Dying and Living. Colossians 3:1-11 The results of understanding the reality of the Christian life from God's perspective lead to changes in our daily conduct and practices in the world. In the opening verses of this chapter, Paul begins with our conversion and then points to the future appearance of Christ as our motivation for living holy lives in practical ways. Our standing in Christ is described as being dead to the world [v.3] and being raised to new life in Christ [v.1]. This can be called our indicative position, which describes who we are. Our state as believers serves as a challenge for us to act according to our new identity. This is the imperative condition for those who acknowledge Christ's supremacy. We are to set our affection on things above [v.1-2], and practically put to death the old self and its practices. We must eliminate those things connected with our former self-life. Before we can truly live, we must die.
Our attachment to Christ is not based on angels or star-gazing into the sky searching for something mysterious. It is the lifting of the heart and its affections to our Savior, who is alive and well, sitting at the right hand of God. This is not wishful thinking or a mental detachment from ourselves to reach God. It is a genuine act of faith as we look to our risen Savior, who, through His finished work of redemption, has rightfully brought us into the heavenly realm where He is. There, in His dignity and authority, He calls us to live out our resurrection life here by His power.
Our affections, our heart's desire, are a humble appreciation of our union with Christ. My affections are focused on what truly matters in my life. If the affairs of this world draw my attention more than anything else, then my attractions become earthly and materialistic, and my affections will be only here on earth. Believers live here as inhabitants of the world system, but as pilgrims, our true home is elsewhere - above, where "Christ sits." Our new life arises from our resurrection with Christ. Our spiritual life remains hidden from the world. Our "affection" involves understanding the value of things above. It also involves a willful choice to prioritize those things because we recognize their worth and love them with a godly enthusiasm. Then, we will pursue those things, treasure them, and love and prefer them far more than those below. When our affection is set above, we will gladly part with earthly possessions.
When Christ appears, we will see His glory, enjoy it with Him, and partake in that glory. Our life lived by faith through grace will be a life of glory that will forever show God's abundant riches of grace. In a spiritual sense, we can now share our lives below with divine Persons. The blessed state of life in heaven with the joy it will bring can, to some extent, be experienced now and here when our affections are properly placed.
Considering our identity in Christ, we must eliminate those lustful parts of our body that lead us to sin. The initial feelings that surface should be confronted by refusing to give them consent and resisting the attractions trying to overpower our new nature. Sin, along with its actions and power, must be destroyed—put to death. We need to address any lingering sin in our lives by daily mortifying, conquering, and detesting it instead of secretly giving in to sin's allure. Sin begins in the mind and manifests through our physical actions. The list of sensual sins is completely contrary to God's character.
Fornication and uncleanness are outward signs of sensual sin. Any illegal entry into another person's body is detestable to a holy God. Because we have died with Christ, we can overcome such sin through the power of our Lord Jesus Christ. Passion and evil desires are the inward motivators that lead to these outward acts. Covetousness extends its evil influence to control the soul, resulting in prioritizing other things over God. Covetousness is never satisfied; it always seeks more. It is called idolatry because it dictates what we serve. God's response to the actions of the disobedient is holy opposition that will inevitably lead to just punishment to correct behavior.
It seems like the Colossian believers had lost the sharp edge of their spirituality and were no longer what they once were when they first consciously experienced the grace of God. These sensual sins affect not only our public testimony but also our personal relationship with God because we are catering to the world, the flesh, and the devil. Additionally, social sins interfere negatively with our interactions with others. Some people appear to have an attitude of anger as a habitual response to everything happening around them. From that attitude, sudden outbursts of anger and rage—called "wrath"—may arise. Wrath often takes the form of vengeance, leading to a deep-seated hostility known as malice. Malice desires bad things to happen to others. Slander involves words that tear down someone else through abusive speech, while blasphemy results in filthy, defiling language. Furthermore, deception, lying, and the misrepresentation of the truth also occur.
When a believer testifies in their baptism that they have died and been buried with Christ, they also publicly declare they have put off the "old man" with all its lusts and worldly ways, like taking off an old garment. It is wrong for us to give any place to those social and sensual sins - neither in thought, words, or actions. But simply putting them off is not enough. There needs to be the Christ-like characteristic of the new man that shows a radical change has occurred and we now have a new identity. Being renewed with a focus on spiritual growth confirms that we have the capacity for knowledge. This leads to a growing, maturing Christian life, reflecting our Savior's qualities, who gave us new life.
In that Christ-like image that begins with our inner life with Christ, there is a unity of saints where once there was division among cultures and races. No distinctions are made about who is most important in the body. When we practically realize that our affections are set on things above, we will enjoy our unity in and with Him and His people. There will be no competition to see who is more important. When Christ "is all and in all," all things to us in every situation, that is the highest form of unity.