The Lord is awe-inspiring, fearsome, fascinating, intriguing, majestic, and full of splendor: breathtaking! Here is what I saw of him and what came to my mind and heart in Colossians 3:1-3,
"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. For you died, and your life is now hidden with Christ in God."
Paul tells believers to set their hearts and minds on Jesus Christ, "on things above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God." Earlier he made an observation about believers, "When you were dead in your sins and in the uncircumcision of your flesh, God made you alive with Christ. He forgave us all our sins, having canceled the charge of our legal indebtedness, which stood against us and condemned us; he has taken it away, nailing it to the cross." Colossians 2:13-14. This being the state of those who have embraced Jesus Christ in faith, he tells them to focus on Jesus Christ, in heaven, seated at the right hand of God.
The issue Paul has in mind is "sensual indulgence" in the life of the believer. We see this in 2:23. Since it was in this very thing of "sensual indulgence" we were dead and facing God's judgment, now, having been forgiven those things and made spiritually alive, what about those things we used to indulge in? Surely it would be unseemly for a believer to continue in the very things that brought God's judgment and condemnation in the first place. God has chosen not to eradicate our sinful natures upon our salvation. Paul observes, "So I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the flesh [sinful nature]. For the flesh desires what is contrary to the Spirit, and the Spirit what is contrary to the flesh. They are in conflict with each other, so that you are not to do whatever you want." Galatians 5:16-17. We struggle with sinful impulses as we seek to live our lives in a manner pleasing to our loving God who has rescued us from his horrific judgment. Now forgiven those things, just how do we walk away from them? Here is where "religion" enters into the picture.
Over the years there have been uncountable folks who have come up with all kinds of things to address this conflict in our lives. This "truth", that "spiritual discipline", some seminar or class or process on how to "overcome" sin in our lives as believers. It is not just an academic question as it finds it's expression in the struggles we find ourselves in at times.
The first thing Paul tells us, is to forget religion. "Since you died with Christ to the elemental spiritual forces of this world, why, as though you still belonged to the world, do you submit to its rules: 'Do not handle! Do not taste! Do not touch!'? These rules, which have to do with things that are all destined to perish with use, are based on merely human commands and teachings. Such regulations indeed have an appearance of wisdom, with their self-imposed worship, their false humility and their harsh treatment of the body, but they lack any value in restraining sensual indulgence." Colossians 2:20-23.
Paul's advice is to continue in the message we received in the gospel and embrace the Lord. "So then, just as you received Christ Jesus as Lord, continue to live your lives in him, rooted and built up in him, strengthened in the faith as you were taught,and overflowing with thankfulness." Colossians 2:6-7. We need to drop our focus on our shortcomings and weaknesses and instead turn our attention on the Lord. Paul tells us that focus will enable us to set aside the things of the sinful nature and to put on what is pleasing to God as he tells us in the remainder of Colossians 3.
Having repeated epic moments of astonishment and amazement of the Lord that view provides, has a way of impacting against a drift into sin as we set our hearts and minds on Jesus Christ!
May we all drop the religion and follow Paul in his focus on the Lord today!
Anything of the Lord capture your heart from Scripture today? Share what moved you about him from your Bible reading today. I'd love to hear from you!
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