I. Our Past Vs. 3a, 1a
A. The Old Man Is Dead V.3a
1.3For you died- The Christian is one who is dead to an old life, & yet still dying; one who is born again, & yet still finding new life; saved, & yet being saved; changed, yet being changed.
B.You Were Raised V. 1a
1. The idea of being raised with Christ was introduced back in Colossians 2:12, where Paul used baptism to illustrate this spiritual reality.
2. Now, seeing that we are raised with Christ, certain behavior is appropriate to us.
3. The idea of dying w/Christ & being raised w/Christ is found in Romans 6:1-14
4. F.B. Hole -The effect of Christ’s death is to disconnect us from man’s world, man’s religion, man’s wisdom. The effect of Christ’s resurrection is to put us into touch with God’s world and with all that is there.
II. Our Future V. 4
A. Jesus Is Going To Appear V. 4a
1. 1 Timothy 6;14, 15a 14that you keep this commandment without spot, blameless until our Lord Jesus Christ’s appearing, 15which He will manifest in His own time…
2. Titus 2:13 13looking for the blessed hope & glorious appearing of our great God & Savior Jesus Christ…
3. 1 Peter 5:4 4and when the Chief Shepherd appears, you will receive the crown of glory that does not fade away.
B. We Will Appear With Him In Glory V. 4b
1. The promise of the return of Jesus is not only that we will see His glory, but so that we also will appear with Him in glory.
2. Romans 8:19 NIV The creation waits in eager expectation for the sons of God to be revealed.
III. Our Present Vs. 2, 3b, 4a
A. Seek Those Things Which Are Above V. 1 b, c
seek those things which are above, where Christ is, sitting at the right hand of God…
1. Seek – seek in order to find, by thinking, meditating, reasoning; require, demand
2. “The word ‘seek’ marks aspiration, desire, and passion. . . . In order to seek these things the mind must be set on them.” (Morgan)
3. The Christian life is not naturally known but must be supernaturally discovered.
4. Seek- the action we do; Set- attitude & decision we have before & as we seek
B. What We Are To Set Our Minds On V. 2
1. Set- To direct one’s mind, thinking, attention. An ongoing decision & discipline.
2. The best Christian living comes from minds that are fixed on heaven.
3. We have the mind of Christ, (1 Cor. 2:14-16) yet that mind must be cultivated
4. Humanly speaking, having the capacity to think is not the same thing as exercising the mind and reason through directed effort.
5. Similarly, the Christian has the capacity to understand the things of God, and yet w/o effort, understanding will be minimal & spiritual growth stunted.
6. Clarke – “Love heavenly things; study them; let your hearts be entirely engrossed by them. Now, that you are converted to God, act in reference to heavenly things as ye did formerly in reference to those of earth.”
7. Set your mind on things above- The legalists were encouraging them to set their minds on things below, namely, religious legalism to help restrain the flesh.
C. We Are Hidden With Christ In God V. 3b
1. your life is hidden with Christ in God.
2. Wright – On that day, all will see the saints of God for what they really are, not as they merely appear to this world. “Paul, the prisoner, an eccentric Jew to the Romans and a worse-than-Gentile traitor to the Jews, will be seen as Paul the apostle, the servant of the King. The Colossians, insignificant ex-pagans from a third-rate country town, will be seen in a glory which, if it were now to appear, one might be tempted to worship.” .
3. Walden – “Perhaps the overbearing legalism of the heretics came forth because the outward lives of the saints at Colossae didn’t look “good enough” to those who looked at externals. Perhaps they were not progressing fast enough to suit these legalists, or didn’t look holy enough, or in any number of ways, didn’t appear to be what the legalists thought they should be. Paul assured them that “their lives were hidden with Christ in God”. What was true about them God surely knew, and that in the good sense. God knew their holiness, their longing for change, and their pure motives. While it is true that ‘fruit’ from a Christian’s life ought to be evident, it is also true that much of what God is doing in someone is ‘hidden with Christ in God’, and will be revealed when Christ appears. Some pursue religion from false motives, others from pure. Some with impure motives seem to succeed with their religious pursuits. Others with pure motives seem to struggle and look less successful spiritually speaking. Our lives are “hidden in Christ with God”. While some might judge our externals, He knows us from the inside. “As Christ died, & went into the tomb, His life was hidden with God, until he came forth & was fully & completely seen & known for Who he truly was. We died with Christ, & while part of us is truly known, the fullness of who we are in Him is hidden, until He appears. Then who we are, will be fully known”.
4. 1 John 3:1b-3 the world does not know us, because it did not know Him. 2Beloved, now we are children of God; and it has not yet been revealed what we shall be, but we know that when He is revealed, we shall be like Him, for we shall see Him as He is. 3And everyone who has this hope in Him purifies himself, just as He is pure.
5. Believer’s Bible Commentary – At the present time we are raised with Him & enjoying a life that is not seen or understood by men. But the day is coming when the Lord Jesus will return for His saints. Then we will appear with Him in glory. Men will understand us then & realize why we lived as we did.
D. Christ Is Our Life V. 4a
4When Christ who is our life…
1. In another place, Paul wrote for me to live is Christ (Philippians 1:21).
2. This idea was not just for special apostles, but for all believers
3. Sometimes we say, “Music is his life” or “Sports are his life” or “He lives for his work.”
4. Of the Christian it should be said, “Jesus Christ is his life.”
5. John 15:1-11