Paul's message in the first half of Colossians 3 seems very relevant to me. I'm going through troubled times. Many of my family members and friends are going through troubled times. A brief glance at the news headlines tells me the whole world is going through troubled times. If we had nothing to look forward to after this life, we'd be utterly discouraged. But thanks be to God, we have a better home ahead of us than this fallen world. Paul reminds us today that since Christ has gone to be with the Father, we should set our hearts and minds on things above. Our future is with Christ and it will help us in every way to constantly keep this truth in our thoughts.
"Since, then, you have been raised with Christ, set your hearts on things above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God." (Colossians 3:1) We died to our old lives and we rose in newness of life when we surrendered our hearts to Christ. We belong now to Him, not to ourselves, and our thoughts should be fixed on Him. If we concentrate on nothing but the happenings of this world, we are going to be miserable a good deal of the time. Upsetting things happen to us and to our loved ones. We hear about terrible things on the news. If we had nothing better to think about I don't know how we'd make it through life.
"Set your mind on things above, not on earthly things. For you died, and your life is now hidden with Christ in God. When Christ, who is your life, appears, then you will also appear with Him in glory." (Colossians 3:2-4) Since we no longer belong to ourselves but to Christ, we are no longer citizens of this world but are citizens of heaven. (Philippians 3:20) This world is nothing but a temporary dwelling place for us.
Since we are citizens of heaven, we must not behave like citizens of the fallen world. Keeping our minds and hearts fixed on Christ helps us to live godly lives during our time here. "Put to death, therefore, whatever belongs to your earthly nature: sexual immorality, impurity, lust, evil desires and greed, which is idolatry. Because of these, the wrath of God is coming. You used to walk in these ways, in the life you once lived. But now you must also rid yourselves of all such things as these: anger, rage, malice, slander, and filthy language from your lips. Do not lie to each other, since you have taken off your old self with its practices and have put on the new self, which is being renewed in knowledge in the image of its Creator. Here there is no Gentile or Jew, circumcised or uncircumcised, barbarian, Scythian, slave or free, but Christ is all, and in all." (Colossians 3:5-11)
In Christ we are all a "chosen people". We all belong to the same family now, no matter what our backgrounds, and we are to love each other like family. "Therefore, as God's chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience. Bear with each other and forgive one another if any of you has a grievance against someone. Forgive as the Lord forgave you. And over all these virtues put on love, which binds them all together in perfect unity." (Colossians 3:12-14) It's easier to forgive those we love, isn't it? It's also easier to be kind to those we love. This is why love for those around us is considered the top virtue of the virtues mentioned in verses 12-14. We aren't going to particularly like everyone, but we are commanded to love them. We are to love them because they are human beings created by God, and we are to love them because Christ died for them. Christ died for everyone around us just as much as He died for us. Their souls are as precious to Him as our souls are, and we should behave toward them with this in mind.
"Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, since as members of one body you were called to peace. And be thankful. Let the message of Christ dwell among you richly as you teach and admonish one another with all wisdom through psalms, hymns, and songs from the Spirit, singing to God with gratitude in your hearts. And whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through Him." (Colossians 3:15-17) The Lord Jesus bestows a benediction on those who work to maintain peace, "Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called children of God." (Matthew 5:9) In Christ we are the children of God and it is our duty to maintain peace with those around us. Just as we want peace in our homes with our biological families, we should want peace with our brothers and sisters in Christ. Our job is to encourage each other and build each other up in the faith, not engage in arguments and tear each other down. The question Paul tells us to ask ourselves is this: "Can my words and deeds be said to be done 'in the name of the Lord Jesus'?" If not, we need to put this behavior aside. We can't lie, gossip about, cheat, or argue with one another in the name of the Lord Jesus. These behaviors don't honor Him or reflect our new nature as the children of God. Instead we are to work at maintaining peace in a spirit of thankfulness to God who "called us out of darkness into His wonderful light". (1 Peter2:9)
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