Set your affection on things above

This is Part 5 of my series, How do we seek the kingdom of God? It is fitting that Colossians 3 is the last passage I will consider – we find both the words seek and mind and it is very practical. I have pointed out that the apostles never quote the seek ye first passage, yet I believe Paul is essentially teaching this and explaining how we do it. It’s long so let’s get to it!

3:1  If ye then be risen with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ sitteth on the right hand of God.
3:2  Set your affection on things above, not on things on the earth.
3:3  For ye are dead, and your life is hid with Christ in God.
3:4  When Christ, who is our life, shall appear, then shall ye also appear with him in glory.
This begins back in 2:10 and O how everything inside of me wants to start there! I will restrain myself, but I will say this much, In v 12 he said we were buried and raised with Christ in baptism, then he set about explaining how this applies to life. So, when chapter 3 begins, If ye then be risen with Christ, that’s what he’s referring to.

Seek those things which are above – Finally, the word seek: we began with it and now we return to it. His whole point is Christ is our life, Christ is in heaven; we should therefore seek Christ and heavenly things. Jesus called these things the things of God, Paul called them the things of the Spirit.

Set your affection on things above, not on things on the earth – Amen! Affection is that word phroneo, mind. This is the KVJ; Wycliffe has savor the things above. As I have shown previously this means ‘focus on, pursue, seek’ the things above, not the things on the earth. The contrast, the opposites, are clearly laid out: things above, things on the earth. We are to set our affection on things above because Christ is above, our life is hid with Christ, Christ is our life.

This is an exciting passage because right here the Holy Spirit just lays everything out for us so that we can’t miss it:

3:5  Mortify therefore your members which are upon the earth; fornication, uncleanness, inordinate affection, evil concupiscence, and covetousness, which is idolatry:
3:6  For which things' sake the wrath of God cometh on the children of disobedience:
3:7  In the which ye also walked some time, when ye lived in them.
Mortify therefore – here’s the application and our approach to things on the earth

your members on the earth – seeking things above means putting to death things below

fornication, uncleanness, inordinate affection, evil concupiscence, and covetousness, which is idolatry – these are the things of earth and they have got to go. These are the things of the flesh. These are sexual sins, because this is the flesh out of control. You may say, "I don’t know what some of these words mean.” Find out, because they gotta go!

I find it exceeding interesting that he includes covetousness in this list, which brings us back to Jesus and lay not up for yourselves treasure upon earth.

3:8  But now ye also put off all these; anger, wrath, malice, blasphemy, filthy communication out of your mouth.
3:9  Lie not one to another, seeing that ye have put off the old man with his deeds;
Ah, Paul is not finished with his list. All these things are the things on the earth, the things below, the things of the flesh. Seeking the things that are above means we must mortify all these.

ye have put off the old man with his deeds – he is changing the picture a little, but this is still baptism talk. The old man is what we were in Adam. On the cross Jesus put the old man to death and in baptism we bury that old man…

3:10  And have put on the new man, which is renewed in knowledge after the image of him that created him:
3:11  Where there is neither Greek nor Jew, circumcision nor uncircumcision, Barbarian, Scythian, bond nor free: but Christ is all, and in all.
…then we are raised to walk in newness of life; we were baptized into Christ and have put on Christ. This is the new man. Christ is all and in all. Amen!

3:12  Put on therefore, as the elect of God, holy and beloved, bowels of mercies, kindness, humbleness of mind, meekness, longsuffering;
3:13  Forbearing one another, and forgiving one another, if any man have a quarrel against any: even as Christ forgave you, so also do ye.
3:14  And above all these things put on charity, which is the bond of perfectness.
3:15  And let the peace of God rule in your hearts, to the which also ye are called in one body; and be ye thankful.
3:16  Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom; teaching and admonishing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord.
3:17  And whatsoever ye do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God and the Father by him.
As I mentioned he changed the picture, the image, the metaphor, but it is still the same thought of setting our affection on things above. This is how we do it! He has told us to mortify some things, put them off, now he tells us what to put on. These are the things above, the things of the Spirit; this is seeking first the kingdom of God!

We might be tempted to think that is the end of it, but he continues with specific, practical matters related to setting our affection on things above:

3:18  Wives, submit yourselves unto your own husbands, as it is fit in the Lord.
3:19  Husbands, love your wives, and be not bitter against them.
3:20  Children, obey your parents in all things: for this is well pleasing unto the Lord.
3:21  Fathers, provoke not your children to anger, lest they be discouraged.
3:22  Servants, obey in all things your masters according to the flesh; not with eyeservice, as menpleasers; but in singleness of heart, fearing God:
4:1  Masters, give unto your servants that which is just and equal; knowing that ye also have a Master in heaven.
4:2 Continue in prayer, and watch in the same with thanksgiving;

I began with, How do we seek the kingdom? Here’s the answer, plainly spelled out: set my affection on Christ; put off the things that belong to the old man; put on the things that belong to the new man; love my wife (for me as a husband); continue in prayer, and watch in prayer. 

Wow! I’m excited! I’m challenged! Let’s do this! And to end on a high note, you can listen to the song again!