An Elder Speaks

Raising Our Sights
An Article By Ronald Thompkins
November 30, 2003

Col 3:1-4
(1) If then ye were raised together with Christ, seek the things that are above, where Christ is, seated on the right hand of God. (2) Set your mind on the things that are above, not on the things that are upon the earth. (3) For ye died, and your life is hid with Christ in God. (4) When Christ, (who is) our life, shall be manifested, then shall ye also with him be manifested in glory. ASV


In writing to Christ’s church at Colosse, the Apostle Paul reiterates a theme that often reminds me of trips I have traveled with my wife, Ondrea. Ondrea without a doubt is the neatest packer of any traveler I have seen or heard of. Once we arrive at our travel destination and no matter how nice the hotel/motel/home we arrive at, she never unpacks her bags. Very symbolic of the fact this place (no matter how nicely appointed) is not our home. We are simply travelers passing through.

In the above epistle to the Church at Colosse, Paul reminds the congregation there (and us) to raise our sights on things above; this place is not our home. (Col 3:2).

Paul had earlier reminded the Christians that when they were in their unsaved state they “were dead in their trespasses”. But through the saving power of baptism they had been “raised with Him through faith in the working of God, who raised Him from the dead”. (Col. 2:12-13). (How awesome to know the same power that raised our Lord and savior Jesus Christ from the dead, also raised us from the spiritual death we once walked in as non-believers). Through this baptism we died with Christ and became dead to the principles of this world (Col. 2:20); we encountered a burial through baptism (Col. 2:20); and we were raised from this death through baptism to experience a newness of life together with Him (Christ). (Col 2:13).

In this new found life, we are told to think, evaluate, and discriminate just like Jesus (Phil. 2:5), because now our lives are also hidden with Christ in God. (Col 3:3). As discerned thinkers we are told to always look toward heaven (our home), and not to things on earth (Col 3:2). As Christians we must stand firm (Eph. 6:1) in our convictions and teachings.

Jesus taught several lessons dealing with “things” of this life (in fact over half of His parables dealt with them). He warned the resting place for our treasures should not be here on earth, but in heaven. He warned no matter how secure we might think our treasures are here, they cannot be guaranteed against the forces of this earth: moth, rust, and thieves (Matt 6:19-21).

In this nation, in this cultural, and this society, success is even measured in “things”. And unfortunately, no matter how often, and how much we have been warned about our getting caught-up with these things and customs of this earth, we find ourselves running a dead heat with the unsaved in pursuit of these things and man-made traditions. One need not go far to see the result of these earth-based pursuits on the Lord’s work. When we become so pre-occupied with these things, especially at this time of the year (will Santa Claus rob God?), we see our offerings take a nose dive; bible classes and worship services take a plunge in attendance; and members suffering from that burned- out feeling that only can come from that dreaded virus: “shop till drop syndrome”.

Our Lord taught “life does not consist in the abundance of the things” we may acquire in this life (Luke 12:15); Paul warned Timothy to teach those of the Church who desire to be rich as defined in this life, could eventually trust more in the things of this life than in God, especially those pre-occupied with money. (I Tim. 6:6-11, 17).

Bear in mind in this day and age Christians had few creature comforts of that life that placed them in a position of choosing between things and God. In this day and time where the abundance of things is practically limited to ones imagination, surely if the Church at Colosse needed to be on their guard, we truly need to be on ours.

If our life is truly hidden with Christ in God, our strength may not ever be apparent from outsiders, but we can be assured of the promised glory we will share with Him at our permanent Home in Heaven.

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