Colossians 3:1-11 -- Three Instructions From Paul

Paul gave us three instructions here, my commentary said.

Seek the Heavenly -- "We died with Christ -- we can have victory over the old sin nature that wants to control us; we live in Christ ... eternal life is Jesus Christ Himself; we are raised with Christ ... Christ is seated at the right hand of God, and we are seated there in Christ; we are hidden in Christ ... the sources of life that we enjoy come only from Him; we are glorified in Christ ... one day He will come to take His people home.  When He does, we shall enter into eternal glory with Christ ... we shall also be revealed in glory."

Slay the Earthly -- "Because we have died with Christ, we have the spiritual power to slay the earthly, fleshly desires that want to control us ... reckoning ourselves to be dead to sin but alive in Christ ... Sin does not come from the eye, hand, or foot; it comes from the heart, the evil desires within ... what we desire usually determines what we do."

Strengthen the Christly -- "The crisis of salvation leads to the process of sanctification, becoming more like Christ ... Through knowledge ... the better we get to know Christ, the more we become like him ... We are formed in God's image and deformed from God's image by sin.  But through Jesus Christ, we can be transformed into God's image!  We must be renewed in the spirit of our minds."

Father, help me to seek the heavenly, to slay the earthly, and to strengthen the Christly in my own life.  Lead me to permit the Spirit to renew my mind to make me more into the image of You.

Your Brother In Christ,
Gary Ford