The purpose of this post is to change the reader’s conception of reality and where their life is. I hope that it helps to create a new orientation in your soul that aligns with God’s reality. We begin with Colossians 3:1-2: “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” (ESV). We can get an idea of what we seek by asking ourselves: “How do I actually prioritize my life?” We can get an idea of what our minds are set on by asking ourselves: “What do I value in my mind and treasure in my heart?”
This orientation to things above is critical to our growth since the environment of our heart determines what we will become. If we plant ourselves where Christ is then we will become like him, since he will be our environment. If we set our hearts on fallen Earth then fallenness will transform us. If we seek what is above, then we will partake of what is above: the nature of God revealed in Christ. This gives us joy and peace that cannot be found anywhere on Earth.
We are able set ourselves on things above because we are part of an unseen reality that is coming to completion after Christ returns. The verses after Colossians 3:1-2 explain: “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. 3:3-4, ESV). Our true life and true honor is unseen in this life because it is with Christ who is manifest at the right hand of God. Only after Christ appears again on earth will we experience the glory God has given to us. Now, we choose to partly live off this planet in the land where Christ lives.
When we believed, we were resurrected into a new realm, the kingdom of God, which is fully manifested in heaven, where we are seated with Christ; 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!
Yet physically we still live on Earth. In what way are we with Christ? Are we to pretend that we are walking around in 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. The Christ is heaven is also in us by his Spirit! We dwell in “the glorious riches of this mystery, which is Christ in you” (Col. 1:27, NIV).
We have died and are dying to the old self and to the ways of the fallen world. If we are dead to these then our heart has no more affection for them. Instead, our hearts dwell in heaven and live according to the ways of heaven.
