Only Jesus Gives Us New Life (Colossians 3:1-4)

Bible Passage: Colossians 3:1-4

In this short passage, Paul draws out some of the implications of the gospel message for the Colossian believers. By faith they are united to Christ, and this gives them a new position. It has implication in both the past tense (they are dead to sin) and the future tense (they will be revealed with him in glory). These truths do not only apply to the first century Colossians, but to any who believe. This new reality has profound effects on the present day, and Paul draws out the implications of this for believers, whose minds and hearts should no longer be focussed on things of this earth, but instead on heavenly things.

A new perspective (v1-2): Paul starts with the practical implications of our new life in Christ. We have a new priority, and that is to seek the things above. There are two aspects to this: first, there is the question of what we seek. All of us are pursuing something in life, but as Christians, we have been invited into a greater pursuit, where we seek the things of heaven, such as the presence of God and his kingdom coming on earth. This is a much greater thing to live for than earthly ambition. Second is the question of what we think about. It is easy for our minds to be drawn to trivial and temporary things, but Paul is calling for our minds to be set on things above. We should give thought to what input we consume and how this shapes the way we think.

A new position (v3-4): The reason for our new focus in what we seek and think about is our status in Jesus. As believers, we are united to Christ by faith, and this means we share in Christ’s death, resurrection and revealing. Our old selves have died with Christ, and we are no longer governed by our fleshy nature. Our identities are no longer based on our old sinful lives but as new creations in Christ. We have been raised to new life with Christ. In him we have renewed hearts, and we are new creations in the here and now. We also have the promise of sharing in his resurrection and being revealed with him in glory as he returns.

Potential Applications:

• There is a challenge in this passage to think about what we are feeding our minds. For some this might mean stepping away from certain media channels that are taking up too much of our thought lives. For others it may mean prioritising reading Scripture and meditating on God’s truths.
• The call to focus on things above leads nicely into a time of sung worship, with God exalting songs.
• Many people struggle with issues around identity. Perhaps you could offer a response time where you can pray for people to grasp their new identity in Christ.