in a manner consistent with who we already are, citizens of heaven. He's saying that since reality for us is located 'in the heavenly realms' (Eph. 2:6) where the risen Christ is seated in power, we need to take our cues and commands for life from heaven. Focusing on things above makes perfect sense for people who have died to their old way of life, and who now draw their life from Jesus Christ. You don't have to ignore earthly concerns to anchor your mind on the things of Christ. But it does mean that daily concerns don't drive or control you Christ does. TODAY ALONG THE WAY If our minds and hearts are set on the things of Christ, this ought to be evident in some very practical ways. Consider your checkbook and your schedule, for example. It can be very enlightening to go back through your check register for the last six months or so and see how much your use of money reflects a Christ-first focus. It's also revealing to step back and look at your schedule for the upcoming week or month in the same light. Take time to review both of these today. Colossians 3:1-4 1 Peter 2:4-9; Colossians 3:1-4 You also, like living stones, are being built into a spiritual house. - 1 Peter 2:5 TODAY IN THE WORD One of the world’s most famous gems is the Hope Diamond. The story goes that a French merchant purchased an enormous 112-3/16-carat diamond. The diamond, most likely from India, was described as having a “beautiful violet” color. The merchant sold the diamond to King Louis XIV of France in 1668. Many of its owners experienced bad luck and even death, which led to the association of the gem with its unfortunate legend. Over the years, the diamond passed through the hands of royalty and wealthy businessmen, and along the way, it was recut and shaped to its present 45.52 carats. Although now a fraction of its original weight, the diamond is still a magnificent treasure on permanent display in the Smithsonian. Precious stones do not go unnoticed. They are valued, displayed, treasured, and fought over. They are used as a tribute to one’s love when placed in an engagement or anniversary band. So it is noticeable that God compares us, as well as His Son, to living stones “chosen by God and precious to him” (1 Peter 2:4). In Colossians, our value is linked to Christ. Paul explains that since we have been raised with Christ into a new life (v. 1), our focus should not be on things here on earth, but on eternal things. Our new life, says Paul, is “hidden with Christ in God” (v. 3). To be hidden means that our own selfish desires are submitted to Christ. We are invisible, so that Christ can become visible in our lives. The word hidden also carries with it the idea of protection. When a gem is very valuable, it is often hidden to protect it from theft or destruction. Our lives, our very identity, is hidden safely in Christ. No one can take or destroy what is safely hidden with God. Scripture tells us that our one gem becomes part of a larger dwelling, “a spiritual house” offering sacrifices acceptable to God. Together, our precious gem becomes transformed into something immensely valuable to our Creator. TODAY ALONG THE WAY Our lives and our identities are hidden in Christ—protected and being transformed to be more like Him. Spend time in prayer today asking the Holy Spirit to show you any areas where you are tempted to shine your own light or promote your own identity. Sometimes we do this out of fear or in order to feel in control. Ask the Lord to help you remember that when you are hidden in Christ, you are safe and fully loved. SANCTIFICATION: A NEW POSITION Sermon by Dr Phil Newton on NOVEMBER 7, 1999 The Apostle Paul breathed passionate concern for truth coming to life in those who were redeemed. Though he sets forth doctrinal issues with razor sharp accuracy it was never to be merely orthodox. When it came to the ethical and moral issues that the Apostle hammers home, it was not as a mere ethicist. Truth was to come to life. Doctrine must always produce ethical and moral changes. And ethical and moral actions must always have a doctrinal base. This passion involves the sanctification of the Christian. If you are a Christian then you are presently being sanctified. It is happening right now, as you open your mind to the truth of God's Word and its application is made in your life. This term, sanctification, has scared some people over the years. The primary reason is due to a misunderstanding and misapplication of sanctification. As a teenager, I recall certain groups equating ecstatic experiences with sanctification. That does not encourage an 18 year old to "pursue sanctification"! Then as I got into college I heard other people talking about what they termed "full sanctification." This too was distressing when I looked at the slow progression of my spiritual life. Maybe you have felt this same sense of apprehension when someone brings up the subject of sanctification. If so, I have good news for you! Sanctification is neither a scary term nor a forbidden subject. It is the joyous process of growing in the grace and knowledge of Jesus Christ, being shaped into a reflection of his image. Sanctification, as we shall see in the next few weeks, affects every part of life. It involves both the work of the Godhead in your life, as well as your own disciplined work as a Christian. What is sanctification? Consider what the following theologians have written concerning sanctification. (ED: SEE MY ARTICLE PROGRESSIVE SANCTIFICATION) R. L. Dabney writes, "Sanctification, in the gospel sense, means then, not only cleansing from guilt, though it presupposes this, nor only consecration, though it includes this, nor only reformation of morals and life, though it produces this; but, essentially, the moral purification of the soul" [Borrow Systematic theology, 661]. James P. Boyce explains, "While justify. . .means simply to declare just, or to treat as just; sanctify means to make holy." He further points out that this holiness carries the sense of being set apart to the Lord and holiness in personal character [Abstract of systematic theology]. J. I. Packer writes that the concept of sanctification "is not of sin being totally eradicated (that is to claim too much) or merely counteracted (that is to say too little), but of a divinely wrought character change freeing us from sinful habits and forming in us Christlike affections, dispositions, and virtues" [Borrow Concise theology : a guide to historic Christian beliefs, 169]. Sanctification is the process of spiritual growth and maturity. In it the believer is being acted upon and taking action himself toward the image of Christ being formed in his life. Because of what Jesus Christ has truly done in the believer, he can press on in sanctification. Let us see how this is set forth in our text. I. Motivation for sanctification: union with Christ Since sanctification involves action on the part of the Christian, what is to be our motivation for such disciplined action? It is important that we see how Paul motivated the believers in Colossae to press forward in their spiritual development. Unlike his opponents in Colossae who were antagonizing the young believers, he does not do it by manipulation or guilt or even promise of reward. The whole motivation is found in the Christian's union with Jesus Christ. 1. Foundation for union When speaking of union with Christ I am referring to the relationship that has been established with Jesus Christ through the instrumentality of faith. The sinner looks to Christ alone for reconciliation between himself and God. His confidence rests in the accomplishment of Jesus on the cross. Once he trusts in Jesus Christ, he is now declared to be "in Christ" or "in Him." Such expressions state the meaning of union. The Christian now lives in a vital, living relationship to Jesus Christ, consequently he is in Christ and Christ is in him. There must be a basis for this union. Paul's declaration is that it is due to what Jesus Christ has accomplished for the Christian in his death and resurrection. He also adds that the consummation of redemption in the Second Advent serves to motivate holiness in the believer. a. Redemption accomplished The language of these verses is intentionally weighted theologically. Yet they have a clear moral application in the believer's life. The theological underpinnings refer to the death, resurrection, ascension, exaltation, and return of Jesus Christ: all in four verses! The first statement, "Therefore if you have been raised up with Christ," is an implication of both the death and resurrection of our Lord. There are numerous places where you will see a reference to either the death or the resurrection in which both are implied in apostolic language (e.g., Acts 17:31). Here Paul speaks of the believer being united with Christ in the resurrection as he teaches in Romans 6. The thrust of it is that what happened to Jesus Christ happened to the Christian vicariously. The whole of the Christian faith hinges on the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ. Paul said that if there was no resurrection then our faith is in vain. By the same token, if there were no bloody death, our faith would be vain as well, for no satisfaction would have been made before God on our behalf. The Apostle has already referred to these believers dying with Christ (2:20), so now he fittingly points them back to their union in Jesus' resurrection. Added to this is the explanation that Jesus Christ is "seated at the right hand of God." This means that he is in the position of divine honor and authority. There is no other one worthy of our love, affection, worship, and praise. There is no one else before whom we are to bow in submission. Jesus alone sits at the Father's right hand, receiving the worship of the universe as the only Redeemer. The idea of being seated is one that expresses the accomplishment of his redemptive work. The middle voice of "seated" implies that Jesus was seated by the Father, given the position of Lord because he finished the work the Father sent him to do (John 17:3-4). Jesus Christ ascended to heaven and was exalted by God the Father as Lord of all (Phil. 2:5-11). Before him every knee must one day bow and confess, "He is Lord!" Here is the point Paul makes. Since Jesus Christ has finished his redemptive work, then you can press on in spiritual growth and maturity. You are not working for your redemption. You are working from it. The work of Christ accomplished on your behalf becomes the basis for your union with him and consequently, the basis for your sanctification. b. Redemption consummated This redemption will one day be consummated too. "When Christ, who is our life, is revealed, then you also will be revealed with Him in glory." The Bible uses a number of terms to express this truth of the Second Advent or the return of Jesus Christ (including parousia, his coming; epiphaneia, his appearance; apokalupsis, his revelation; and this term phaneroo, his manifestation or open display [C. Vaughan, Borrow A STUDY GUIDE COMMENTARY COLOSSIANS , 92]). Here is the future consummation of the Christian faith, the day that all of the world will know the clear reality that Jesus Christ is the only Redeemer and who the redeemed are that constitute his church or bride. It will end the speculation on how many ways there are to God. It will bring to a grinding halt the human machinery that labors to redeem itself through service and vain effort. While there are a lot of opinions on what kind of timeframe surrounds this event, none of us would argue this grand certainty: Jesus Christ will consummate his work of redemption by gathering the redeemed into his bosom for eternity. It is this reality that helps to motivate the believer to press forward so that we will not "shrink back at his appearing" or have cause to be ashamed at his return. 2. Dimensions of union Paul personalizes the believer's union with Christ by looking at each dimension of his life in Christ, then using this as a springboard for increased growth in holiness. a. Past The aorist tense is used in the first verse to describe an event that has already transpired: "Therefore if you have been raised up with Christ, keep seeking the things above.." This is not something that might have happened to these believers but a reality that Paul calls to their remembrance. Just as they were crucified with Christ (2:20), they also were raised up with him. The power of the cross has been applied to the problem of their nature. In the same way, the power of the resurrection has been applied to the nature of the believer. He has been radically affected from a past-tense standpoint by the death and resurrection. He has received a new life capable of spiritual growth. Paul adds, "For you have died and your life is hidden with Christ in God." You are not the same person anymore. You were slammed onto the cross and nailed to it with all of your sinful affections. God smote you in the person of Christ. You were set free from the old master of sin that dominated your life for all those years. You were liberated by death and given new life by resurrection so that you might live wholly unto Christ. As Paul expressed it: "For not one of us lives for himself, and not one dies for himself; for if we live, we live for the Lord, or if we die, we die for the Lord; therefore whether we live or die, we are the Lord's. For to this end Christ died and lived again, that He might be Lord both of the dead and of the living" (Rom. 14:7-9). The death and resurrection of Jesus Christ applied to your life was not in hope that you might have some acknowledgement of him and perhaps consider living for him. He died and rose from the dead to definitely accomplish this! So to press on in sanctification, live in the reality of the death and resurrection of Christ. Think upon this truth. Let it sink in upon you. Let the powerful force of divine satisfaction at the cross and divine life in the resurrection flood your mind. b. Present The death and resurrection are past acts with continuing results. But Paul also explains the present reality for the believer. "For you have died and your life is hidden with Christ in God." What does he mean by being "hidden with Christ in God"? The term speaks of the continuing union the Christian has with Christ. He is safely tucked away in the arms of Christ, we might say. He is resting in the work that Jesus accomplished that satisfied the Father. As Frances Havergal put it in the hymn, "Like a River Glorious," Hidden in the hollow of His blessed hand, Never foe can follow, never traitor stand; Not a surge of worry, not a shade of care, They who trust Him wholly find him wholly true. This hidden with Christ in God also implies a double safety for the believer. He is in Christ, who cannot be moved away from the work he has accomplished. On top of this, Christ is in God, who cannot be manipulated, invaded, threatened, or sullied by any foe. There is the believer's security; he is in Christ, hidden securely in what Jesus has finished. So the believer is not laboring to protect himself or to keep himself secure for eternity. It is a grand reality that he rests in and finds motivating him to press on spiritually. There is also one other idea in being hidden with Christ. The Christian is a mystery to the world. He cannot be explained in mere human terms. He cannot be understood by natural means. His radically different life contradicts everything the world proposes. Even when he is persecuted and hounded for his faith, the believer continues on in faithfulness. The world wonders why. It is that secret spring of divine life that has been granted in Christ Jesus, nurtured away in the soul, hidden from the view of the world that sustains him in the most difficult of situations. I read the story of Bruce Olson, who had served for 28 years as a missionary with the Motilone Indians of Colombia, a primitive aboriginal tribe. In 1988, while he and a couple of his Indian friends were involved in ministry, Bruce was captured by the ELN; the communist inspired National Liberation Army in Colombia. For ten months, Bruce sought to help these poor souls by teaching them to improve their diets and assisting in their medical care. Then he was given opportunity to teach the Bible to the guerillas. A number of them professed faith in Christ. All the while, the guerilla leaders sought to lure Bruce into their political camp. He refused, even when being tortured. Finally, the leaders declared that Bruce must die. The night before the scheduled execution, though his body was weak from sickness, Bruce found himself experiencing an extraordinary peace. He thought of himself, as "hidden with Christ in God," so that the physical and emotional distress he faced could not touch him in the depths of his soul. During the night a jungle bird kept singing a tune that reminded him of how his Motilone friends sang of the death and resurrection of Christ. A peace swept over him. As he stood before a firing squad, a reluctant one at that, he found himself at peace. They raised their rifles and he awaited the slugs piercing his body. But nothing happened. Blanks had been issued, evidently in an effort to scare him into submission. But he never budged. He was hidden in the hollow of the Lord's hand. It is that kind of peace, the reality of this truth that keeps the believer going forward in spiritual growth. But Paul adds one other present dimension of our union with Christ. He speaks of the future revelation of Christ but in the midst of it declares, "Christ, who is our life," or as some of the ancient Greek manuscripts put it, "Christ, who is your life." This is the present reality of the Christian: Jesus Christ is your life. If you boil down the reason for your existence, the purpose of your life, the passion that drives you, the truth that delights your affections, it is Jesus Christ. How can the Christian find the motivation to stand against the onslaught of the world in his life or to strip away the sin that seeks to cling to him? He reflects upon the reality of Jesus Christ as his life. "It is He who gives us life and fans and fosters it by His abiding presence within us" [Vaughan, A STUDY GUIDE COMMENTARY COLOSSIANS 92]. c. Future Even the hope of the Christian serves to motivate his personal holiness. "When Christ, who is our life, is revealed, then you also will be revealed with him in glory." This is much akin to what John wrote in his first epistle. "Beloved, now we are children of God, and it has not appeared as yet what we will be. We know that when He appears, we will be like Him, because we will see Him just as He is. And everyone who has this hope fixed on Him purifies himself, just as He is pure" (1 John 3:2-3). It is a wondrous reality that we who are sinners have been reconciled to God through the death of Jesus Christ. Not only does he reconcile us, but also he promises to one day bring us into his eternal presence in heaven. Can we be passive when it comes to thinking upon this truth? Does this not motivate your heart and soul to pursue Christ until you are a complete reflection of him in character and lifestyle? II. Focus of sanctification: thought and action Paul does issue two commands in this text. As we have noticed, the commands are given upon the basis of doctrinal truth. He does not have to cajole the Colossians into following after Jesus Christ. He simply sets forth the glory of their position as those in union with Jesus Christ to motivate them in sanctification. So what is involved on our part? The Holy Spirit is certainly at work sanctifying the believer. But we are also exhorted to action. Dr. Boyce's comments are helpful at this point: The believer must cooperate in the work of sanctification. His reception of the word of God, his reliance upon its promises, his struggles against sin, and his earnest longings for holiness are important elements in his sanctification. But the existence of these depends upon the belief that God has pardoned his sins, and will accept and bless him, which is the consequence of the personal trust in Christ which constitutes justifying faith [Abstract of systematic theology]. 1. New pursuit Where are you to aim your life? "Keep seeking those things above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God." This word implies a continual action on the part of the Christian. To "seek" means that you have a definite target for which you are aiming your life. You have something in mind so that you focus your energies in its pursuit. It is not an aimless wandering in life but a definite pursuit of Jesus Christ. Does Paul suggest that the Christian is to become heavenly minded, losing sight of anything on earth? Does he mean that the Christian is to stretch his mind in contemplation of what might be present in heaven? The language is quite clear. Your pursuit is above, that is, it is to be spiritual in nature. You are to be living with an eye toward eternity. But the focal point of all of your life is to be Him who is seated at the Father's right hand, Jesus Christ. The Christian's active pursuit in sanctification is for his life to be shaped by the life of Christ, his tongue to reflect the gracious speech of Christ, and his service to be selfless like that of Christ. Sanctification, in its clearest essence, is the shaping of the believer to be like Jesus Christ in every way. We look at our lives and confess together that we are far from being completed! Only the entrance into eternity can bring this pursuit to fruition, but that does not mean we are to do nothing in the meantime. Instead, we are to keep seeking after Jesus Christ in all things. This whole process can be compared to climbing a mountain. If you have your eye on the peak of the mountain, you are not going to get there by a beeline walk. That is impossible. Instead, you will traverse the mountain, gradually climbing its heights. At times, you will find your path being level. At other times it might even make a slight decline, only to reach a spot where you begin to ascend again. Though you are involved in a slow process of climbing the mountain, your goal to reach the summit burns in your heart. Sanctification has a distinct goal: shaping the believer in the image of Christ. While ascending this grandest of mountains, the believer will cross much rough terrain, traversing from one level of growth to another. He will have surges in his growth. And he will have those times of leveling off or gradually declining. But these times make the ascent all the sweeter! 2. Distinct mind This calls for not only action and progress, but also a change of thought and attitude. "Set your mind on the things above, not on the things that are on earth." Again, "things above" refers to the spiritual realm as opposed to the material world. Rather than being bound by the things about us, we are to have lofty pursuits as a Christian and lofty thoughts. Lightfoot wrote, "You must not only seek heaven; you must also think heaven" [quoted by Murray Harris, An Exegetical Guide to the Greek New Testament, 138]. This means that you must have your thinking shaped and sharpened by the Word of God rather than the world. Something is always shaping your thinking. Our minds are porous like sponges. A sponge is either dry or filled with some substance from outside of itself. It can be left in a bowl of dirty water and it will soak up substance, thus affecting the condition of the sponge. Or it can be left in clean water and the content of the sponge will consequently be clean. In what substance are you soaking your mind? This means that you must discipline your mind to pursue the spiritual rather than the temporal. The involves a process of disciplining your thoughts upon Christ, his work, his promises, the revelation of himself in the Word, and his commands. The patter set for us in Scripture requires our thinking upon it. As the Lord set Joshua as leader of the children of Israel, he was told to "meditate day and night" upon the Law of God. His steps would be affected because he had been soaking his mind in God's Word. We are to seek to be preoccupied with God's truth. This brings us back to what is shaping our thinking. Do we read and think upon God's Word? Are we reading edifying books? Are we letting the world of entertainment shape our thinking? We live with a multitude of distractions, so we must double our efforts at this point. We must pull out all stops to be shaped by the truth of God's Word. Conclusion As we keep seeking and thinking upon things above, we will ultimately be filled with a consciousness of Jesus Christ. I believe that is the aim of our text, to direct us away from immersing our minds and lifestyles in the temporal things of this world and pursue those eternal qualities in character and life we see in our Lord Jesus Christ. We have the foundation and motivation for spiritual pursuits by seeing what Jesus Christ has done for us, what he is presently doing, and what he shall do. Now let us resolve to seek the things above where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. Permissions: You are permitted and encouraged to reproduce and distribute this material in any format provided that you do not alter the wording in any way and you do not charge a fee beyond the cost of reproduction. For web posting, a link to this document on our website is preferred. Any exceptions to the above must be explicitly approved by South Woods Baptist Church.
Colossenses 3:16
Spurgeon - If other forms of knowledge are useful, they are like the planets; but the knowledge of God as revealed in Christ Jesus is as the sun. Let this always be the center of your system of knowledge, and let all the rest that you know move in subordination and subjection to that first and best form of knowledge… if you find a professing Christian indifferent to his Bible, you may be sure that the very dust upon its cover will rise up in judgment against him… My dear friends, I should like you so to read the Bible that everybody in the Bible should seem to be a friend of yours. I should like you to feel as if you had talked’ with Abraham, and conversed with David. I can truly say that there is hardly anybody in the world that I know so well as I know David. But do find your choicest friends in the Scripture… Take the whole company of Bible saints home to your heart, let them live inside your soul. . Let old Noah come in with his ark, if he likes; and let Daniel come in with his lions’ den, if he pleases; and all the rest of the godly men and women of the olden time, take them all into your very nature, and be on familiar terms with them; but, most of all, be specially intimate with him of whom they all speak, namely, Jesus Christ your blessed Lord and Master. Dr. Wilbur Chapman once said that… My rule for Christian living is this: anything that dims my vision of Christ, or takes away my taste for Bible study, or cramps my prayer life, or makes Christian work difficult is wrong for me, and I must, as a Christian, turn away from it. Not "among you" but "within you" - The Word is to be personalized and personally possessed. Gipsy Smith - What makes the difference is not how many times you have been through the Bible, but how many times and how thoroughly the Bible has been through you. R S Candlish - Let the Word of Christ so dwell in you. Let it be Christ Himself, dwelling in you; Christ Himself, the living Word. Let His word, or Himself the word, dwell in you richly; molding, fashioning, vivifying, regulating, your whole inner man; all its powers, faculties, affections; its susceptibilities and sensibilities; its movements of will. Let His word, let Himself in His word, give His own tone and temper to all your emotions of joy and sorrow; of fear, or anxiety or love, or hope. Let all within you be thus imbued, not stiffly and artificially, but spontaneously and gladly, with the word of Christ dwelling in you richly by the Spirit; and so becoming Christ Himself dwelling in you as the word of life. Then, let there go forth from you, not stiffly and artificially, but spontaneously and gladly and lovingly, streams of overflowing benignity and benevolence; rich and gracious influences of holy zeal and love and joy; to the glory of God, celebrated in songs of praise; and the edifying of the church, in wise teaching and admonition. What do you need to clean up in your house so that He, the living Word, might dwell richly, as "Master of the house"? If ''the WORD of Christ richly dwells within'' what comes out of your mouth is what fills you! The Word will come out (when you walk around your home, when you are at work or school and most importantly when you pray!) The Spirit of Christ will be our Teacher and we will be but vessels as He teaches through us by the way we respond to the trials and pressures of life. Your LIFE speaks LOUDER than your WORDS. To ABIDE IN HIS WORD IS TO SUBMIT to the Word and let Him direct and instruct our actions based upon His Word of Truth. This God-ward LIFESTYLE models for the disciple, teaches the teachable and admonishes the faint-hearted and the hypocrites who do not have a genuine faith! This teaching is "In opposition to the doctrine of an intellectual exclusiveness taught by the false teachers" (Col 2:8-10-note) As we have already emphasized, to let the word of Christ richly dwell within yields spiritual dividends virtually identical to being filled with the Spirit (Eph 5:18-note).
Colossenses 3:16
Spurgeon writes… THAT is a very beautiful name for Holy Scripture, I hardly remember to have met with it anywhere else: "Let the word of Christ dwell in you." Remember, dear friends, that Christ Himself is the Word of God, and recollect also that the Scriptures are the word of the Word. They are "the word of Christ." I think that they will be all the sweeter to you if you realize that they speak to you of Christ, that He is the sum and substance of them, that they direct you to Christ, in fact, as John says of his Gospel, that they were "written that ye might believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God; and that believing ye might have life through his name." (John 20:31) Remember, also, that the Scriptures do, in effect, come to us from Christ. Every promise of this blessed Book is a promise of Christ, "for all the promises of God in Him are yea, and in Him Amen, unto the glory of God by us; they all come to us through Christ, God speaks them to us through Him as the Mediator. Indeed, we may regard the whole of the Sacred Scriptures, from the beginning of Genesis to the end of Revelation, as being "the word of Christ." The text tells us, first, how to treat the Scriptures: "Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly;" and, secondly, it tells us how to profit by them: "in all wisdom; teaching and admonishing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord." First, then, we are told here HOW TO TREAT THE SCRIPTURES: "Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly." In order that it may dwell in you, it must first enter into you. It is implied, in our text, that the apostle says, "Let the word of Christ enter into you." Then you must read it, or hear it, for, unless you do, you will not know what there is in it. Yet there must be something more than the mere hearing or reading of it; for some hear the truth with one ear, but let it go away out of the other ear; and others are great readers, yet they seem to read only what is on the surface. The letter passes under their eye, but the deep spiritual meaning never enters into their heart. If you read a portion of Scripture every day, I commend you for doing so; if you make a practice of reading right through the Bible in a stated period, I commend you still more. Some I know read the Bible through every year, in due course. This is well; but all this may be done, and yet "the word of Christ" may never have entered into the reader. You know how children sometimes learn their lessons. I am afraid that, at a great many schools, there is no true instruction; but the scholars have simply to repeat their lessons, without ever getting at the sense and meaning of them; and, a week or two after, they have forgotten all that they were supposed to have learnt. Do not let it be so with our knowledge of Scripture; let us not merely know it so as to be able to turn to its different chapters, or to be familiar with certain passages in it, or even to repeat all its words. This is but to let "the word of Christ" pass by your door, or look in at your window; but Paul says, "Let it dwell in you." So I say again that, in order that it may dwell in you, it must first enter into you. You must really know the spiritual meaning of it; you must believe it; you must live upon it; you must drink it in; you must let it soak into your innermost being as the dew saturated the fleece of Gideon. It is not enough to have a Bible on the shelf; it is infinitely better to have its truths stored up within your soul. It is a good thing to carry your Testament in your pocket, it is far better to carry its message in your heart. But mind that you let it get right into you. How differently some people read the Bible from the way in which they read any other book! I have seen a young woman sitting down, on board a steamboat, completely absorbed in a very suspicious-looking book. I have passed behind her, and passed before her, but she has not taken the slightest notice of me. Presently, I saw a tear brushed away from her eye; I knew that she was not reading the Bible, and it was my firm conviction that she was reading a novel. I have often noticed how such people let the novels get right into them, trash as they generally are; but when the most of people do read the Bible, they appear to be anxious to get the unpleasant task finished, and put away. In some cases, they seem to think that they have performed a very proper action; but they have not been in the least affected by it, moved by it, stirred by it. Yet, if there is any book that can thrill the soul, it is the Bible. If we read it aright, we shall, as it were, lay our fingers among its wondrous harp-strings, and bring out from them matchless music such as no other instrument in the world could ever produce. There is no book so fitted or so suited to us as the Bible is. There is no book that knows us so well, there is no book that is so much at home with us, there is no book that. has so much power over us, if we will but give ourselves up to it; yet, often, we only let it look in at our window, or knock at our door, instead of inviting it to enter our very heart and soul, and therefore we miss its power. Then, when it once gets into you, let it remain there. let it remain there. A person could not be said to dwell in a house even though he should enter into the most private part of it, if he only passed through it, and went away. A man who dwells in a house abides, resides, remains, continues there. Oh, to have "the word of Christ" always dwelling inside of us — in the memory, never forgotten; in the heart, always loved; in the understanding, really grasped; with all the powers and passions of the mind fully submitted to its control! I love those clear Christian people who do not need to refer to the printed page when you speak to them about the things of God, for they have the truth in their hearts. They have a springing well within their souls at all times; and they have only to hear a Scriptural theme started, and straightway they begin to speak of the things which they have looked upon, and their hands have handled, of the Word of life, because it dwells in them. Further, "let the word of Christ dwell in you" so as to occupy your whole being. so as to occupy your whole being. If it dwells within you, let it take such entire possession of your being that it shall fill you. To push the truth of Christ up into a corner of your nature — to fill the major part of your being with other knowledge and other thought — is a poor way to treat "the word of Christ." It deserves the fullest attention of the best faculties that any man possesses. The truth revealed by the Holy Ghost is so sublime that its poetry outsoars the eagle-wing even of a Milton. It is a deep so profound that the plumb line of Sir Isaac Newton could never find the bottom of it. The greatest minds have been delighted to yield their highest faculties to its wondrous truths. Dear young friends, you who have only lately put on Christ, I beseech you not to let other books stand on the front shelf, and the Bible lie behind. Do not, for the most part, read those other books, and only read small portions of Scripture now and then; let it always have the chief place. The most excellent of all sciences is the science of Christ crucified, and the Bible is the textbook for all who would learn it. If other forms of knowledge are useful, they are like the planets; but the knowledge of God as revealed in Christ Jesus is as the sun. Let this always be the center of your system of knowledge, and let all the rest that you know move in subordination and subjection to that first and best form of knowledge. If I may know myself, and know my Savior — if I may know my sin, and the atonement by which it is put away — if I may know my way through this life, and my way into the eternal life above, I will be content if I know but little else. Fain would I intermeddle with all knowledge; and, though "much study is a weariness of the flesh," yet would I find a pleasure in such weariness, if I only knew even as much as Solomon knew. But it would be vanity of vanities, and altogether vanity, if you and I were as wise as Solomon, and yet did not know the truth of God. Therefore, "let the word of Christ dwell in you" so as to occupy the whole of your being; let it be the resident, the occupant, the master and ruler of your entire nature. Once more. "Let the word of Christ dwell in you;" that is, let it be your most familiar friend. let it be your most familiar friend. We know the people who live in our home, but we do not really know other people. When someone asked Mr. Whitefield, "What do you think of Mr. So-and-so’s character?" He answered, "I cannot say, for I never lived with him." Ah! that is the true test; it is living with people that lets you know what they are. In like manner, if you will live with "the word of Christ," especially if you will let it dwell in you, and abide with you as a constant friend, you will get to know it better; and the better you know it, the more you will love it. Ninety-nine times out of a hundred, if you meet with a man who finds fault with the Bible, you may be certain that he never read it. If he would but read it in the right spirit, he would be of another opinion. And if you find a professing Christian indifferent to his Bible, you may be sure that the very dust upon its cover will rise up in judgment against him. The Bible-reader is ever the Bible-lover, and the Bible-searcher is the man who searches it more and more. Various pursuits have a measure of fascination about them, but the study of God’s Word is fascinating to the highest degree. Jerome said, when he was pondering a certain text, "I adore the infinity of Scripture." I have often felt that I could say the same. The Bible is a book that has no bounds to it. Its thoughts are not as men’s thoughts, a multitude of which may go to make up half an ounce; but any one of the thoughts of God can outweigh all the thoughts of men. This Book is not a book of pence, or a book of silver, or even a book of gold, but a book whose every leaf is of untold value. He shall be enriched indeed who lets "the word of Christ" richly dwell in him. My dear friends, I should like you so to read the Bible that everybody in the Bible should seem to be a friend of yours. I should like you to feel as if you had talked with Abraham, and conversed with David. I can truly say that there is hardly anybody in the world that I know so well as I know David. In making The Treasury of David, I have labored, year after year, in that rich field of inspiration, the Book of Psalms, till I do assure you that David and I are quite familiar friends, and I think I know more about him than about any man I ever saw in my life, I seem to know the ins and outs of his constitution and experience, his grievous faults and the graces of his spirit. I want you to be on just such intimate terms with somebody or other in the Bible, — John, if you like; or Mary. Sit at Jesus’ feet with her. Oh Martha; it will not hurt you to make the acquaintance of Martha, and do a great deal of serving, though I do not want you to get cumbered with it. But do find your choicest friends in the Scripture. Take the whole company of Bible saints home to your heart, let them live inside your soul. Let old Noah come in with his ark, if he likes; and let Daniel come in with his lions’ den, if he pleases; and all the rest of the godly men and women of the olden time, take them all into your very nature, and be on familiar terms with them; but, most of all, be specially intimate with him of whom they all speak, namely, Jesus Christ your blessed Lord and Master. As for the doctrines revealed in the Bible, you should have them at your fingers’ ends. The great truths of the Word of God should be as familiar to you as a scholar makes his much-loved classics to be, or as the mathematician makes his plus and minus, his a and his x, familiar to him from hour to hour. So do you prize "the word of Christ;" "let it dwell in you richly in all wisdom." II. But now, secondly, I am to tell you How TO PROFIT BY THE WORD OF CHRIST, if we once get it to dwell in us. First, seek to profit by it yourself: seek to profit by it yourself: "Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom." Let it make you wise. The man who studies his Bible well will become a wise man. If God the Holy Ghost teaches him, I believe that he will become a wise man even in something more than a spiritual sense. Every Scotch child used to be taught the Book of Proverbs, it was one of the class-books of Scotch schools; and I have heard it said that this particular form of instruction has largely helped to make our Scotch friends so sharp and cute; and I should not wonder if that is the case. They certainly are as wise a race of people as we are likely to meet with. I wish that English people also would read more of the Bible. I can truly say that, when I have met with men in whom "the word of Christ" has dwelt richly, I have often found them very shrewd even about commonplace things. I recollect a man, in a certain workshop, making a great many very rude remarks, and at last he was silenced by one of the workmen who said to him, "I think, sir, you are referred to in the twentieth chapter of Proverbs." He did not explain his meaning; but the man who was thus addressed went home, and when ‘he looked up the chapter, he found these words in the third verse, "Every foot will be meddling." It was an admirable rebuke for him, and all the better because, he had an hour or two before he knew exactly what it was; and when he reached his home, and was at leisure to think, he could look up the passage, and see how appropriate it was to his case. If you will take the Word of God for your guide, even in domestic and business matters, you will often manifest a shrewdness which, perhaps, may not be natural to you, but which will come to you through "the word of Christ" dwelling in you richly in all wisdom. That, however, is only a small part of the profit which it will bring to you. Do you want wisdom with which to master yourself? "Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly." Do you need something to cheer a naturally sinking spirit? "Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly." Do you wish for that which will calm an angry mind, a temper all too apt to be suddenly excited? "Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly." Are you in a calling where you are sorely tempted, and do you long to know how to be kept from falling into sin? "Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly." Is your position a very difficult one? Are you scarcely able to balance the claims of different relationships? "Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly." Are you expecting to have a time of intense strain and trial such as you have never experienced before? Prepare yourself for it by letting "the word of Christ dwell in you richly." It shall give you all manner of wisdom by which you shall be able to baffle even the subtlety of the old serpent himself. We used to have, in many of our churches, a number of solid, substantial men, — "men that had understanding of the times, to know what Israel ought to do;" and an equal proportion of deeply-taught, godly matrons, true mothers in Israel. Well, those stalwart Christians were brought up on such spiritual meat as I have been commending to you. They were diligent students of the Word of God; and if we are to have a succession of such men and women, they can only be qualified by going to the University of Scripture, and taking their degree by permitting "the word of Christ" to dwell in them richly. The next way of using "the word of Christ" to profit is to seek to profit others by it: to seek to profit others by it: "Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom; teaching and admonishing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord." We are to know the truth ourselves so as to be able to teach and admonish one another. First, we are to seek the profit of our fellows by teaching one another. No one man can ever teach such a vast congregation as I have, so as to give the separate instruction that is needed by each one; this work must be done by the members of the church themselves. "The word of Christ" must dwell in you, and then you must become a Mutual Instruction Society. Every Christian should exercise the office of the pastorate according to his ability and his opportunity. In such a church as this, every one of the members must look well not only to his own spiritual affairs, but also to the well being of others. What sweet and gracious instructions the older ones among you can give if you tell out your experience! It is very interesting to any of us to hear it, but how helpful it is to the beginners in the divine life! And if, in addition to relating your experience, you talk of the Scriptures that have been opened up to you, — the promises that have been fulfilled to you, — the passages in the Bible that have been applied to your heart by the Holy Spirit who inspired them, — you will greatly instruct your fellow-Christians. You who are deeply taught in the Scriptures should try to teach others also for their profit. One way of teaching one another is mentioned in the text: "in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs." A learned divine, a little while ago, discovered that no hymn ought to be sung unless it was distinctly directed and addressed to God, and was intended to be throughout full of praise. Well, we do have some remarkably wise men nowadays, — at least, in their own estimation, — but it appears that the apostle Paul thought that "psalms and hymns and spiritual songs" were to be used for instruction and admonition as well as for the praises of God. And, to my mind, there is no teaching that is likely to be more useful than that which is accompanied by the right kind of singing. When I am preaching, I often find a verse of a hymn the very best thing I can quote; and I have not the shadow of a doubt that, frequently, a verse of sacred poetry has struck a man who has been altogether missed by the rest of the sermon. Think how compactly truth can be taught by means of "psalms and hymns and spiritual songs," and how likely it is to be remembered when the very measure and rhyme and rhythm help the memory to treasure up the message. It is well to have truth put into the form of a verse that the memory may be able to lay hold of it, and to retain it. Do try, dear friends, to get so full of "the word of Christ" in all forms of it, that you may run over with it. You know, it cannot come out of you if it is not first in you. If you do not get "the word of Christ" into you, you will not be instructive in your general conversation. In addition to instruction, there is to be admonition. That is a very difficult thing to administer wisely. I have known a brother try to admonish another, and I have felt that he would have done better if he had left the task alone, for he has only caused irritation and resentment; but there is a gracious way of admonishing which cannot be too frequently practiced. Now and then, if you are discreet, you can quote an appropriate verse — as people say, "accidentally for the purpose," — and you can bring in a portion of a psalm that shall exactly say for you what you might have said in a blundering way; and the dear brother who has done wrong will accept the rebuke without being enraged by it. What can we do unless you all look after one another? And how shall we ever get on unless, in addition to preaching, there shall be continual mutual instruction going on, wise and joyful and cheerful, and accepted in a kind, loving, and generous spirit? God fill you with "the word of Christ," that you may thus teach and admonish one another! But, lastly, "the word of Christ," when it dwells in us, is to profit us in our relation to God himself; to profit us in our relation to God himself; for, after all, the main object of our singing — the principal purpose of our teaching and admonishing — must be the glory of God: "singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord." Oh, may "the word of Christ dwell in us" so richly that you shall bless God from morning to night! May you who overflow with holy thought and sacred knowledge that your whole being shall be a hymn of praise to the Most High, and your entire existence shall be a glorious hallelujah! I do not think that we any of us sufficiently value the divine ordinance of praise; neither do I think that we ever shall till "the word of Christ" has taken full possession of our souls. You have been to pray, you say, and you have got no comfort from the exercise. Let me suggest that, next, you sing a psalm. "Oh, I have been up and down!" says one, "trying to arouse myself into earnestness of supplication." May I also propose to you that you do not try that method again for a while, but begin to praise God. How many times a day do you praise him? I think you do get alone to pray, and you would be ashamed if you did not, once, twice, or three or even more times in the day; but how often do you praise God? Now, you know that you will not pray in heaven; there it will be all praise. Then do not neglect that necessary part of your education which is to "begin the music here." Start at once praising the Lord. Many of our doubts and fears would fly away if we praised God more; and many of our trials and troubles would altogether vanish if we began to sing of our mercies. Oftentimes, depression of spirit, that will not yield to a whole night of wrestling, would yield to ten minutes of thanksgiving before God. Praying is the stalk of the wheat, but praise is the very ear of it. Praying is the leaf of the rose, but praise is the rose itself, redolent with the richest perfume. Praise God, then, "in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs," and if you say you do not know how to do it, then "let the word of Christ dwell in you richly." It is a praise-begetting thing. Out of every Book of Scripture will stream praise unto Jehovah. Out of every promise will spring a sonnet. Out of every divine truth, enjoyed and lived upon, will rise a spiritual song. The whole revelation of God is the condensed essence of praise; you have only to give it a fitting opportunity, by setting it simmering on the fire of a graceful heart, and you shall find a sweet cloud of holy incense rising from it acceptable to the Most High. Therefore, beloved, be much with your Bibles, and let your Bibles be much with you; for your own profit, for the profit of others, and for the glory of God. So be it, for Christ’s sake! Amen. RICHLY (continuously) DWELL WITHIN YOU: enoikeito (3SPAM) en humin plousios: Deuteronomy 6:6, 7, 8, 9; 11:18, 19, 20; Job 23:12; Psalms 119:11; Jer 15:16; Lk 2:51; Jn 15:7; 1John 2:14,24,27; 2John 1:2 1Ti 6:17; Titus 3:6) GOD'S WORD LAVISHLY LIVING IN US Spurgeon quipped that "Alexander ("the Great") had a casket of gold studded with gems to carry Homer’s works. Let your own heart be a casket for the command of Christ. “Let the word of Christ dwell in you.” Dwell within (1774) (enoikeo from en = in + oikéo = dwell) means literally to “dwell in”, to take up residence, make one's home in or among. To live in, inhabit; dwell in. All the NT uses of enoikeo are metaphorical. The idea of “be at home,” defines the depth and extent to which faith has become a vital and integral part of their lives. Apply this same thought to the other things that dwell in believers in the NT -- the Word of Christ, the Spirit, God, sin. Note also that Paul uses "you" plural, so that he is referring to the body of believers at Colossae which of course includes individual believers. What is the point? The idea is the Word would not make just a short stay or an occasional visit, but that it would take up residence and be given the run of the house. Christ’s teachings are to “live” in the believer. Vine observes that enoikeo is used, with a spiritual significance only, of (a) the indwelling of God in believers, 2Co 6:16; (b) the indwelling of the Holy Spirit, Ro 8:11-note; 2Ti 1:14-note; (c) the indwelling of the word of Christ, Col 3:16-note; (d) the indwelling of faith, 2Ti 1:5-note (e) the indwelling of sin in the believer, Ro 7:17-note. (Vine, W E: Vine's Complete Expository Dictionary of Old and New Testament Words. 1996. Nelson) In your local body are the sermons sharper than a two edged sword because they are word centered? Are the Sunday School classes taught by a live human being (including the elders) or by a video series of the latest fashionable teaching that includes a few verses for "effect"? Do you individually set out the "welcome mat" for the Word? James speaks of this exhorting his readers to be… putting aside all filthiness and all that remains of wickedness, (and) in humility receive (accept deliberately and readily, receive kindly & so to take to oneself what is presented) the word implanted, which is able to save your souls. (James 1:21-note) What does letting the word richly dwell look like? Job declares that… "I have not departed from the command of His lips; I have treasured the words of His mouth more than my necessary food. (Job 23:12-note) To richly dwell also means to treasure the word like the psalmist writes… Thy word I have treasured in my heart, That I may not sin against Thee. (Psalms 119:11) (Spurgeon's comment) In a difficult and somewhat depressive state, Jeremiah testified… Thy words were found and I ate them, And Thy words became for me a joy and the delight of my heart; For I have been called by Thy name, O LORD God of hosts. (Jeremiah 15:16-note) Notice that Paul is not giving a suggestion but a command (present imperative) that the church as Colossae let the Word continually be at home in their local body? Is His Word truly at home in your local body? Remember that the church at Colossae ceased to exist and so will any church that drifts away from the Word of Christ. There might still be a building that is called a church but there will be no power and no salt and light effect from that church in the local community (see commentary on salt and light in Mt 5:14, 15, 16- see notes)