Viewpoint Brief Bible Study #93 |
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JESUS calls US to be |
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The Christian religion is the worship and service of Jesus Christ. It’s not Mary we worship, but her Son. We worship neither saints, angels, a law code, nor even God’s Spirit. It’s JESUS who is to be honored. The Bible is our guide. |
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Raised Up With Christ?
From: Given O. Blakely <GivenB@aol.com>
Subject: THOUGHT--Where Is Your Affection?SATURDAY January 17th, 1998
From The Word of Truth Publication"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 on things above, not on things on the earth. For ye are dead, and your life is hid with Christ in God" (Colossians 3:1-3).
There are certain normalities in the Kingdom of God that must be considered by those who seek to please God. First, those who are in Christ have been "raised" with from the realm of spiritual death. Romans 6:4 affirms "we are buried with him by baptism into death: that like as Christ was raised up from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life." Our baptism was a blessed transaction that delivered us from death in trespasses and sins!
This "resurrection" was accomplished through our faith in Jesus. As it is written, "buried with Him in baptism, in which you also were raised with Him through faith in the working of God, who raised Him from the dead" (Col. 2:12). The extent of this resurrection is remarkable! God has "raised us up together, and made us sit together in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus" (Eph 2:6). That is the declared condition of all those who are "in Christ."
The Lord, however, does not encourage us to take this for granted. Our participation in Christ's death and resurrection is to be put to the test. If, in reality, we are risen with Christ, the proof of it will be found in the focus of our affection. Our text calls upon us to "seek those things which are above," where Christ is seated on the right hand of God. That speaks of preference, and fervent desire. Our affection, or mental disposition, is to be set on those "things above, and not on the earth." This is not just a suggestion. It's the MEANS of substantiating we are really risen with Christ -- that we have a genuine identity with Him.
Where is your affection? What do you really want? Is your deep desire toward heaven or earth, on things above, or things in this world? Where are your preferences? What are your longings? There are eternal things that God has prepared for those who love Him--very real things that are where Jesus is, at the right hand of God. But they will only be given to those who fervently desire them -- who prefer them -- who more than anything else want to become like Jesus..
God will not set your affection on these things -- YOU must do it! He will give you the strength to do it -- but YOU must do it! He has provided exceeding great and precious promises that provide to each of us the incentive to do it -- but YOU must do it. If you have died with Christ, you CAN do it! If you are risen with Christ, you CAN do it!
See the reason cited for the seeking of things above. "For ye are dead, and your life is hid with Christ in God." There are really no other things that can satisfy and sustain the person in Christ Jesus! If our life is "hid with Christ," only things that are in the proximity of Christ can delight our hearts and strengthen our spirits. When we came into Christ, in a very real sense, we left the domain of sin: i.e., we are dead!
Our resources are not in this world because our home is not here: i.e., our lives are hid with Christ in God! We are being oriented to dwell in the house of the Lord forever. We begin now to culture an appetite for the provisions of that house.
I bid you to seek the glorious things that are above; to earnestly and fervently desire them. Set your mind upon them. Ponder them. Think often of them, and ask the Lord to clarify them to you through His Word. You cannot get to heaven without them. Seek them! Set your affection upon them!
PRAYER POINT: Father, I want the things you have prepared for those who love You. Help me to want them more; to seek them more fervently; to search for them expectantly!
In joyful expectation of glory, Brother Given O. Blakely
What do YOU think?
Brief Bible Study #93 from Ray Downen. To go back to Viewpoint's first page, click < here. Or go on to Viewpoint Study #94. For Ray's concluding remarks, click HERE.