Considering the possible “so heavenly minded, no earthly good” reaction to Colossians 3:1 and Ephesians 2:6, “Since you became alive again, so to speak, when Christ arose from the dead, now set your sights on the rich treasures and joys of heaven where he sits beside God in the place of honor and power… And (God) lifted us up from the grave into glory along with Christ, where we sit with him in the heavenly realms - all because of what Christ Jesus did,” I studied a number of commentaries.
Contrasting them all, the meaning is somewhat obscure. Let me take a stab at what I think those two passages mean.
What is our greatest need? (Love) Where do we tend to look for that need to be met? (all the wrong places). - marrieds with each other; single parents with their children; committed single Christians tend to look to God, until they begin dating. Women tend more than men to need security which is found in relationships. For men, it is significance found in performing, conquering.
Nothing wrong with these pursuits unless they become idolatry (worshipping something other than God). It is wonderful to have our needs for love, security and significance met through some earthly source. However, God wants to be the source of our need fulfillment. (Philippians 4 tells us “My God shall supply all my needs.” He certainly met my needs after my wife died. In sensing His presence, He became as a wife to me. Then He provided miraculously for me in the gift of Theresa.
How would most people finish this sentence: “I just want to be.... (happy). Where does true happiness and joy come from: (Psa 16:11 NIV) You have made known to me the path of life; (you) will fill me with joy (in your presence), with eternal pleasures at your right hand. Oh, there is much happiness in life without God, but it is usually circumstantial.
Love from God. Significance from God. Joy and happiness from God. Thus- sights on heaven, seated with him in heavenly places.
Romans 12 tells us that we need each other, but the ultimate source for our needs to be met is our loving Heavenly Father. You earthly fathers being evil love to give good gifts to your children, how much more does you Father in heaven desire to give good gifts to you. Matthew 7:11
Ephesians chapters 1-3 describes our position and our possessions in Christ, (our real identity). then chapter 4:1 says “now live and act in a way worthy of those who have been chosen for such wonderful blessings as these.” Think like who you really are. Act like who you really are. King James version says: Now because of these things, walk ye in them. Taking our identity and putting it into shoeleather.
This is our position in Christ. It begins with an awareness of what Christ has done and where we are in Him but it also involves a daily walk: Luke 9:23 emphasizes this: Jesus speaking: “Anyone who wants to follow me must put aside his own desires and conveniences and carry his cross with him every day and keep close to me.”
We can all say “Yes, I’ve been wounded: sexual abuse, unfaithful spouse, abusive relationships, rejection. But that doesn’t need to contaminate who I am. I am now a child of God, I’m in Christ, Christ in me healing me, forgiving that abusive person through me, loving that person through me. For the Christian it is not self esteem, but Christ in me esteem. My security and significance is in Him. It is no longer just I but Christ who lives in me. Christ living through my temperament, my personality, my life experience, my pain, my joy.
May we, may I, be so permeated with the life of Christ, that we, that I, may be called like Francis of Assissi, “the Christ of Umbria.” The Christ of Nampa. I am now able to live a life of victory over pain, over abuse, over rejection, over sin because I have been made alive by the resurrection life Christ has imparted to me. By His grace, I am a saint - who can sin. As a man thinks, so is he.
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