Chapter three

Verses one through three: The first Word in chapter three to the Church at Colosse–“IF”– makes a powerful, future-determining statement. The following words reveal what I have been proclaiming to the church on my website and YouTube site for many months–that having repented, been converted and baptized, then having been “active in church”–an all-encompassing characterization from my past that meant that one is saved and born again–does not automatically place the church person in a state of oneness with the Lord Who awards such a status only to those who “seek those things that are above”–holy things. If one has truly been spiritually raised with the resurrected Christ, then he can and must seek heavenly things, find them, believe them and obey them in order to retain his spiritually exalted position.

Sin is the breaking of the Law (1 Jn. 3:4). Therefore those in the church whom Paul is addressing are LAW-KEEPERS–the only people who can receive eternal life. Recall what Jesus said to the rich man and the lawyer who asked Him what they must do to be saved. He told them that they had to OBEY THE LAW (Mk.10:17-22/Lk. 10:25-28). In verse two Paul states that the one who has been spiritually raised (and is spiritually sitting) with Christ must set his mind on heavenly things, not on earthly things. Question: How many of today’s t.v. programs, magazine articles, songs, radio broadcasts, movies, YouTube, Facebook, website, Snapchat postings, phone calls, texts, emails, etc. would be welcomed in heaven where Jesus and His Father abide? If Jesus came to live with us for a month, would we change anything about our daily lives? A fact which should frighten everyone whose mind is set on worldly things is that God’s Holy Spirit is everywhere. Through His omnipresent Spirit the Lord sees and hears everything. He tells us that what is done in the dark will be brought to light.

After telling those spiritually sitting with Christ in heavenly places to set their minds on heavenly things, Paul explains why: “For you died (to the world when you embraced Christ), and your life is hidden (abides in) Christ,” “IF,” that is, they seek heavenly things and have their minds permanently set on Him and His will.

Verse four: Christ is our life “IF” we “walk even as He walked” (1 Jn. 2:6), “purify ourselves even as He is pure” (1 Jn. 3:3) and “… overcome (Satan’s temptation to sin) even as I (Jesus) overcame ….” (Rev. 3:21). Christ is our life only if we live the life He lived while on earth as a man. Paul goes on to say that if we obey Him we will rise to meet Him in the air at His coming, and will appear there in the clouds for all on earth to see (1 Cor. 15:52/1 Jn.3:2). And notice that the saints, like the Lord, will be glorious to those on earth where “every eye shall see Him” and them (Rev. 1:7). This is possible because “we shall be like Him, for we shall see Him as He is.” In Revelation 1:7 we are told that not only will the people of the world see Jesus and His saints in the air, but they will mourn when they realize that the Bible was indeed True (Jn. 17:17), and that they rejected the opportunity to be where His saints will be for eternity–with Him in His Father’s kingdom. L.J.