Colossians 3:1-11: a reflection

1If then you were raised together with Christ, seek the things that are above, where Christ is, seated on the right hand of God. 2Set your mind on the things that are above, not on the things that are on the earth. 3For you died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God. 4When Christ, our life, is revealed, then you will also be revealed with him in glory. 5Put to death therefore your members which are on the earth: sexual immorality, uncleanness, depraved passion, evil desire, and covetousness, which is idolatry. 6For these things’ sake the wrath of God comes on the children of disobedience. 7You also once walked in those, when you lived in them, 8but now you must put them all away: anger, wrath, malice, slander, and shameful speaking out of your mouth. 9Don’t lie to one another, seeing that you have put off the old man with his doings, 10and have put on the new man, who is being renewed in knowledge after the image of his Creator, 11where there can’t be Greek and Jew, circumcision and uncircumcision, barbarian, Scythian, bondservant, or free person; but Christ is all, and in all.

Paul draws out what it means to belong to the risen Christ: If then you were raised with Christ, seek the things that are above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. Set your mind on the things above, not on the things that are on earth. For you died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God. Because we have been joined to the risen Christ, our true life is now bound up with him above; and so we are to seek and set our minds on the things where he is, rather than being consumed by earthly things.

Notice the direction Paul gives our attention: set your mind on the things above. Our thoughts and affections have a bent, and Paul says to aim them upward, toward Christ and the things where he is, rather than letting them be wholly absorbed by earthly concerns. This is not to despise the ordinary duties of earthly life, but to keep our deepest attention and desire fixed on Christ and his kingdom, since that is where our true life now is, hidden with him in God.

That is a discipline for the mind and heart. Left to itself, our attention sinks to earthly things, our worries, ambitions, possessions, comforts, and stays there. But Paul calls us to lift our minds to the things above, to fix our thoughts and affections on Christ and his kingdom, to remember where our true life is. Ask yourself where your mind naturally settles, and practice lifting it upward, to Christ. Set your mind on the things above, not only on the things of earth; keep your deepest attention on the risen Christ, with whom your life is hidden, and let that heavenly focus shape how you live on earth.

Lord, your word says that because I have been raised with Christ, I am to seek the things above, where Christ is, and to set my mind on the things above, not on the things of earth, for my life is hidden with Christ in you. Give me that heavenward focus. Left to itself, my attention sinks to earthly things, my worries, ambitions, possessions, and comforts, and stays there. Help me lift my mind upward, to fix my thoughts and affections on Christ and his kingdom, to remember where my true life is. Show me where my mind naturally settles, and teach me to lift it to Christ. Help me set my mind on the things above, not only on the things of earth, and let that heavenly focus shape how I live here. Keep my deepest attention on the risen Christ, with whom my life is hidden in you.