Jesus Christ, the Believer’s Life (Colossians 3:1-4)
Colossians 3:1-4, If ye then be risen with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ sitteth on the right hand of God. Set your affection on things above, not on things on the earth. For ye are dead, and your life is hid with Christ in God. When Christ, who is our life, shall appear, then shall ye also appear with him in glory.
While this world offers us little hope or assurance, we know that we are not dependent upon the world in this life or the life to come. All those who are born again have been resurrected a new creature in Christ. We do not live in and of ourselves. Christ is our life. We are complete in Him. We stand in need of nothing our Lord is unable to provide. We face no trial or adversity that is beyond His sovereign control. Death may one day claim our mortal body, but then we will live as never before. Our existence is not dictated by or tied to this world in which we currently dwell (Galatians 2:20).
A plastic surgeon noticed some curious things about the patients whose faces he operated on. For some, the operation resulted in instantaneous and lasting changes in their personalities. People who had been self-conscious about some blemishes became confident and sociable after the problem was fixed. But in spite of successful surgeries, there were others who insisted that the surgery made no difference at all. The doctor would show them before and after photographs, but the people still insisted, often heatedly, that their faces were no different. They refused to accept the truth and went on living just as they had before, dominated by their previous disfigurement, which no longer existed. Their lives were not changed because they didn’t believe the truth about the change that had taken place. As Christians, we’ve been given much more than a face lift. We have died to our old lives and have been raised up to new life in Christ. All that is true of the risen Christ is now true of us. Now we must continually keep seeking and setting our minds on the things above, where our true life is hidden with Christ in God. As we live in light of our new identity in Christ, we will win the battle against sin. Our identity is not found in what we do, but in Who we belong to.
In order to develop a heavenly mindset, we must also understand our future in Christ. Whatever we think about the future will affect how we live today. This heavenly mindset is developed through constantly thinking on our future in Christ (Philippians 3:20-21). For this reason, Satan is always after our minds. He realizes that if he can turn them away from heavenly things, he can turn us towards earthly things. According to Proverbs 23:7, what a person really thinks is what a person is. The earthlier we think, the earthlier we become. Satan is after the believer’s mind concerning the future. Satan understands that anybody who has this hope purifies themselves (I John 3:2-3). What you think about the future affects how you live today.
Paul wants us to develop a heavenly mindset. It will deliver us from much of the earthly teaching filled with deceptive philosophy that threatens the church (Colossians 2:8). If we are going to live a godly life it starts with a godly mind (Colossians 3:1-5). This is why Satan is always attacking our thought life. He wants us to live like the world instead of living like a citizen of heaven waiting for our coming King.
Within the life of a believer, there are many blessings. Here are seven:
1. Christ is the Source of a Believer’s Life.
We have no life towards God by nature. By nature we were born in spiritual death (Romans 5:12; Ephesians 2:13). All spiritual life comes from Christ. The Lord Jesus Christ comes into the graveyard of fallen humanity and gives life to all who call upon Him (John 5:21, 24-25).
2. Christ is the Sum and Substance of the Believer’s Life.
He is not just an important part of our lives. The Lord Jesus Christ is our life! He lives in us, and we live in Him! Christ is our life. He is the very life of the believer. He is the bread from heaven which men must eat by faith (John 6:51). As the living vine, He lives out His life through the branches, the believers (John 15:1-5).
3. Christ is the Sustenance of a Believer’s Life.
Just as your physical life is maintained by food and drink, the believer’s life is maintained and sustained by daily feeding upon the life and death of Christ by faith (John 6:50-57).
4. Christ is the Solace of a Believer’s Life.
There are times in the believer’s life when the only comfort and consolation we have is Christ. And He is all the comfort we need. How sweet the comfort of His presence!
5. Christ is the Standard of a Believer’s Life.
Christ Himself is the standard by which God’s children live in this world. He is the example we follow. He teaches us how to love, how to forgive, how to suffer, how to bear reproach, how to pray and how to honor God. We strive in all things to walk in His steps.
6. Christ is the Security of a Believer’s Life.
‘Your life is hid with Christ in God.’ If Christ is my life, then my life is secure. Nothing can harm me until Christ is dethroned; and that cannot happen. Since Christ is my life, I must live.
7. Christ is the Satisfaction of a Believer’s Life.
Because Christ is my life, I can never be satisfied with this world, or with life in this world. My life will only be satisfied when I behold His face in righteousness and awake in His likeness (Psalm 17:15).
God sees us hid with Christ; therefore, we are risen with Christ. This means that being risen from the dead, we never have to die. Christ already lives in the presence of God. Since God sees us hid with Christ, God sees us in His presence. He has already accepted us as being in His presence forever and ever—all because we are there "hid with Christ." God has left us here to be witnesses for Him.
As Christians, every day, we should:
PRAYER: Father in Heaven, thank You for loving me and accepting me in Christ. Help me to live for You and to share Your message of salvation with others. In Jesus name, AMEN!
If this post in any way, has blessed you,
please share this website and its articles with others:
www.fellowshipbaptistcarrabelle.com
Colossians 3:1-4, If ye then be risen with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ sitteth on the right hand of God. Set your affection on things above, not on things on the earth. For ye are dead, and your life is hid with Christ in God. When Christ, who is our life, shall appear, then shall ye also appear with him in glory.
While this world offers us little hope or assurance, we know that we are not dependent upon the world in this life or the life to come. All those who are born again have been resurrected a new creature in Christ. We do not live in and of ourselves. Christ is our life. We are complete in Him. We stand in need of nothing our Lord is unable to provide. We face no trial or adversity that is beyond His sovereign control. Death may one day claim our mortal body, but then we will live as never before. Our existence is not dictated by or tied to this world in which we currently dwell (Galatians 2:20).
A plastic surgeon noticed some curious things about the patients whose faces he operated on. For some, the operation resulted in instantaneous and lasting changes in their personalities. People who had been self-conscious about some blemishes became confident and sociable after the problem was fixed. But in spite of successful surgeries, there were others who insisted that the surgery made no difference at all. The doctor would show them before and after photographs, but the people still insisted, often heatedly, that their faces were no different. They refused to accept the truth and went on living just as they had before, dominated by their previous disfigurement, which no longer existed. Their lives were not changed because they didn’t believe the truth about the change that had taken place. As Christians, we’ve been given much more than a face lift. We have died to our old lives and have been raised up to new life in Christ. All that is true of the risen Christ is now true of us. Now we must continually keep seeking and setting our minds on the things above, where our true life is hidden with Christ in God. As we live in light of our new identity in Christ, we will win the battle against sin. Our identity is not found in what we do, but in Who we belong to.
In order to develop a heavenly mindset, we must also understand our future in Christ. Whatever we think about the future will affect how we live today. This heavenly mindset is developed through constantly thinking on our future in Christ (Philippians 3:20-21). For this reason, Satan is always after our minds. He realizes that if he can turn them away from heavenly things, he can turn us towards earthly things. According to Proverbs 23:7, what a person really thinks is what a person is. The earthlier we think, the earthlier we become. Satan is after the believer’s mind concerning the future. Satan understands that anybody who has this hope purifies themselves (I John 3:2-3). What you think about the future affects how you live today.
Paul wants us to develop a heavenly mindset. It will deliver us from much of the earthly teaching filled with deceptive philosophy that threatens the church (Colossians 2:8). If we are going to live a godly life it starts with a godly mind (Colossians 3:1-5). This is why Satan is always attacking our thought life. He wants us to live like the world instead of living like a citizen of heaven waiting for our coming King.
Within the life of a believer, there are many blessings. Here are seven:
1. Christ is the Source of a Believer’s Life.
We have no life towards God by nature. By nature we were born in spiritual death (Romans 5:12; Ephesians 2:13). All spiritual life comes from Christ. The Lord Jesus Christ comes into the graveyard of fallen humanity and gives life to all who call upon Him (John 5:21, 24-25).
2. Christ is the Sum and Substance of the Believer’s Life.
He is not just an important part of our lives. The Lord Jesus Christ is our life! He lives in us, and we live in Him! Christ is our life. He is the very life of the believer. He is the bread from heaven which men must eat by faith (John 6:51). As the living vine, He lives out His life through the branches, the believers (John 15:1-5).
3. Christ is the Sustenance of a Believer’s Life.
Just as your physical life is maintained by food and drink, the believer’s life is maintained and sustained by daily feeding upon the life and death of Christ by faith (John 6:50-57).
4. Christ is the Solace of a Believer’s Life.
There are times in the believer’s life when the only comfort and consolation we have is Christ. And He is all the comfort we need. How sweet the comfort of His presence!
5. Christ is the Standard of a Believer’s Life.
Christ Himself is the standard by which God’s children live in this world. He is the example we follow. He teaches us how to love, how to forgive, how to suffer, how to bear reproach, how to pray and how to honor God. We strive in all things to walk in His steps.
6. Christ is the Security of a Believer’s Life.
‘Your life is hid with Christ in God.’ If Christ is my life, then my life is secure. Nothing can harm me until Christ is dethroned; and that cannot happen. Since Christ is my life, I must live.
7. Christ is the Satisfaction of a Believer’s Life.
Because Christ is my life, I can never be satisfied with this world, or with life in this world. My life will only be satisfied when I behold His face in righteousness and awake in His likeness (Psalm 17:15).
God sees us hid with Christ; therefore, we are risen with Christ. This means that being risen from the dead, we never have to die. Christ already lives in the presence of God. Since God sees us hid with Christ, God sees us in His presence. He has already accepted us as being in His presence forever and ever—all because we are there "hid with Christ." God has left us here to be witnesses for Him.
As Christians, every day, we should:
- Spend time reading the Bible, meditating and memorize Scriptures and live out the Word.
- We should also, make time every morning and evening praying.
- Submit your life completely to the Lord by presenting your body as a living sacrifice to Him.
- Be a witness for Him by making Him known to others.
- Remember, Christ is coming back very soon. As believers we should be looking up rather than looking down.
PRAYER: Father in Heaven, thank You for loving me and accepting me in Christ. Help me to live for You and to share Your message of salvation with others. In Jesus name, AMEN!
If this post in any way, has blessed you,
please share this website and its articles with others:
www.fellowshipbaptistcarrabelle.com