Need for Renewal

MEMORY VERSE: “Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus.” —Philippians 2:5

COLOSSIANS 3:1-17

THE Apostle Paul wrote, “Know ye not, that so many of us as were baptized into Jesus Christ were baptized into his death? Therefore we are buried with him by baptism into death: that like as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life. For if we have been planted together in the likeness of his death, we shall be also in the likeness of his resurrection.”—Rom. 6:3-5

The whole world of mankind is dying because of original sin, but believers in the shed blood of Jesus Christ have escaped that condemnation. Nevertheless, they also die, not as sinners, but as fellow sacrificers with Jesus. They are planted together in the likeness of his death, which was a sacrificial death, with the promise that if faithful in making this supreme sacrifice, they will be in the likeness of Christ’s resurrection. All mankind will be awakened from death, but their awakening will be to earth, and as humans, to have the opportunity of being restored to human perfection.

“If ye then be risen with Christ.” In Romans 6:4 Paul refers to this as walking in “newness of life.” The resurrection of Jesus did not take place until the third day after his death; our resurrection to be like him must wait the completion of our sacrifice unto death. But in these scriptures the apostle uses the new, resurrected life as an illustration of the fact that since we have this glorious hope it should lead to a new way of life even now.

And while we are endeavoring to walk in newness of life, we should continue to “seek those things which are above, where Christ sitteth at the right hand of God” Paul wrote that Christ “is set down at the right hand of the throne of God.” (Heb. 12:2) And following his resurrection and exaltation Jesus said, “To him that overcometh will I grant to sit with me in my throne, even as I also overcame, and am set down with my Father in his throne.”—Rev. 3:21

Paul repeats the admonition, “Set your affection on things above,” and adds, “not on things on the earth.” How short-sighted and foolish it would be, with such a hope of glory as is set before us, to allow the things of the world with their emptiness and sham to occupy our affections, and lose sight of the glorious “things above.” Actually, according to the terms of our consecration, we are dead so far as human hopes and ambitions are concerned, and “our life is hid with Christ in God.”

The Christian’s only hope of life is in Christ, and that will be the resurrected life with him in glory. This hope of life becomes a reality with the return and second presence of Christ. The lesson states, “When Christ, who is our life, shall appear, then shall ye also appear with him in glory.” When he sits upon the throne of his glory to judge and rule the world we will share that throne.

Because of this glorious hope we are admonished to “mortify … our members which are upon the earth.” The Revised Standard Version says, “put to death.” And all earthly hopes, aims, and ambitions are to be put to death, and we are to purify ourselves as God is pure, and as his beloved Son is pure. We will find it a lifetime task to mortify the flesh and its members; but keeping our affections set on things above will be a great help, for it will assist us to realize more and more as the days go by “how vain is all beneath the skies.”

We are to put off “the old man with his deeds;” and “put on the new man, which is renewed in knowledge” after “the image of its Creator.” (RSV) Paul lists the elements of character making up the new man as mercy, kindness, humbleness, meekness, and longsuffering, “forbearing one another, and forgiving one another. He says that “above all, we should put on love, “which binds everything together in perfect harmony.”—RSV

We are to let the peace of God rule in our hearts, and the “Word of Christ” to dwell in us richly in all wisdom, “teaching and admonishing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord.”

QUESTIONS

What is implied by the Christian setting his affections on things above?

What are the works of the “new man”?

What was the mind of Christ?

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