DIGGING DEEP NO. 881 – MAY 4, 2021 SAY NO TO CARNALITY, YES TO CHRIST (PART 1) Col.3: 1- 11

The emphasis is on the believer’s relationship with Christ.

We died with Christ; we live in Christ – Col.3: 3- 4. The point that is being made here is that Christ did not only die for us (substitution), but we died with Him (identification). Christ did not only die for sin (bearing its penalty), but He died unto sin (breaking its power). Because we are in Christ through the work of the Holy Spirit 1Cor.12: 13, we died with Christ. This means that we can have victory over the old sin nature that wants to control us Rom.6: 2. Christ is our life. Eternal life is not some heavenly substance that God imparts when we as sinners trust the Savior. Eternal life is Jesus Christ Himself 1Jh.5: 12. We are dead and alive at the same time; dead to sin and alive in Christ. Apostle Paul says “For to me to live is Christ” (Phil.1: 21). Christ was Paul’s life and he was alive to anything that related to Christ; so should it be with every believer.

We are raised with Christ, hidden and glorified in Christ – As believers; we are identified with Christ in death, burial, resurrection and ascension. We no longer belong to the world, but to Christ and the sources of life that we enjoy come only from Him. Christ is now seated at the Father’s right hand, but one day He will come to take His people home 1Thes.4: 13- 18. When He does, we shall enter into eternal glory with Christ. Christ has already given us His glory Jh.17: 22, but the full revelation of the glory awaits the return of the Savior Rom.8: 17- 25.

Now, in view of our wonderful identification with Christ, we have a great responsibility “Seek those things which are above” Col.3: 1. We have been separated from the old life of this world, and we now belong to a new heavenly life.

But how do we seek those things which are above? The secret is found in Col.3: 2 habitually set your mind; your attention on things above, not on things on the earth. Our feet must be on earth, but our minds must be in heaven. It means that the practical everyday affairs of life should get their direction from Christ in heaven. It means further that we look at earth from heaven’s point of view. We can enjoy the days of heaven upon the earth if we keep our hearts and minds in the heavenlies Deut.11: 21.

Slay the earthly – Col.3: 5- 9 we turn now from the positive to the negative. Not only was Paul negative in this paragraph, but He also named sins, and some people do not like that. These sins belong to the old life and have no place in our new life in Christ. God’s judgment falls on those who practice these sins, and God is no respecter of persons.

Strengthen the Christly – Col.3: 10- 11 because we are alive in Christ, we must seek the things that are above. And because we died with Christ, we must put off the things that belong to the earthly life of past sin. The result is that we can become like Jesus Christ! God wants to renew us and make us into the image of His Son.

How does this renewal come about? Through knowledge Col.3: 10. The better we get to know Christ, the more you become like Him Phil.3: 10. We were formed in God’s image, and deformed from God’s image by sin. But through Jesus Christ, we can be transformed into God’s image. We must be renewed in the spirit of our minds Ephe.4: 23. As we grow in the knowledge of the Word of God, we will be transformed by the Spirit of God to share in the glorious image of God 2Cor.3: 18. God transforms us by the renewing of our minds Rom.12: 2, and this involves the studying of God’s Word because it is the truth that sets us free from the old life Jh.8: 31- 32.

Human distinctions and differences should be no barrier to holy living in the church. In Jesus Christ all human differences disappear Col.3: 11. There are also no cultural differences in Christ; all of these human distinctions belong to the old man and not the new man. Christ is all and in all Gal.3: 28.

Christ is all in all is the emphasis in this teaching; that in all things, He might have the preeminence Col.1: 18. Because we are complete in Christ, we can look beyond the earthly differences that separate people and enjoy a spiritual unity in the Lord

In Conclusion – We are alive in Christ; therefore, we should seek the heavenly. We are dead in Christ; therefore, we should slay the earthly. We can become like Christ; therefore, we must strengthen the Christly and permit the Spirit to renew our minds, making us more into the image of God.