13. Your Affections – In Christ, Off the World (2)
Hymns: RHC 332 Moment by Moment 117 In Tenderness He Sought Me 418 O Jesus, I Have Promised
Colossians 3:1-4
1 If ye then be risen with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ sitteth on the right hand of God. 2 Set your affection on things above, not on things on the earth. 3 For ye are dead, and your life is hid with Christ in God. 4When Christ, who is our life, shall appear, then shall ye also appear with him in glory. (Col. 3:1-4 KJV)
In Your Affection – In Christ, Off the World (2)
OUTLINE
- Your New Status in Christ – Seek the Spiritual Not the Earthly (v1-2)
- Assurance of Your New Life with Christ (v3)
- Anticipation of Your Future Glory with Christ (v4)
(2) Assurance of Your New Life with Christ (v3)
3 For ye are dead, and your life is hid with Christ in God.
In a word, you are eternally secure. He put His irrevocable stamp on our eternal security. No works we do can ever add to His finished work. No sins we commit, have not already been atoned for by His precious blood. Our hidden life is eternally secure in Christ. May God grant us grace by His Spirit to fully rest in this incredible truth in Christ. Hidden with Christ in the sense that our new spiritual life is no longer in the sphere of the earthly and sensual, but is with the life of the risen Christ, who is unseen with God. It is divine and holy.
Having been freed from the bondage of sin, we are exhorted to cherish our liberty in Christ. And not be entangled with the things of this world that ensnares, traps and wounds us.
Romans 6:2 (KJV) God forbid. How shall we, that are dead to sin, live any longer therein?
How can we having been pronounced dead to the old man continue to delve with the things that harm and injuries? God forbid! A very strong negation to jolt us to think and be convinced in our hearts concerning our new life in Christ.
Galatians 2:20 (KJV) I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me.
This new life is a life of faith in Christ. Such a life will shield us from the misery of sin of which we have been gloriously, graciously rescued. It enabled Peter to walk on the water look to Christ and not sink! We are reminded of His power to keep us afloat through the distress of life in this world.
Matthew 14:27-33 (KJV) But straightway Jesus spake unto them, saying, Be of good cheer; it is I; be not afraid. And Peter answered him and said, Lord, if it be thou, bid me come unto thee on the water. And he said, Come. And when Peter was come down out of the ship, he walked on the water, to go to Jesus. But when he saw the wind boisterous, he was afraid; and beginning to sink, he cried, saying, Lord, save me. And immediately Jesus stretched forth hishand, and caught him, and said unto him, O thou of little faith, wherefore didst thou doubt? And when they were come into the ship, the wind ceased. Then they that were in the ship came and worshipped him, saying, Of a truth thou art the Son of God.
We are exhorted to remind ourselves of Christ’s sacrifice on our behalf. What He did and how He suffered that we can now stand secure eternally in Him.
John 5:24 (KJV) Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that heareth my word, and believeth on him that sent me, hath everlasting life, and shall not come into condemnation; but is passed from death unto life.
Such how we have access to everlasting life, it was through the hearing of Christ’s words and faith on the words of the Father that Christ is sent by Him to save us.
John 6:39-40 (KJV) And this is the Father’s will which hath sent me, that of all which he hath given me I should lose nothing, but should raise it up again at the last day. And this is the will of him that sent me, that every one which seeth the Son, and believeth on him, may have everlasting life: and I will raise him up at the last day.
Christ speaks of the resurrection on the last day. It is the rapture of the church. The raising of the dead in Christ first and then they which are alive will be caught up with the Lord in the air, so shall we ever be with the Lord.
Dear friends, that day indeed is soon. Are you ready?
John 10:28-30 (KJV) And I give unto them eternal life; and they shall never perish, neither shall any man pluck them out of my hand. My Father, which gave them me, is greater than all; and no man is able to pluck them out of my Father’s hand. I and my Father are one.
When we are hid in Christ, it means our soul is eternally secured, the devil cannot overtake us.
John 14:19 (KJV) Yet a little while, and the world seeth me no more; but ye see me: because I live, ye shall live also.
The disciples saw the resurrected Christ! It is testimony to the resurrection of the believers in the last day.
Romans 5:10 (KJV) For if, when we were enemies, we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son, much more, being reconciled, we shall be saved by his life.
His life in us ensures that we will arrive safely in heaven. Therefore, let us live that befitting life that He has won for us.
Romans 5:21 (KJV) That as sin hath reigned unto death, even so might grace reign through righteousness unto eternal life by Jesus Christ our Lord.
That our new life, hid in Christ, protected by Him, might be lived to His honour and glory in righteousness.
Romans 8:2 (KJV) For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus hath made me free from the law of sin and death.
We have that power to say “no” to sin and we are exhorted to exercise it moment by moment.
Romans 8:34-39 (KJV) Who is he that condemneth? It is Christ that died, yea rather, that is risen again, who is even at the right hand of God, who also maketh intercession for us. Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? shalltribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword? As it is written, For thy sake we are killed all the day long; we are accounted as sheep for the slaughter. Nay, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him that loved us. For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come, Nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.
The intercession of Christ in heaven on our behalf ensures that we will make it – Hebrews 7:25 (KJV) Wherefore he is able also to save them to the uttermost that come unto God by him, seeing he ever liveth to make intercession for them.
There are many dismaying factors as the Apostle Paul describes for us in this life – tribulation (pressed to the breaking point), distress (literally narrowness, tight or narrow place; figuratively, as the restrictiveness and pressures brought on by inner or outer problems; difficulty), persecution (literally pursuit, chase; figuratively persecution), famine (deprivation of food hunger; as scarcity of food or failure of grain harvests famine – Matthew 24:7), nakedness (nakedness; figuratively, of spiritual unpreparedness – Revelation 3:18; lack of sufficient clothing, destitution), peril (as a condition of threatening circumstances danger, risk, peril), sword (originally a large knife for killing and cutting up; figuratively, as a symbol of violent death).
Death (with every form of it in the NT treated not as a natural process but always as a destroying power related to sin and its consequences; physically, as the separation of soul from body (physical) death (John 11:13); as a legal technical term, of capital punishment (physical) death (Matthew 26:66); not spiritually, as the separation of soul from God (spiritual) death (John 5.24; James 1.15), opposite ζωή (life); spiritually, not as the separation of soul from spirit or from the possibility of knowing God, as the result of judgment eternal) death (Romans 1.32); called second death in Revelation 2:11; 20:6; by metonymy deadly disease, pestilence – Revelation 6:8).
Angels (of demonic powers as Satan’s messengers evil angel), principality (in relation to rank (position of) power, rule, domain (Ephesians 1:21); as a person with authority or a supernatural being ruler, authority – Romans 8.38), powers (as able to produce a strong effect power, might, strength (Acts 1:8), opposite ἀσθένεια (weakness); plural, as universal or supernatural rulers powers (Matthew 24:29); as capacity for something ability, capability (2Corinthains 8.3); as ability to communicate through language meaning, force (1Corinthians 14:11); as supernatural manifestations of power miracle, wonder, powerful deed (Hebrews 2.4); as the value and usefulness of money wealth, resources, riches – Revelation 18.3), present (to be upon, impend, threaten; close at hand), things to come (will certainly take place, will come to pass).
1 Peter 1:3-5 (KJV) Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, which according to his abundant mercy hath begotten us again unto a lively hope by the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, To an inheritance incorruptible, and undefiled, and that fadeth not away, reserved in heaven for you, Who are kept by the power of God through faith unto salvation ready to be revealed in the last time.
To be hid in Christ is to experience Him through prayer – Philippians 4:7 (KJV) And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.
It manifest itself in character traits – 1 Peter 3:4 (KJV) But let it be the hidden man of the heart, in that which is not corruptible, even the ornament of a meek and quiet spirit, which is in the sight of God of great price.
The life of Christ can be seen by others – Ephesians 3:9 (KJV) And to make all men see what is the fellowship of the mystery, which from the beginning of the world hath been hid in God, who created all things by Jesus Christ:
(3)Anticipation of Your Future Glory with Christ (v4)
4 When Christ, who is our life, shall appear, then shall ye also appear with him in glory.
Our life is in Christ, and Christ’s life is in us. But the outward glorious manifestation of it will only be known in the last time at His return.
1 John 3:2 (KJV) Beloved, now are we the sons of God, and it doth not yet appear what we shall be: but we know that, when he shall appear, we shall be like him; for we shall see him as he is.
John 11:25 (KJV) Jesus said unto her, I am the resurrection, and the life: he that believeth in me, though he were dead, yet shall he live:
John 14:6 (KJV) Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.
There is a paradise that is being prepared for us.
Revelation 2:7 (KJV) He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches; To him that overcometh will I give to eat of the tree of life, which is in the midst of the paradise of God.
Revelation 22:1 (KJV) And he shewed me a pure river of water of life, clear as crystal, proceeding out of the throne of God and of the Lamb.
It is promised to all the obedient in Christ who defile not themselves.
Revelation 22:14 (KJV) Blessed are they that do his commandments, that they may have right to the tree of life, and may enter in through the gates into the city.
Daniel is one such example – Daniel 5:12 (KJV) Forasmuch as an excellent spirit, and knowledge, and understanding, interpreting of dreams, and shewing of hard sentences, and dissolving of doubts, were found in the same Daniel, whom the king named Belteshazzar: now let Daniel be called, and he will shew the interpretation.
Daniel 5:14 (KJV) I have even heard of thee, that the spirit of the gods is in thee, and that light and understanding and excellent wisdom is found in thee.
Daniel 6:3 (KJV) Then this Daniel was preferred above the presidents and princes, because an excellent spirit was in him; and the king thought to set him over the whole realm.
1 Timothy 6:14 (KJV) That thou keep this commandment without spot, unrebukeable, until the appearing of our Lord Jesus Christ:
1 Timothy 6:15-16 (KJV) Which in his times he shall shew, who is the blessed and only Potentate, the King of kings, and Lord of lords; Who only hath immortality, dwelling in the light which no man can approach unto; whom no man hath seen, nor can see: to whom be honour and power everlasting. Amen.
2 Timothy 4:8 (KJV) Henceforth there is laid up for me a crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge, shall give me at that day: and not to me only, but unto all them also that love his appearing.
Titus 2:13 (KJV) Looking for that blessed hope, and the glorious appearing of the great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ;
Hebrews 9:28 (KJV) So Christ was once offered to bear the sins of many; and unto them that look for him shall he appear the second time without sin unto salvation.
The blessing of the eternal must spur us to live for Him now!
1 John 2:28 (KJV) And now, little children, abide in him; that, when he shall appear, we may have confidence, and not be ashamed before him at his coming.
Psalm 17:15 (KJV) As for me, I will behold thy face in righteousness: I shall be satisfied, when I awake, with thy likeness.
Psalm 73:24 (KJV) Thou shalt guide me with thy counsel, and afterward receive me to glory.
It will be a most happy time.
Isaiah 25:8-9 (KJV) He will swallow up death in victory; and the Lord GOD will wipe away tears from off all faces; and the rebuke of his people shall he take away from off all the earth: for the LORD hath spoken it. And it shall be said in that day, Lo, this is our God; we have waited for him, and he will save us: this is the LORD; we have waited for him, we will be glad and rejoice in his salvation.
In view of the glory to come, let us live lives befitting of our eternal blessed state.
2 Thessalonians 1:10-12 (KJV) When he shall come to be glorified in his saints, and to be admired in all them that believe (because our testimony among you was believed) in that day. Wherefore also we pray always for you, that our God would count you worthy of this calling, and fulfil all the good pleasure of his goodness, and the work of faith with power: That the name of our Lord Jesus Christ may be glorified in you, and ye in him, according to the grace of our God and the Lord Jesus Christ.
Jude 24-25 (KJV) Now unto him that is able to keep you from falling, and to present you faultless before the presence of his glory with exceeding joy, To the only wise God our Saviour, be glory and majesty, dominion and power, both now and ever. Amen.
CONCLUSION
May the Lord help us see and do His good will. Amen.