Colossians 3:1-4 - The New Self Mind
Notes
Transcript
Introduction
Introduction
[READING]
1 Therefore if you have been raised up with Christ, keep seeking the things above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. 2 Set your mind on the things above, not on the things that are on earth. 3 For you have died and your life is hidden with Christ in God. 4 When Christ, who is our life, is revealed, then you also will be revealed with Him in glory.
[PRAYER]
[CONTEXT] In Colossians 2, Paul criticized the severe self-discipline that the false teachers in Colossae promoted as the way of holiness, the way to becoming more like Christ.
[INTER] Do you need help fighting against your own evil desires?
[ILLUS]
[CIT]
[PROP]
[TS]
Major Ideas
Major Ideas
#1: (vv. xy-xy)
#1: (vv. xy-xy)
[EXP]
[ILLUS]
[APP]
[TS]…
#2: xyxyxyxy (vv. xy-xy)
#2: xyxyxyxy (vv. xy-xy)
[EXP]
[ILLUS]
[APP]
[TS]…
#3: xyxyxyxy (vv. xy-xy)
#3: xyxyxyxy (vv. xy-xy)
[EXP]
[ILLUS]
[APP]
[TS]…
Conclusion
Conclusion
[PRAYER]
Notes
Notes
Philippians, Colossians, Philemon To the Doctrine of Sanctification (3:1–4)
The foolish attempts at sanctification found in 2:20–23 often entrap Christian people.
Philippians, Colossians, Philemon To the Doctrine of Sanctification (3:1–4)
3:1–4. Here Paul explained the nature of the Christian’s higher calling (3:1–2) and the reasons to seek this higher calling (3:3–4).
Philippians, Colossians, Philemon To the Doctrine of Sanctification (3:1–4)
Although this section focuses on the Christian’s new values, clearly these values are rooted in conversion. Conversion includes a radical change of mind which produces the desire for separation from the world.
If we aren’t careful, we might think that Paul is against human effort in holiness. He is not. In one place, Paul says that he will no let anything have mastery over him, so, of course, he has to deny himself those things that might have mastery over him, and that takes effort. That’s self-denial. Jesus also talked about self-denial when he said that we have to deny ourselves, take up our crosses, and follow him.
But the effort toward holiness in Colossae wasn’t holy. It was self-denial and sever self-discipline that was disconnected from Christ. It was powered by Christ, and it wasn’t pointed at Christ.
For holy effort to be truly holy, it has to be powered by our connection to Christ and pointed at becoming more like Christ.
When we try to better ourselves apart from Christ, we feed our pride and spin our wheels.
[ILLUS] Imagine if you and I went to a mudbog. That’s where rednecks with big tires on big trucks try to drive through big mud holes.
Some guys rev up their trucks, hit the mud hole, spin dirt and water into the air, and make it through.
The crowd goes wild, and they can’t wait to find a bigger mud hole and make the crowd roar again.
That’s what happens when self-discipline feeds our pride.
We see a mud hole in our life, we decided to work on it. We get extreme about it. We rev the engine, hit the mud, drive through to the other side, and the crowd goes wild.
And we like the crowd going wild.
But the crowd is going wild for us rather than Jesus, and that’s the problem when self-discipline isn’t pointed at Jesus.
When our self-discipline isn’t pointed at Jesus, He doesn’t get the glory.
*Another problem when our self-discipline isn’t pointed at Jesus is that we don’t become like Him.
And the point of holy self-discipline is to become like Jesus.
Now some other guys at the mudbog rev up their trucks, hit the mud hole, spin dirt and water into the air, and get stuck halfway.
With the bottom of the truck submerged in mud, they find that their tires weren’t big enough or their engine wasn’t strong enough to pull through to the other side.
This is what it like when we try to take on sin with self-discipline not powered by Christ.
Self-discipline, holy effort, righteous striving, putting on the new man or new woman in Christ—whatever you want to call it—is only effective if it is powered by Christ.
Only our connection to Jesus gives us the power to actually grow in holiness, and to do it without feeding our sinful pride.
So our holy effort must be connected to Jesus.
It must be powered by him.
And it must be pointed at him.
v. 1 - Therefore
if you have been
raised up with Christ,
keep seeking the things above,
where Christ is,
seated at the right hand of God.
v. 2 - Set your mind on
the things above,
not on
the things that are on earth.
Note -
Philippians, Colossians, Philemon The Nature of the Christian’s Higher Calling (3:1–2)
The word “mind” is actually a part of the verb used in the second command, “be minded about things above” (phroneō).
Set your mind on or think on things above. This distinguishes the lost from the saved. Romans 8:5 says…
5 For those who are according to the flesh set their minds on the things of the flesh, but those who are according to the Spirit, the things of the Spirit.
If we have been saved by God’s grace through faith in Christ, then we are of the Spirit because the Holy Spirit dwells within us.
The Spirit applied salvation to our souls.
The Spirit is the guarantee of our salvation.
The Spirit drives us toward sanctification.
Therefore, if we are of the Spirit, we set our minds on things of the Spirit or as Paul says in Colossians 3:2, we set our minds on things above.
Does this mean that we have to dwell on heaven all the time? That surely wouldn’t hurt. There is not too much dwelling on heaven as it is described in the Bible but too little. And the old saying isn’t true; in fact, the only way to be any earthly good is to be increasingly heavenly minded.
But, no, setting our mind on things above doesn’t mean that we have to think of heaven all the time. It means that we set our minds on whatever has the qualities of heaven—or the better way to put it would be—that we set our minds on whatever accords with Christ. Paul said it like this to the Philippians in Philippians 4:8…
8 Finally, brethren, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is of good repute, if there is any excellence and if anything worthy of praise, dwell on these things.
How do we know what is true, honorable, etc.?
We compare it to Christ and His word, the Bible.
If it is true, honorable, right, pure, lovely, etc. according to Christ and His word, then we set our minds on those things; those are the above things.
v. 3 - For you have died
and your life is hidden
with Christ,
in God.
Note -
CSB Study Bible: Notes Chapter 3
Hidden connotes that God fully completed the action in the past with permanent results.
Philippians, Colossians, Philemon Reasons to Seek the Higher Calling (3:3–4)
Just as Christ is now hidden from the eyes of the world, the Christian’s life in Christ is also hidden. Christians appear as dead to the things of the world, but very much alive with a source of life that goes beyond this world and what it can provide. The new life is Christ. His life energizes Christians, enabling them to be and do what they should. The life Christ provides encourages believers to seek the things identified with that life.
v. 4 - When Christ,
who is our life,
is revealed,
then you also will be revealed
with Him
in glory.
Notes - The goal of the Christian life is glorification, but first their must be salvation; and in between salvation and glorification will come sanctification. But if we saved by the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus, then we will see the goal—we will see Jesus glorified and be glorified as He is. This is what Paul says here in Colossians 3:4 when he says that when Jesus is revealed, we shall be revealed with Him in glory; and it’s what John says in 1 John 3:2…
2 Beloved, now we are children of God, and it has not appeared as yet what we will be. We know that when He appears, we will be like Him, because we will see Him just as He is.
What does our glorification look like? How will it appear to us? We do not know.
But we know that it will be like Christ’s glorification.
When He appears, we will be like Him.
Philippians, Colossians, Philemon Reasons to Seek the Higher Calling (3:3–4)
Believers will appear in glory with Christ. Christians will share in Christ’s glory, and Christians will contribute to his glory.
Philippians, Colossians, Philemon Reasons to Seek the Higher Calling (3:3–4)
The present time is a time of death. Often Christians suffer for their faith, but they continue with a life source unknown to those who do not know Christ. Someday, however, Christ will be revealed. When he is, the source of Christians’ lives will become apparent to all persons. The reason Christians have had the values, outlook, and service to God and others will be clear. The hidden life will be manifested.
---
With the power that Christ supplies and with the aim of becoming more like Him, set your mind on things above.