Colossians 3.2-The Colossians Must Continue to Occupy Their Minds with the Things Above
Wenstrom Bible Ministries
Pastor-Teacher Bill Wenstrom
Sunday April 24, 2016
Colossians: Colossians 3:2-The Colossians Must Continue to Occupy Their Minds with the Things Above
Lesson # 69
Colossians 3:2 Set your mind on the things above, not on the things that are on earth. (NASB95)
The apostle Paul under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit is employing the figure of asyndeton in order to emphasize the critical importance of the command here in verse 2 since obedience to it will cause them to grow up spiritually and glorify God.
“Set your mind on the thing above” composed of the following: (1) definite article ho (ὁ), “the things” (2) adverb anō (ἄνω), “above” (3) verb phroneō (φρονέω), “set your mind on.”
The verb phroneō contains the ideas of concentration and preoccupation.
Therefore, to be preoccupied with the things above refers to concentrating and having one’s thought patterns focused upon the things above to the exclusion of the evil desires of the sin nature and Satan’s cosmic system.
To be “preoccupied” means to be “completely engrossed in thought, absorbed” and to “concentrate” speaks of focusing one’s powers, efforts and attention on something or someone.
Thus, the Colossians were to “concentrate” on the things above in the sense of focusing all their mental and physical powers, efforts and attention upon the things above.
As was the case when the word was used in Colossians 3:1, the definite article ho here in Colossians 3:2 is again referring to the spiritual blessings which are associated with the believer’s union and identification with Christ in His crucifixion, death, burial, resurrection and session.
It is also a reference to the holy standards and spiritual values which characterize God and His people.
The second person plural form of the verb phroneō is a reference to the faithful Christians in Colossae as a corporate unit and is used in a distributive sense emphasizing no exceptions.
Therefore, the verb phroneō speaks of each and every one of these faithful Christians in Colossae being “preoccupied with” with the holy standards and values and spiritual blessings associated with their union and identification with Christ.
They were to continue to concentrate and have their thought patterns focused upon these things to the exclusion of the evil desires of the sin nature and Satan’s cosmic system.
They were to focus all their powers, efforts and attention upon the holy standards, values and spiritual blessings associated with their union and identification with Christ.
The present imperative form of the verb phroneō is a customary present imperative whose force is for the Colossians to simply continue making it their habit of being preoccupied with or concentrating on the holy standards and values and spiritual blessings associated with their union and identification with Christ.
Paul affirms in Colossians 1:3-5 and 2:5 that they were faithful to the gospel and already obeying this command in Colossians 3:2.
“Not on the things of the earth” contains the figure of metonymy where planet earth is put for the ungodly standards and values and materials things related to Satan’s cosmic system which are designed to seduce human beings away from worshipping God and to worship him instead.
This prohibition is expressing the idea of the Colossians continuing to make it their habit of not concentrating on or being preoccupied with those ungodly standards and values of Satan’s cosmic system.
Colossians 3:2 Each and every one of you continue making it your habit of concentrating on the things above, not on the things on earth. (My translation)
The apostle Paul solemnly issues the faithful Christians in Colossae another command in addition to the previous one in Colossians 3:1 which required them to continue making it their habit of diligently seeking after the things above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of the Father.
Now, here in verse 2, he is ordering them to continue making it their habit of concentrating on or being preoccupied with the things above and then, he follows this with a prohibition to continue making it their habit of not concentrating on the things on earth.
“The things above” in verses 1 and 2 are a reference to the spiritual values and holy standards which characterize God and His people and which standards are met by the believer when they appropriate by faith their identification with Christ.
It is also related to the spiritual blessings associated with the believer’s union and identification with Christ in His crucifixion, death, burial, resurrection and session.
Now, here in verse 2, Paul is exhorting the Colossians to focus their thinking upon these holy or godly standards and values and spiritual blessings related to their union and identification with Christ.
On the flip side of this, he does not want them to concentrate on the ungodly standards and values of Satan’s cosmic system which govern life on planet earth.
So the command and prohibition in verse 2 emphasizes the critical importance of the Colossians focusing their thinking upon godly standards and values as well as spiritual blessings and rejecting the ungodly standards and values of Satan’s cosmic system which promote godless materialism.
Thus, Paul is exhorting the Colossians in verse 2 to focus their thinking on their sanctification.
If they are focusing on the right thing, and upon the godly standards and values associated with their union and identification with Christ, they will be able to appropriate by faith their identification with Christ in His crucifixion, death, burial, resurrection and session at the right hand of the Father.
This in turn will enable them to experience the spiritual blessings associated with this union and identification resulting in the glorification of the Father and spiritual growth.
It will also enable them to experience and manifest God’s holy standards and values in their lives.
However, if they are concentrating on or preoccupied with the ungodly standards and values of Satan’s cosmic system which govern life on planet earth, then, they will not appropriate by faith their union and identification with Christ.
Thus, the command and prohibition in verse 2 teach that if the Christian is concentrating their thinking on ungodly standards and values, they will not walk by means of faith in the gospel or in other words, the Christian can’t walk by means of faith if their mental focus is upon ungodly things.
They must be focused upon godly things.
God’s holy standards and values are communicated in the Word of God.
Thus, the Christian must concentrate on and be preoccupied with the Word of God if they are to appropriate His Word by means of faith.
The Christian can never live in a manner consistent with whom God made them to be, if they are not concentrating upon God’s Word.
In other words, if they are to live their lives on earth in a manner which is consistent with their union and identification with Christ, they must concentrate upon God’s Word and specifically, their union and identification with Christ.
Concentrating upon heavenly matters involves every aspect of the heart which is composed of a self-conscious, conscience, mentality, emotion and volition.
Therefore, to obey Paul’s command in verse 2 would require that the Colossians focus their mental activity upon the godly standards and values associated with their union and identification with Christ.
It would require them to exercise their volition by appropriating by faith this union and identification which would result in obedience to the commands and prohibitions of Scripture.
Their frame of reference and memory center would be saturated with God’s Word and thus His holy standards and values if they focus their thinking on this union and identification with Christ.
Their vocabulary and the classification of thoughts as well as their conscience where the norms and standards reside would contain godly standards and values by this concentration upon godly matters.
We must understand that this command in verse 2 does not mean that Paul is not saying that the Colossians should neglect their responsibilities on planet earth related to their families and jobs or civil responsibilities.
He is not detracting from the importance of the material world and earthly concerns and responsibilities.
However, he is rejecting them having a mind-set whose attention, focus and affections are totally immersed with matters on earth.
In fact, if the Christian focuses their attention upon the godly standards and values associated with their union and identification with Christ so that they appropriate by faith this union and identification, it will produce godly character and conduct.
This in turn will benefit them in all their relationships with people as well as their responsibilities and will make them better husbands, wives, children, employers, employees and citizens of their nation.