Our Hammer Verses this week read: “If then you have been raised with Christ, seek the things that are above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. 2Set your minds on things that are above, not on things that are on earth. 3For you have died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God.” Since these verses are often misunderstood and the only way they can be properly grasped is to see them in the thought flow of the book, we need briefly to set forth what Paul says in the first two chapters.
Paul wrote this letter to the church in Colosse (1:1-2) in response to their sending Epaphras to him during Paul’s house arrest in Rome (1:6-8). As a result of that visit not only did Paul learn of the love the Colossians had for each other and him (8), but Epaphras also told Paul of false teaching among the church consisting of a promise that the Colossians could have special experiences and knowledge of God through living a lifestyle that includes special spiritual insights and also a strict denial of self (chapters 2-3).
Here is how Paul develops his response to this errant teaching. After his customary opening greeting and gratitude (1:1-8), he expresses to them both that he is praying for them and what he prays (9-14). He then focuses upon who Jesus Christ is and his greatness, since Christ was not seen by the Colossians as sufficient for their salvation and growth (1:15-23). After Paul describes how he goes about his ministry (1:24-29), he reiterates the love and affection he has for them and his desire for them to know the riches of the full assurance of understanding and the knowledge of God’s gospel (2:1-5). So the apostle exhorts the Colossians to continue in the teachings of the gospel of Christ, as they have been taught by him (2:6-7). Another way to put this is, based upon the work Christ has done in his people, live out the truth. Don’t turn to another gospel or think you need something else!
Next, Paul gets to the heart of the warning he offers the Colossians in this letter when he tells them to “watch out” that no one shall be a person who takes them captive (a term often used of plundering a ship’s cargo). These false teachers in Colosse were nothing more than “pirates” who had come aboard the ship of the church in Colosse and sought to steal them and the gospel (2:8)! In no uncertain terms Paul warns the Colossians against straying away from the gospel of Jesus Christ and the ramifications of that gospel. How can the Colossians leave the false teachings and return to a belief in the sufficiency of Christ? There are resources in Christ for remaining faithful to him and rejecting false teachings (2:9-15). In Christ the fullness of deity dwells! What more is needed?
Given the reality of our standing and victory in Christ and his sufficient work, we should not allow anyone to disqualify us merely because we don’t follow the Old Testament Law, for its specifics were all intended to point to Christ (2:16-23). Once Christ has come that system of law is no longer needed. It has no power truly to change us. Yet, Christ does.
Now, finally, in 3:1-3 he tells the Colossians and us positively what we should do for salvation and growth to God’s glory: “Seek the things above”. In context this does not first and foremost mean we should be heavenly-minded. It means we are to focus our minds, our trust, upon Christ and his resources for us, how we are united with him and the reality his death and resurrection are continually applied to us by his ministry as our high priest before God the Father in heaven. This is not only our hope for change now, but our assurance of future glory (3:3-4). After all, because our old self died and we are made new in Christ, we are hidden or secure with Christ in God (3). This is a picture Paul borrows from the Old Testament (Ps. 27:5-6; Is. 49:2).
So, these three verses are calling us to look to Christ for salvation and growth and to realize everything we are and ever will be, everything we have and ever will have, everything we need or ever will need are because of and found in Christ. Grow in your knowledge of him and trust in him!
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