Colossians Chapter 3 Verses 1-4

Col. 3:1 “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. 4 When Christ, who is our life, shall appear, then shall ye also appear with him in glory. 

“If ye then be risen with Christ…”  This statement is not raising a question as to whether you have been risen with Christ or not, but rather is a logic statement.  It would be the same as saying, “since you are risen with Christ.”  Thus, “since ye are risen with Christ, seek those things which are above.”  Therefore, since we are risen with Christ we should seek those things which are above, where Christ sitteth on the right hand of God.   

Next, what is the significance of “Christ sitting on the right hand of God?”  Notice that in the previous chapter Paul had ascertained that we were buried with Christ and that we arose with Christ.  These are statements concerning the covenant work of Christ in redemption.  This corresponds with Rom. 8:29, 30: “For whom he did foreknow, he also did predestinate to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brethren.  Moreover whom he did predestinate, them he also called: and whom he called, them he also justified: and whom he justified, them he also glorified.”  In Hebrews we read: 1:3 “Who being the brightness of his glory, and the express image of his person, and upholding all things by the word of his power, when he had by himself purged our sins, sat down on the right hand of the Majesty on high;” Thus, Christ sat down on the right hand of God because the work of redemption was completed.  This sets the stage for the next statement in our passage: “Set your affection on things above, not on things on the earth.”  The reason for setting our affection on things above and not on things on the earth is because we are risen with Christ who has completed the work of redemption for us.   

What are the things above that we are to set our affections upon and seek?  The following verses show us several things that we should seek: 

1.  Matt. 6:33 “But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you.”

2.  Matt. 7:7 “Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you: 8 For every one that asketh receiveth; and he that seeketh findeth; and to him that knocketh it shall be opened.”

3.  Acts 15:17 “That the residue of men might seek after the Lord, and all the Gentiles, upon whom my name is called, saith the Lord, who doeth all these things.”

4.  Acts 17:27 “That they should seek the Lord, if haply they might feel after him, and find him, though he be not far from every one of us:”

5.  1 Cor. 14:12 “Even so ye, forasmuch as ye are zealous of spiritual gifts, seek that ye may excel to the edifying of the church.”

6.  Heb. 11:6 “But without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him.” 

7.  1 Pet. 3:11 “Let him eschew evil, and do good; let him seek peace, and ensue it.” 

“For ye are dead, and your life is hid with Christ in God.”  In what sense are the ones to whom Paul is writing dead at that time?  Obviously they were not physically dead and they were not spiritually dead.  Yet they were dead in the sense that they were dead to the condemning effects of sin as we read in Rom. 6:2: “God forbid. How shall we, that are dead to sin, live any longer therein?”  We are not dead to sinning as we are certainly capable of sinning.  However, sin can no longer condemn us before a just and holy God as we read in Rom. 8:33 “Who shall lay any thing to the charge of God's elect? It is God that justifieth.”   

Next, how is our life hid with Christ in God?  Our eternal life is secured by the covenant work of Christ: John 10:28  “And I give unto them eternal life; and they shall never perish, neither shall any man pluck them out of my hand. 29 My Father, which gave them me, is greater than all; and no man is able to pluck them out of my Father's hand. 30 I and my Father are one.”   

“When Christ, who is our life, shall appear, then shall ye also appear with him in glory.”  We need to keep our eyes on the final mark.  Christ is coming again and when he comes we shall appear with him in glory. Amen.  Even so, come Lord Jesus.