The dwelling place of our heart and mind is very important to our growth. This is why Scripture teaches: “If then you have been raised with Christ, seek the things that are above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. Set your minds on things that are above, not on things that are on earth. For you have died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God. When Christ who is your life appears, then you also will appear with him in glory. (Col. 3:1-4, ESV).
Notice in this passage that our true life is now with Christ. We are united to him so our true life is where he is, which is at the right hand of God. We are united to him in death because we have died like he did. “One has died for all, therefore all have died” (2 Cor. 5:14, ESV). We are also united with him in his resurrection because we were also resurrected like Christ was (Col. 3:1; Rom. 6:4, 9-11). Therefore, we are united with Christ in his death and his life so we are with him now. In fact, Ephesians 2:6 makes the startling statement that God “raised us up with [Christ] and seated us with him in the heavenly places” (ESV). We are already seated with Christ in heaven!
But in what way are we with Christ? We still live on Earth. Are we to pretend that we are walking around heaven and only some kind of ghost self is operating on Earth? No, rather, the Holy Spirit produces fellowship, or participation, with Christ and with fellow believers. Remember that the Holy Spirit is the Spirit of Christ (Gal. 4:6; Rom. 8:9) so we fellowship (in other words, socialize) with Christ by his Spirit. We are with Christ in a real way because a divine person, the Holy Spirit, connects us to him.
But we can still choose whether we will “seek the things that are above”. We have a choice. If we didn’t have a choice then Paul would not have told the Colossians to make the choice. We seek relationships and above all our relationship with the ultimate Friend. The things of the world are not for us; they only destroy our Spiritual life and lead us away from the Fountain of Life.
Therefore, we can experience the expanding life of Christ in us now when we plant our hearts where Christ is. He dwells in heaven (and within us) which will soon descend and launch the New Earth, our eternal home. We are citizens of this coming heaven so why would we live like citizens of a land destined for destruction? “This world is fading away, along with everything that people crave. But anyone who does what pleases God will live forever” (1 John 2:17, NLT). Our true and joyful life is with Christ and one day we “will appear with him in glory” (Col. 3:4, NIV). That is why we keep ourselves in the place from which our eternal life of wedded bliss streams forth. This means that “we look not to the things that are seen but to the things that are unseen. For the things that are seen are transient, but the things that are unseen are eternal” (2 Cor. 4:18 ESV).
