11/1991 - Of Fulfillment and Folly

"If ye then be risen with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ sitteth on the right hand of God. Set your affection [let your mindset be] on things above, not on things on the earth. For ye are dead, and your life is hid with Christ in God. When Christ, who is our life, shall appear, then shall ye also appear with Him in glory" (Colossians 3:1-4).

We have been considering the "mind-boggling" impact of the reality of the human place in the universe, as the possessors of the very energy of God, who created it. That God would lift this tiny particle in the vastness of space to a position of possessing His energy and being in communication with Him, is beyond all human comprehension. But in God’s revelation to man, both through Christ, the Logos, and the written Word of God, that which no human mind could ever really conceive has been most clearly verified. In fact, God Himself is beyond the human mind to conceive, since of course there is nothing in the world that approaches the qualities that mankind ascribes to the Deity. As a matter of fact, to say "there is no God," is actually to affirm His existence, since there must be some kind of object to deny. For us humans, who are tiny specks in the vastness of space, to comprehend the magnitude of God would be like an ant comprehending the magnitude of a human.

So now we confront the issue of "seeking those things that are above." If the mind cannot conceive of something that is beyond space and time (as infinity), how can we set our minds on the things that are above us? The answer, of course, lies in the reality of the Spirit. Salvation, as a new birth, brings the very Spirit of God into our own spirits. "We are partakers then of the very nature of God" (II Peter 1:4). It is this Spirit of God within us that provides the energy to interact with God. However, the human brain cannot always comprehend what the spirit within us knows through the Holy Spirit. The true realities of the interaction between ourselves and God take place by the Spirit within us, who helps us in our human weakness and interacts with God on our behalf in ways that go beyond the capacity of the human to articulate (Romans 8:26).

Meanwhile, we must function in a pragmatic way on the earth. The spirit indeed interacts with God, but our human minds must confront the issues of life on the earth. And this is where we get into trouble. Life on the earth is constantly troublesome and uncertain, and often tragic and devastating. How can we maintain ourselves in some degree of peace and well-being?

In Colossians 3, Paul gives us a very important clue—"Seek those things that are above." One of the most obvious observations about life is that it is tenuous. Everything is in a state of flux. Change is itself the most changeless reality. Any day, any hour, any minute, things can change and do in fact change. Strangely enough, it is always shocking when things do change. "Misfortunes always happen to others." The obvious response to this is that while we are certainly entitled to enjoy the things of life when we have them, it is well that we do not put too much weight on them. Our spirits are eternal, especially as occupied by the Spirit of God. Whatever happens in this world and to this body, the spirit goes on forever. And that is the essence of our life. As Martin Luther puts it, "The body they may kill; our Lord abideth still."

Set your affections on things above . . . The Greek word is phroneo which means, literally, "mindset"—"thought-pattern" or "tendency." It does not have to do so much with one’s feelings or affections as it does with one’s basic focus. From the incorrect translation of this passage some have concluded that it is wrong even to enjoy the things that are of the earth. When Paul said, "God gives us richly all things to enjoy" (I Timothy 6:17). He was obviously referring to elements of the earth. In fact, God’s reward to Israel for their faithfulness was milk and honey, and "wine on the lees (sediment)." It is clearly understood that God’s ultimate purposes are served by the development of spiritual values. It is equally clear, however, that He has given us a marvelous planet for our earthly setting, although it is admittedly beset with cataclysmic events.

So then what is the attitude that Paul suggests as regards this earth? The word Paul uses—"mindset"—has to do with the basic focus of ones mind. He is not saying that we cannot enjoy or have an affection for the things of the earth, but we must not focus on them. They must not become the pattern of our life. We use the word aficionado for the things that we enjoy and become involved with on an amateur basis, but are not the substance of our livelihood. We sometimes use the word dilettante to denote someone whose involvement is surface and not professional. It is quite all right to be an aficionado of some particular area of interest, so long as it does not become an all-consuming passion, which would be the major focus of our lives. It is of course folly to put any weight on the transient things of this earth.

We must understand, however, that recognizing the centrality of the Spirit of Christ within us does not mean that we must be religious. Conversely, being consumed with religious activity can be as much of the flesh as being consumed elements of the world. The Pharisees were, of course, the prime example of being consumed with religious activities, but not having the Spirit. Thus religious exercise is not the key, but the deeper sense in the spirit of our oneness with Christ. The recognition of our eternal destiny inevitably affects our decision-making and life orientation.

In some respects the idea of the "mindset" is analogous to the football gridiron. It is called a gridiron because it has a grid pattern. The game is played within the lines of that pattern. Different sports, of course, have different patterns of play. Thus, football cannot be played on a baseball diamond or basketball on a tennis court. Thus, for the Christian, the general thought patterns are within the framework of our eternal fulfillment in Christ.

For you are dead . . . In Colossians 3, Paul is dealing with some very difficult problems in Christian behavior. And he finds it necessary to remind them of the necessity of remembering their basic position in the Spirit. However, he never questions the fact that they have died with Christ and been raised with Him. That is very consoling to us humans who are constantly struggling with the problems of the flesh and might, at times, wonder if, indeed, Christ is still with us. And, in fact, Paul will next suggest that they should "mortify" their members on the earth.

So what is the discrepancy? If we have already died with Christ, how then as Paul suggests can we "mortify" our members? The answer is that our salvation is based upon the death of the old spirit and the coming to life of the new one. The problems in the flesh, on the other hand, are based upon the struggle which we have continually with the human factor. Perhaps it is akin to nerve diseases where the body does not always respond in harmony with the brain. Perhaps the common expression "the devil made me do it," while something of a "tongue-in-cheek" expression, nevertheless has some element of truth in it, in the respect that Satan does seem to be able to affect Christians in an outward manner. That is to say, that Satan can never get into our spirits—Christ will not let him in—but he can affect us in the flesh. He is, after all, the great tempter. He has many ways of getting at us and is quite aware of our own areas of vulnerability.

However, it is well to understand that we humans do not have the strength to fight Satan. We are no match for him. On the other hand, he is no match for Christ, and Paul’s instruction is to put on the armor and to stand against him. Each of the pieces of armor—girdle of truth, breastplate of righteousness, shield of faith, helmet of salvation, sword of the Spirit, are all ours in Christ. Christ is our truth and our righteousness and our salvation. He is our peace and our shield and our sword. In short, we must "put on Christ." Our place is simply to stand pat. "Resist the devil" means the same thing. If you can’t overcome him, neither should you run from him. No amount of religious effort, or piety, or perseverance, will avail. Sometimes Christians take great pride in their "fighting the devil." Even the angels were cautious in their challenges to Satan.

If it is folly to put our weight on the world, it is equal folly to fight Satan in the flesh. In the Old Testament there is a story that gives us some substantial encouragement. Not everything in the Old Testament is applicable to New Testament Christians, but this particular story is certainly reflective of the power of God and His care of His people. In the days of Jehoshaphat, king of Judah, the people were surrounded by enemies, who were also God’s enemies. Jehoshaphat came before the Lord and said "We have no might against this great company, neither know we what to do, but our eyes are upon thee." God’s response was "Be not afraid nor dismayed by reason of this great multitude; for the battle is not yours but God’s. Ye shall not need to fight in this battle: set yourself, stand ye still, and see the salvation of the Lord with you, O Judah and Jerusalem: fear not nor be dismayed; tomorrow go out against them; for the Lord will be with you" (II Chronicles 20:15-17). We are at liberty to take this passage for our own situation, especially since Jesus had said to His disciples—"Lo I am with you always, even to the end of the world" (Matthew 28:20). And, of course, there is the classic passage which we have often quoted concerning Paul—"My strength is made perfect in weakness" (II Corinthians 12:9). Both of these crucial passages can be applied to us today, in the sense of our reliance upon the strength of God.

Your life is hid with Christ in God . . . In a further confirmation to the Colossians, Paul assures them that their spirits are secure within the Spirit of God. We are part and parcel of Him. We are "joint heirs with Christ." We are possessors of His fullness—now hidden with Christ, but one day to be manifested as Christ is manifested.