Colossians 3: Since you have been raised to new life with Christ, set your sights on the realities of heaven, where Christ sits in the place of honor at God’s right hand. 2 Think about the things of heaven, not the things of earth. 3 For you died to this life, and your real life is hidden with Christ in God. 4 And when Christ, who is your[a] life, is revealed to the whole world, you will share in all his glory.
There is a statement that goes like this “Lord it’s hard to soar with the eagles when I’m living down here with all these turkeys!” Of course in the wrong context that could be thought of to be a prideful, arrogant statement. But in reality, it is right on track with the teachings of the Apostle Paul in Colossians 3. Too many times we look at life like any other normal “American” Christian and the aspects of God’s ways get lost in this earthly thinking. Our standard for faith is compromised when we fall into this earthly thinking and our standard for morality is definitely affected. Heavenly thinking is a whole new way of thinking and that thought process is brought on by a total commitment of your life to Jesus Christ. Jesus actually redeems us to make us right. Empowers us with the Holy Spirit to live in power. Then Jesus continues to come alive in our lives more and more through our understanding of the Word of God. What happens is the “inside-out” change in a born-again person’s life. Born again actually means there is a new birth and in this birth, we become a new person and that person has a different thought process than they used to. We no longer rely on the thinking process of this earth but change our thinking to make it heavenward. Look again at what Paul writes in the last part of verse 1 – Set your sights on the realities of heaven, where Christ sits in the place of honor at God’s right hand. This gives us a higher perspective that relies on the truth of the Word of God and thus changes our behavior patterns. When Jesus showed the disciples how to pray he brought out this great truth. Just look at it! Matthew 6:10 May your Kingdom come soon. May your will be done on earth, as it is in heaven. That is heavenward thinking, even in our prayer life. IT IS A HIGHER PERSPECTIVE!!
When we change our thinking we suddenly see life much differently and the following verses of Paul’s letter begin to make more sense. Colossians 3: 5 So put to death the sinful, earthly things lurking within you. Have nothing to do with sexual immorality, impurity, lust, and evil desires. Don’t be greedy, for a greedy person is an idolater, worshiping the things of this world. 6 Because of these sins, the anger of God is coming.7 You used to do these things when your life was still part of this world. 8 But now is the time to get rid of anger, rage, malicious behavior, slander, and dirty language. 9 Don’t lie to each other, for you have stripped off your old sinful nature and all its wicked deeds. 10 Put on your new nature, and be renewed as you learn to know your Creator and become like him. 11 In this new life, it doesn’t matter if you are a Jew or a Gentile, circumcised or uncircumcised, barbaric, uncivilized, slave, or free. Christ is all that matters, and he lives in all of us.
The old person is no longer in control and our thinking is on “things above” and not on “things below!” This the “higher perspective” we must have in order to see true life change and growth. Explore the rest of Colossians 3 and see if all this truth starts to change your thinking and lines you up with God’s way of looking at things. I believe it will because it has changed my thinking.
1 Corinthians 15:49 Just as we are now like the earthly man, we will someday be like the heavenly man.
The Pilgrimage continues….
David Warren
Vesselogical Ministries
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