where to set my heart – maturity 3

Posted by Dane on May 31, 2011 · 2 Comments

“set your mind on things above, not on earthly things.” Col 3:2

There is a quiet battle going on in our hearts and minds. Most of the time we are not aware it is going on. It is a battle the Apostle Paul says in vitally important.

It is a fight for our thought life and our ultimately our actions and lifestyle.

The verse above highlights the issue. My mind needs to be about heavenly things, not stuck in a rut down here. There are so many things that rob us of a distinctive life, a life transformed with hope, health and love. The earthly things are: worries, busy-ness, duties, our weaknesses, our desire to do wrong, our propensity to primarily think about ourselves. When we do that we see the ugly lists that God spells out for us.

…anger, rage, malice,slander, abusive language from your mouth. 3:8 NET

…sexual immorality, impurity, shameful passion,evil desire, and greed which isdolatry. 3:5 NET

Throughout this chapter we see a number of different models for what we are to do with our old nature.

Put to death v5
rid v8
take off old self v9

And we are to…

Put on the new self v10
cloth yourself v12
put on love v14

It is a process getting rid of the things Jesus does not want in our life and adopting into our lives those habits he desires. Anyone who has followed Christ for long knows how hard that can be. Certainly Paul knew the extreme difficulty when he wrote Romans chapter seven. “The things I don’t want to do…those I keep doing.” It is a struggle.

It is a struggle we want to fight. We continue this process because we love Christ. When a number of the followers of Jesus were leaving because Jesus’ teaching was hard to take, the Savoir asked the disciples left, “What about you? Are you leaving too?” Peter’s response was, “Where else can we go? You have the words of life.”

We also can continue because of the hope this text offers.

Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts. v15 NIV

Transformation or this process of putting off and taking on has a wonderful result in our life, Peace. But also look through the rest of ch3 the outcome is wholeness, loving relationships, unity and more.

So the question today for us is …Do I love Jesus enough to submit myself again today, this moment to ridding myself of my old nature and taking on what he desires for us?

Filed under Uncategorized · Tagged with spiritual formation

Comments

2 Responses to “where to set my heart – maturity 3”

Tim Rich says:

May 31, 2011 at 6:27 pm

This 3rd chapter in Colossians is similar to the 4th chapter of Philippians: 4:7-8; We have Christ’s peace as we think on things that are true, honest, right, pure, lovely, of a good report, excellent and praiseworthy.
In my own life, if I’ve gone only a few days w/o prayer or Bible reading the things of the world seem to get through my armour, and I’m fighting the things that would normally be squashed.
It’s definitely a daily walk with Christ !

Reply
- Dane says:
  
  May 31, 2011 at 6:37 pm
  
  it is cool how these chapters in Phil and Col work together. thanks for getting me to think
  
  Reply

Groups Guy