Romans: Sin, Judgment, and Gospel Foundations: Prepared Hearts

The Supremacy of Christ Over the Christian's Mind

Transcript: AI Transcript

Professor: John Weaver

Subject: New Testament Studies

Genre: Sermon

Dictation Name:

Date: 2012-10-14

Synopsis: John Weaver expounds Colossians 3:1-3, emphasizing that because believers have been raised with Christ, they must seek heavenly things and set their affections on Christ, not on earthly things. He explains that union with Christ in His death, resurrection, and ascension obligates Christians to live with a heavenly mindset, reckoning themselves dead to sin and alive to God, with their life securely hidden in Christ.

[John Weaver] All right, let's open our Bibles to the book of Colossians, chapter three, the book of Colossians, chapter three. And we're going to read the first three verses, Colossians, chapter three. And I want you to look, if you would, please, particularly at verses one, two and three. Galatians, Ephesians, Philippians, Colossians, Colossians, chapter three. The title of the message today is this. The supremacy of Christ over the Christians mind and affection. The supremacy or the superiority of Christ over the Christians mind and affections. Notice Colossians chapter 3 verse 1. If you 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 you are dead, and your life is hid with Christ in God. Jesus Christ is Lord. Jesus Christ is God. Jesus Christ is the glorified, resurrected, majestic, supreme, and sovereign God of heaven and earth.

[John Weaver] And He deserves all honor, praise, honor, and glory. Therefore, Jesus Christ must have his rightful place in everything. If you will look in Colossians chapter 1, beginning there with verse 15, let's see what the Bible says concerning Christ. Colossians 1 verse 15, the Bible declares, who is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of every creature, for by him were all things created that are in heaven, that are in earth, visible and invisible, whether they be thrones or dominions or principalities or powers, all things were created by him and for him, and he is before all things, and by him all things consist." So the Bible declares that Jesus Christ is preeminent, that Jesus Christ is supreme, that everything was created not only by him but for him as well. So the question is, not do you simply believe what the Bible reveals in Colossians 1 and verses 15 through 17 about Jesus Christ, but the real question is, do you apply that confession to your daily life?

[John Weaver] So I could ask you several questions like, what do you think about during your waking hours? What is on your mind as you lie down each night to sleep? Who or what is controlling your thoughts, your imaginations and your desires? You have to understand that there are multitudes of voices, multitude of voices that are screaming for our attention today. In fact, you can look around and say, man, I have so many demands upon my life. It is unbelievable.

[John Weaver] And yet do you realize that one of the charges that God brings against the wicked and the ungodly is found in Psalm 10 in verse 4. Let me just quote it. Listen carefully. The Bible says the wicked, through the pride of his countenance, will not seek after God. God is not in all of his thoughts. Wow. God is not in all of his thoughts. And the wicked, through the pride of his countenance, will not seek after God.

[John Weaver] Now, it is true that it is impossible for you and I to think upon our Lord 24 hours a day in one sense of the word. Because there are so many things that demand our attention and claim our attention. Yet the truth of the matter is this, whatever demands our attention and whatever claims our attention can indeed be thought of in reference to Christ, in reference to His kingship, sovereignty, and supremacy.

[John Weaver] For instance, A number of us plant gardens. You say I've got to concentrate upon my planting. Well, You may have to concentrate upon your planting in the sense that you want to put your vegetables so many inches apart or so many feet apart, the rows so far apart, and you're thinking about those things. But at the same time, when you think about those things, you can think about those things in reference to Christ and His sovereignty.

[John Weaver] Because the Bible teaches, whatsoever is not of faith is sin, Romans chapter 14, verse 23. And the Bible tells you in Proverbs 21 in verse 4, listen carefully, a high look and a proud heart and the plowing of the wicked is sin. Think about that. The plowing of the wicked is sin. Does not God demand us to earn our living by the sweat of our brow? Yes. Well, how then can the plowing of the wicked be sin? Because he does not plow in faith. So when we plant our gardens or whatever we do, we must do it in faith in reference to the kingship and the sovereignty of Jesus Christ. And the same truth can be applied to cooking, it can be applied to child discipline, to economics, to the home, to education, whatever area of life it is, you can think about these things in reference to Christ, in reference to His sovereignty. Now, I want to show you from Colossians chapter 3 the truths that God enforces upon our minds and our affections.

[John Weaver] So let's look first of all at verse 1 and see the very first point, the duty enjoined. Look what he says, if you then be risen with Christ. Wow, if you then be risen with Christ. Literally it is this, seeing then that you are risen with Christ, or since you are risen with Christ, the Apostle Paul is enjoining us to a certain truth. If you will look back in Colossians 2, at verses 11 and 12, you will understand the first phrase of chapter 3. Look in Colossians 2, verse 11, in whom also you are circumcised with a circumcision made without hands in putting off the body of sins of the flesh by the circumcision of Christ, buried with him in baptism, wherein also you are risen with him through the faith of the operation of God, who raised him from the dead." I want you to also turn in your Bibles very quickly to Romans chapter 6 and look at verse 4. In fact, you might want to just mark Romans chapter 6 in your Bibles because we will be coming back there a little bit later.

[John Weaver] But look in Romans 6 and verse 4. The Bible declares this, Therefore 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." So just as Jesus Christ was buried and resurrected, we who are in Jesus Christ have been crucified, buried, and resurrected in Him. Now listen carefully. Ascension follows resurrection. What happened when God the Father raised Jesus Christ from the dead? It is true he was seen of his disciples, but the Bible tells us that he ascended up into the heavens. The Bible also teaches that we were not only crucified with Christ, buried with Christ, raised from the dead in Christ. The Bible also teaches that we ascended into heaven with Christ. For instance, look in your Bibles to the book of Ephesians, Galatians, Ephesians, Notice Ephesians chapter 2 beginning there with verse 4. Ephesians 2 and verse 4 just showing you that we who have been resurrected with Christ have also ascended with Christ.

[John Weaver] Ephesians chapter 2 verse 4. But God who is rich in mercy for his great love were with thee loved us. Even when we were dead in sins have quickened us together with Christ. By grace are you saved. and hath raised us up together, and made us sit together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus, that in the ages to come he might show the exceeding riches of his grace and his kindness toward us through Christ Jesus. Note verse 6, and he hath raised us up together, and made us sit together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus. Now if Jesus Christ is our head, If we are His body, when He ascended, obviously we ascended as well. And so since we have ascended in Christ, we should therefore walk in a heavenly manner.

[John Weaver] It is not the old adage that someone is so heavenly minded that he's no earthly good. It is not that at all. No, but it is since our Lord has ascended into heaven and we have ascended with Him, our walk should be heavenly. Our walk should be a godly walk by virtue of our union and our association with Jesus Christ.

[John Weaver] Now, if you would turn right over to 1 John chapter 4 and look at verse 7 and you can see how this is very easily explained. Notice 1 John chapter 4 and verse 7. It's an interesting verse. Notice 1 John 4, it's verse 17. He says this. Herein is our love made perfect, that we may have boldness in the day of judgment, because as He is, so are we in this world." Now, what will give us boldness in the day of judgment? Because we walked as Christ walked in this world. As He is, so are we in this world. So here, the Apostle Paul is enjoining us with this duty because Christ is risen from the dead and we are risen with Him. Notice if you would please, secondly, in verse 1, the duty established. He said, if or since you then be risen with Christ, seek those things which are above. That's the duty established. Do you realize that you have a duty, you have an obligation, you have a responsibility to seek those things which are above?

[John Weaver] In other words, Christ sought me as a sinner. Now, therefore, I must seek him as a saint. He left heaven. He came down from heaven. In order to draw and to bring his people to heaven. Let me put it another way. He suffered death that we might live. Do you remember that passage in Philippians chapter 2 verses 5 through 11, where the word of God says, let this mind be in you, which also was in Christ Jesus. Who being in the form of God thought it not robbery to be equal with God. but made himself of no reputation, and took upon him the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men. And being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross. God also hath highly exalted him, and given him a name which is above every name, that the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of things in heaven, of things in earth, and things under the earth, and that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is God, to the glory of God the

[John Weaver] Father." So he tells us that we're to seek those things which are above. Where is Christ? He's seated at the right hand of God. Do you realize our Lord basically gave us the same principle over and over in Scripture? For instance, Matthew 6 and verse 20 said this, But lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust doth corrupt, and where thieves do not break through and steal. Lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven. And then that passage in Matthew 6 and verse 33, where he said, But seek ye first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added unto you.

[John Weaver] Now, let me give you another one. In Philippians 3 and verse 20, the Word of God says this, For our conversation is in heaven, from whence also we look for our Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ. Now, notice what he said, For our conversation is in Heaven. By the way, the word conversation refers to our conduct. It refers to the totality of our lives. So our Lord has told us to lay up treasure for ourselves in Heaven. He's told us to seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness. Now He tells us for our conversation or our conduct is in Heaven, for whence also we look for our Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ. But He said Since you then are risen with Christ, seek those things which are above. So the question has to be asked, what is seeking those things which are above? Well, let me answer that question by showing you a passage of what Christ did and what He spoke of after His resurrection. Look in your Bibles to the book of Acts, chapter 1, and verse 3.

[John Weaver] Acts chapter 1 and verse 3. Watch carefully. Acts 1 and verse 3. The Word of God says this. In reference to Jesus Christ, Acts 1 verse 3, to whom also he showed himself alive after his passion, that is, after his crucifixion, by many infallible proofs, being seen of them forty days And speaking of things pertaining to the kingdom of God. So here's my question. What did Christ speak concerning? After his resurrection. And the answer is things that pertain to the kingdom of God. So seeking those things above which are above. Is equated. with speaking and dealing with those things that involve the kingdom of God.

[John Weaver] I want you to turn in your Bibles. To the book of Hebrews chapter 11. I want to show you how our forefathers in the faith. Salt those things which are above notice the book of Hebrews chapter 11 and let's begin reading there at verse 8 Hebrews 11 in verse 8 talking about Abraham. By faith, Abraham, when he was called to go out into a place which he should after receive foreign inheritance, obeyed.

[John Weaver] And he went out, not knowing whether he went. Now watch. By faith, he sojourned in the land of promise, as in a strange country, dwelling in tabernacles with Isaac and Jacob, the heirs with him of the same promise. For he looked for a city which had foundations, whose builder and maker is God.

[John Weaver] Now, let me stop and think about this for a moment. God gave Abraham this big, wide piece of land. And what did Abraham and his. Descendants do, especially Isaac and Jacob. They stayed in that land. As strangers and sojourners. Why do they consider themselves strangers and sojourners? Look at verse 10. For he, that is Abraham, looked for a city which had foundations, whose builder and maker is God. What Abraham understood was this. What Isaac and Jacob understood was this.

[John Weaver] That which they had been given physically. Was a type. And a shadow. Of the real heavenly city, that eternal home that's not made with hands. If you'll skip down to verse 13, watch it. Talking about all the other forefathers, these all died in the faith. Not having received the promises, that is the fulfillment of them. But having seen them afar off and were persuaded of them and embrace them and confess that they were strangers and pilgrims on the earth, for they that say such things declare plainly that they seek the country. Isn't that interesting? They say plainly that they seek a country. But what is it to seek those things which are above? It is to be content with seeking the things of God and not necessarily everything that we have that is around us.

[John Weaver] Let me go a step further. Peter said it like this in 1 Peter 2 and verse 11. He said, Dearly beloved, I beseech you as strangers and pilgrims, Abstain from fleshly lusts which war against the soul. Ain't that interesting? Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob counted themselves strangers, pilgrims, sojourners. And now Peter says we're to count ourselves strangers and sojourners and pilgrims by abstaining from fleshly lusts which war against the soul.

[John Weaver] What is it to seek those things which are above? We seek those things which are above when in our minds we are truly sojourners and pilgrims in this world in the sense that we are not bound to it. This world is not my home. When I use the phrase this world, I'm talking about the world system and everything that it has. I am not a citizen of the new world order.

[John Weaver] The truth of the matter is this. When we seek those things are above, we are seeking a better and a heavenly country, the continuing city whose builder and maker is God. God may reform this earth. He may purge this earth with fire. and have us hear the eternal city that may be. For I, John, saw the heavenly city, New Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven as a bride adorned for us. But I got news for you, wherever God gives us this continuing city, it will be His handiwork and not the handiwork of men.

[John Weaver] And that is what we are looking for. Seeking those things which are above is when we not only have sought Christ for his salvation, but we're satisfied in that salvation. Seeking those things are above is when we live in obedience to Christ and his word alone, seeking those things which are above is when we live by righteousness, live by his doctrine and seek to honor him in every area of our life. and seek to bring our life in conformity to his word. So he tells us. If you then be risen with Christ, seek those things which are above.

[John Weaver] I want you to note, thirdly, the duty emphasized. Verse one, he says, see, if you then be risen with Christ, seek those things which are above where Christ sitted on the right hand of God. Wow. I hope you can see the argument that the Apostle Paul is giving here. He is telling us if Christ is indeed our supreme affection. If we do view him as worthy of everything in all praise, honor and glory, and since Christ is seated by the right hand of God, that is where our affections Should be if we love him. We should live heavenly things. And we should love them and be willing to live with them now in time in history in preparation for eternity. What do you say? Well, I can't see him now. Well, by faith you can.

[John Weaver] And you may not be able to be with him now literally and physically. But soon you shall be in eternity. You know what our Lord prayed in John 17 in verse 24? That's His high priestly prayer. Listen to this one petition. He said this, Father, I will that they also whom thou hast given me, be with me where I am, that they may behold my glory, which thou hast given me, for thou lovest me before the foundation of the world. Now, what did our Lord pray? I will that those whom thou hast given me be with me. Do you think that prayer is going to be answered? Of course it is.

[John Weaver] We're already with him in union. We're already with him by faith. One day, literally, we shall be with him. But even now, in time and in history, we may behold his glory by faith. We make glory in the fact that all authority in heaven and earth has been given unto him. We may exult in the truth that he must rule and he must reign until he has put all of his enemies under his feet. We may rejoice in the fact that he is our God incarnate, that he is perfect man and perfect God, that he is the mediator, the intercessor, the savior, the protector, the provider, the preserver, and he is our glorious Lord and King. We can rejoice in those things now.

[John Weaver] But what does it mean when it says. Where Christ's city. At the right hand of God. I want you to think about this for a moment. Let me ask that you turn first of all to the book of Ephesians Chapter 2 and then we're going to the book of Hebrews Chapter 4. And then the Chapter 10. I want you to think with me. If Christ is seated at the right hand of the Father. If Ephesians chapter 2 is true, and it is.

[John Weaver] We who have been saved by his grace have ascended with him. What does that imply? It implies that we have full And unfettered access. To our heavenly father. Don't you stop and think in the Old Testament. In the tabernacle and in the temple. Only the high priest went into the holiest of all once a year. But that not without blood. The highest priest in the land. could only go into the presence of God once a year.

[John Weaver] Look what the Bible says in Ephesians 2 and verse 18. For through Him, that is through Jesus Christ, for through Him, we both have access by one Spirit unto the Father. Through Jesus Christ, we have access by the Holy Spirit unto the Father.

[John Weaver] Now, I want you to turn to the book of Hebrews chapter four. Look first at verse 16, Hebrews four and verse 16. Let this grab a hold of your understanding. Hebrews four and verse 16. In fact, let's read verse 15, in fact, we'll read verse 14. Watch Hebrews 4 verse 14, seeing that we have a great high priest that is passed into the heavens, Jesus, the Son of God, let us hold fast our profession. For we have not a high priest which cannot be touched with the feelings of our infirmities, but was in all points tempted like as we are yet without sin. Now watch verse 16. In light of this, that he is our great high priest, let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace that we may obtain mercy. And find grace to help in the time of need. I wonder.

[John Weaver] If any of the Old Testament saints. Had any understanding of coming boldly into the presence of God when all they had was the blood of bulls and goats and heifers, and the answer is no. Because they knew if they went in that holiest of holies, they would be immediately killed. And yet here the Bible says that we may come boldly into the presence of God. Look at Hebrews chapter 10, and let's begin reading there with verse 19. Hebrews 10, watch verse 19. Here's what he says. Having therefore, brethren, boldness to enter into the holiest by the blood of Jesus, by a new and living way which ye have consecrated for us through the veil, that is to say His flesh, and having a high priest over the house of God, Let us draw near with a true heart and full

[John Weaver] assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience and our bodies washed with pure water, and let us hold fast the profession of our faith without wavering, for He is faithful that promised." Note, if you would, he said in verse 19,"...having therefore, brethren, boldness to enter the holiest by the blood of Jesus Christ." Since Christ is at the right hand of God, Since we are in Christ, we died with Him.

[John Weaver] We were buried with Him. We were raised from the dead in Him. We ascended in heaven with Him. Since He is at the right hand of God, we have full and unfettered access to God, our Heavenly Father. Why should we not commune with Him? Why should we not fellowship with Him? Pray to Him. Worship and adore Him. We can do all these things through Jesus Christ. Which the Old Testament Saints did not have and could not do. Because Jesus Christ is the new and living way.

[John Weaver] Our Lord not only died. To provide for us and give us forgiveness of sins. He also lives to make intercession for us and to give us that which he actually died for. He gives us his salvation. So since Christ is at the right hand of God, since Christ, listen carefully, is God, which means he is omnipotent, he is omniscient, he is omnipresent, It means, therefore, that Jesus Christ is everywhere at one time in the totality of his person. Therefore, we can never, ever be left alone. Did he not promise I will never leave thee nor forsake thee? Such knowledge. Should not only motivate us to holiness. But it should motivate us to seek.

[John Weaver] Those things which are above. where Christ sitteth on the right hand of God.

[John Weaver] Now, go back to Galatians chapter three, because I want you to see the fourth point in verse two. He says, set your affection on things above, not on things of the earth. Here's the duty exercised. Here's the duty exercised. This is your responsibility. This is your obligation. Set your affection on things above, not on things of the earth. I want you to know there's a positive and a negative. Positively, you're to set your affection on things above. Negatively, you're not to set your affection on things of the earth.

[John Weaver] You know, I've read, and we also know some individuals that this happened to, But when people were under the Nazi rule, tried to escape, those who tried to take all of their belongings with them were soon captured and either in prison or shot. But those people who put just a few shackles in their pockets and walked off like they were just going on a Sunday afternoon stroll, most of them made it. In fact, we know someone that got out of Hungary like that. They just walked out, left everything. And you know something?

[John Weaver] It really doesn't matter what we have or how much we have. We're going to leave it all. We are. And so I said, set your affections on things above, not on things of this earth. Literally, the word here means to mind or to think on things above. In other words, that's where the propensity of our affection should be, thinking on things of God and scriptural truth and biblical truth, how to apply them to our life.

[John Weaver] Let me give you a quote from John Gill. I thought this was beautiful. He says this. Talking about set your affection on things above, not on things of the earth. John Gill says the word signifies to mind them and to think on them, to favor and to approve them, to be affectionately desirous of them and concerned for them. For where the treasure is, the heart should be. And as the saints best things are above, their minds and affections should be there likewise. Their contemplation should be on those things, and their conversation should be in heaven.

[John Weaver] Nor should they regard anything but what is there, or comes from thence, for they belong not to this world, but to another and better country. Their citizenship is in heaven, and there in a short time they must have their everlasting residence, and therefore should seek after and highly prize and value heavenly things, and set their affections on them, and not on things of the earth. not mind earth and earthly things, temporal enjoyments, riches and honors, and though food and raiment and the necessities of life are to be sought after and cared and provided for, yet not with anxiety and perplexity of mind in an over-thoughtful and distressing manner, nor should the heart be set on those outward things

[John Weaver] or happiness placed in possession of them. Now, just stop if your happiness. Has placed in the possession of things. What's going to happen when you lose those things? There goes your happiness. Things are not what make us happy. I want to contrast this for you. I want you to look at two passages. I want you to turn to Philippians chapter 3 and then Romans chapter 8. Now, he said, set your affection on things above and not on things of the earth. So if you look in Philippians. Look in Philippians, chapter three and verse 19. Here is what earthly things would be like Philippians three, verse 19. In fact, let's read verse 18, so you can see that we're talking about those who are unconverted, those who are the enemies of Christ. He says, For many walk of whom I have told you often, and tell you now even weeping, that they are the enemies of the cross of Christ, watch, whose end is destruction, whose God is their belly, and whose glory is in their shame, who mind earthly things.

[John Weaver] What do the wicked do? They mind earthly things. What does minding earthly things cause you to do? It causes you to have your belly as your God, your glorying in your shame, And you're walking completely and totally contrary to the Word of God. If you look back in your Bibles to the book of Romans chapter 8 and verse 5 again in this passage, he talks about the unconverted. He says this for they that are after the flesh do mind the things of the flesh, but they that are after the Spirit, the things of the Spirit. What are the things of the flesh? Well, you can read about him in Galatians chapter 5. Fornication, adultery, murder, theft, witchcraft, all these things.

[John Weaver] Alice and I saw a car the other day. Had three bumper stickers on it. I remember two of them. The first one was, I'm a pagan and I vote. And the second one was, I love Obamacare. And the other, oh, I love equality was the third one. Yeah, that was in Douglas, Georgia. I'm a pagan and I vote, I love equality and I love Obamacare. Well, no wonder he loves Obamacare. No wonder he loves equality. He's a pagan. I mean, that explains the other two. I mean, who mind earthly things? What does he say? Set your affection on things above.

[John Weaver] That means whatever we do. We're to do in reference to Christ and his word and his law. I don't care if we're fighting in a war, we're to do it biblically. I don't care if we're educating our children, we're to do it biblically. I don't care if we're cooking supper, we're to do it biblically. I don't care if we're digging a ditch, we're to dig it for God's honor and glory and in faith. Doing the best we can for our good and the good of God's people.

[John Weaver] Setting your affectional things above means that you've learned by grace to love heavenly things, to study them, to enjoy them, and to let your heart be engrossed entirely by them. Isn't it amazing? Stop and think about this. Isn't it amazing? That a lot of Christians have said I'd rather be with my church family or my Christian brethren than my own literal flesh and blood family. Stop and think about that.

[John Weaver] Because we have far more in common. Here's what happens when you set your affection on things above. You learn the truth of Philippians 2 and verse 5, where it said, let this mind be in you, which also was in Christ Jesus. You learn to think. Or at least you want to think like Christ thought. You learn the truth of 1 Peter 4 and verse 1 where we are to be armed with the mind of Christ. We learn the truth of Romans 12 verse 2 and Ephesians 4 and verse 23 when he said, And be renewed in the spirit of your mind. And we also learn the truth of 2 Corinthians chapter 10 verses 4 and 5 when the Apostle Paul said, For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but mighty through God to the pulling down of strongholds." Now listen carefully. Here's man's stronghold. It's his mind casting down imaginations and every high thing or every high thought that exalted itself against Christ and bringing every thought into captivity to Jesus Christ. That's setting your affectional things above when you learn to think biblically and scripturally.

[John Weaver] on every thought. When you learn to think the way Christ thought, setting your affection on things above is when your mind, your heart, and your affections are captivated by Jesus Christ and His grace and His mercy. I've often thought and pondered How it could be that God could save someone like me. Have you ever thought about that? When you stop and think about all of your sins.

[John Weaver] And yet he loved us with an everlasting love. He loved us while we were ungodly, while we were sinners, while we were wicked and in rebellion to him. And then he saved us by his infinite grace. Wow. It's amazing. That God has saved anyone. For we've all sinned against him, and yet he's gracious and kind. Setting your affection on things above. One last point. I want you to see the duty explained.

[John Weaver] Look in Colossians chapter three. And verse three. He says. For you are dead. And your life is here with Christ in God.

[John Weaver] Now, you say, how in the world can I set my affection on things above and not on things? Of the earth. Well, he tells you how he says, because you are dead and your life is here with Christ in God. No one can rise with Christ until he has died with Christ. Death comes before resurrection.

[John Weaver] Now, I want you to turn in your Bibles to Romans 6. I told you we were going to come back there. I want us to read the first 12 verses. I'm going to come back and comment especially on one verse and then explain this. When he says, for you are dead and your life is with Christ and God. Look in Romans chapter six, verse one. Try to follow the apostles argument.

[John Weaver] He asked, what shall we say then? Shall we continue in sin that grace may abound? God forbid, how shall we that are dead to sin live any longer therein. Know you not that so many of us as were baptized into Jesus Christ were baptized into his death? Therefore, we were 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. For we have been planted together in the likeness of his death, we shall be also in the likeness of his resurrection. Knowing this, that our old man is crucified with him, that the body of sin might be destroyed, that henceforth we should not serve sin. For he that is dead is freed from sin. Now, if we be dead with Christ, we believe that we shall also live with him. Knowing that Christ being raised from the dead died no more, death hath no more dominion over him. For in that he died, he died in a sin once.

[John Weaver] but in that he liveth, he liveth unto God. Likewise reckon ye also yourselves to be dead indeed unto sin, but alive unto God through Jesus Christ our Lord. Let not sin therefore reign in your mortal body, that you should obey it in the lust thereof. Neither yield ye your members as instruments of unrighteousness unto sin, but yield yourselves unto God as those that are alive from the dead, and your members as instruments of righteousness unto God."

[John Weaver] Now, I want you to go back and look at verses 1 and 2. The apostle asks, what shall we say then, shall we continuing sin that grace may abound? And he says, God forbid, watch, how shall we that are dead to sin, live any longer therein. Have you ever thought what it means to be dead to sin? The Apostle is giving us a reason why we should not continue in sin. And the reason is drawn from the fact that we are dead to sin. It is impossible for those who are dead to act as if they were alive. So the apostle is saying it's just as absurd to suppose that a real, genuine Christian should desire to live in sin just as it is impossible that a dead man should put forth the actions of life.

[John Weaver] Now stop and think with me. He says, for we are dead to sin. To be dead to something is a strong expression noting that it has absolutely no influence over us. A dead man is uninfluenced by anything. The nightlife, the cabaret, the liquor, the rodeo, football, Baseball, business, family, nothing influences him. He's dead. He's absolutely, totally dead. When the Bible says that we're dead to sin, it is teaching us That sin no longer has dominion over us. Sin is not our Lord. Jesus Christ is our Lord. Let me show you. Turn in your Bible, whole Romans 6, we're coming right back there. But turn in your Bibles to 1 Peter chapter 2 and look at verse 24. 1 Peter chapter 2 verse 24. Not only Does the Apostle Paul use this expression, but so does the Apostle Peter look in first Peter, chapter two and verse twenty four, speaking about Jesus Christ, the Bible says, who his own self bear our sins in his own body on the tree that we being dead to sins should live under

[John Weaver] righteousness. By whose stripes are healed. Note that we're to be dead to sins. The fact is. That if we're in Christ, we are already dead to sin, sin does not have dominion over us. It does not have lordship over us. You say, but pastor, I still sin, I understand that look in your Bibles to Romans six beginning there with verse 11. By the way, it's a whole different message, it is true that we that we sin, we fall short.

[John Weaver] There's a vast difference between being perfect. And willfully sinning. I cannot be perfect. By virtue of the fact that I'm a sinner right now, I am perfect in Jesus Christ. And one day I will be perfect, totally and completely by his grace in glorification. But just because I'm falling short of his perfection now in the fact that I'm a sinner. Does not mean that I willfully. And premeditatedly. Desire sin. Two totally different things now look in Romans 6 verse 11. He says, likewise, reckon you yourselves to be dead indeed unto sin, but live unto God through Jesus Christ our Lord. Let not sin therefore reign in your mortal body, that ye should obey it unless thereof. Now, notice if you would, he did not say, let not sin therefore be in your mortal bodies. It's there. But he said, don't let it reign. Well, how can we not let sin reign over us? The answer is we reckon ourselves dead and demons in the word reckon there literally means to count. It means to impute, so God says you count yourself dead in the sand, you impute yourselves dead in the sand, so.

[John Weaver] Here comes sin knocking at your door. And sin is saying. Let us commit fornication. Let us get drunk, let us steal. Let us do so-and-so. And you say, I'm sorry, I'm dead. I can't perform your actions. What can a dead man do? Nothing. We have to count ourselves dead indeed unto sin, but alive unto God through Jesus Christ, our Lord. If we recognize that sin does not have dominion over us, if we recognize that sin is not our Lord, we must understand also the truth of 1 John 2 and verse 1, when he said, my little children, these things I write in you that you sin not. But if any man sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ, the righteous. But John said, I wrote these things, so you will not sin. How do you not sin? by reckoning and counting yourself dead indeed.

[John Weaver] Now, I want you to go back to Colossians chapter three. I want you to look at this passage again. Look in verse three. He says, for you are dead and your life is hid with Christ in God. So in counting ourselves dead, We refuse to allow sin to reign in us. We refuse to allow sin to govern us or direct us or control us. We rather yield our lives unto God as alive from the dead. And we yield our members unto righteousness in obeying him. Now, look what he said in verse three, for you're dead and your life is hid with Christ and God. Isn't that amazing? Your life is hid with Christ in God. The word hid there means literally to hide, to remain concealed, to remain locked together with Christ.

[John Weaver] Do you realize that our real, genuine life is so safe there's not a hellish burglar that can break in to get it? Because our life is hid with Christ in God. Let's see, it was Spurgeon, I don't know if I can remember it. Spurgeon used to say it like this. Plagues and death around me fly till he please. I cannot die. Not a single shaft can hit till the God of life sees fit. Isn't that amazing? Because our life is here with Christ in God. So the language here is probably taken from a treasure which has been hid or concealed in a place of security. And so the picture is that our life and our salvation is hidden with Christ in God. And it will be very safe there, I can assure you. The Apostle Paul said it like this in 2 Timothy chapter 1 in verse 12.

[John Weaver] He said, For the witch calls, I suffer these things. Nevertheless, I am not ashamed, for I know whom I have believed and am persuaded that he is able to keep that which I've committed unto him unto that day." What did Paul do? He committed his life, his salvation, his soul unto Christ. And he said, I'm persuaded that he's able to keep that which I have committed unto him unto that day. Do you realize that Jesus Christ has never lost One. For whom he died. There's no saint. That has ever been lost, you say, but for the Weaver, I know plenty of people who profess to be Christians and they left the Christian faith.

[John Weaver] Yeah, that's why you need to read first John 2 verse 19, where John said they went out from us that it might be made manifest. They were not of us, for had they been of us, no doubt they would have continued with us. What did John say? Anybody who leaves the faith just demonstrates that he was never in the faith to begin with. He never lost his salvation. He never had it to begin with. For John said, if he did indeed have salvation, no doubt he would have continued with us. The proof that you have been saved by the grace of God is that you will continue in the grace of God and in repentance and in faith.

[John Weaver] You remember, I told you this once before, I'm going to tell you again, it is so fitting And it's so enjoyable for me to remember it. But I was traveling through Atlanta, Georgia, one night. It was probably about one or two in the morning. I was going home. I was doing everything I could just to stay awake. And I kept turning the radio, trying to find some kind of Christian music and couldn't.

[John Weaver] And finally, I found some preaching. And it was an old black preacher. Out of Atlanta, Georgia. And I never will forget that old rough voice he had. And he was preaching from John chapter 10. When he said, I know my sheep and I call them by name and they follow me and I give unto them eternal life and they shall never perish. Neither shall any man pluck them out of my hand, for I am in the Father's hand. And I never will forget that old black preacher when he was preaching and he said, now, listen, he said, when God saved you, He puts you in the hand of Jesus Christ, and Jesus Christ is in the hand of God.

[John Weaver] He said, mark it down. He said, God, the Father won't pluck you out of his hand. God, the Son won't pluck you out of his hand. God, the Spirit won't pluck you out of his hand. And come to think of it, them's the only three that can do any plucking anyhow. And that's the truth. That's the truth. Our life is hid with Christ in God. So we must.

[John Weaver] set our affection on things above and not on things below. Father, help us, we pray, in the name of Jesus Christ. We ask, Father, for Your grace and Your mercy and Your help. Give us, Lord, a heart that desires to live for Thee and to serve Thee. In the name of Jesus Christ, we ask and pray. Amen. Amen. This program was produced by Dominion Ministry. For more information about Pastor Weaver's sermons, you may contact Dominion Ministry by mail at 7400 Abercorn, that's A-B-E-R-C-O-R-N Street, Suite 705, PMD 175, Savannah, Georgia, 31406. Or give us a call at 912 You can also visit our website at www.dominionministry.com

The Supremacy of Christ Over the Christian's Mind

John Weaver | SermonAudio

Lecture Metadata	Details
Speaker	John Weaver
Source	SermonAudio
Media ID	1128121519328
Subject	New Testament Studies
Course	Romans: Sin, Judgment, and Gospel Foundations: Prepared Hearts
Genre	Sermon
Date	2012-10-14
Dictation Name
Book	Book 136: Romans: Sin, Judgment, and Gospel Foundations - Volume 1 — Chapter 14
Source Timed Segments	67

Formatted Transcript

Introduction: The Preeminence of Christ

Weaver introduces the supremacy of Christ over the Christian's mind and affections, reading Colossians 3:1-3 and emphasizing Christ's rightful place in everything.

All right, let's open our Bibles to the book of Colossians, chapter three. The book of Colossians, chapter three. And we're going to read the first three verses, Colossians, chapter three. And I want you to look, if you would, please, particularly at verses one, two and three. Galatians, Ephesians, Philippians, Colossians, Colossians, chapter three. The title of the message today is this: The supremacy of Christ over the Christian's mind and affection. The supremacy or the superiority of Christ over the Christian's mind and affections. Notice Colossians chapter 3 verse 1:

Scripture Reading — Colossians 3:1-3

"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."

Jesus Christ is Lord. Jesus Christ is God. Jesus Christ is the glorified, resurrected, majestic, supreme, and sovereign God of heaven and earth.

And He deserves all honor, praise, and glory. Therefore, Jesus Christ must have his rightful place in everything. If you will look in Colossians chapter 1, beginning there with verse 15, let's see what the Bible says concerning Christ. Colossians 1 verse 15, the Bible declares,

Scripture Reading — Colossians 1:15-17

"Who is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of every creature: For by him were all things created, that are in heaven, and that are in earth, visible and invisible, whether they be thrones, or dominions, or principalities, or powers: all things were created by him, and for him: And he is before all things, and by him all things consist."

So the Bible declares that Jesus Christ is preeminent, that Jesus Christ is supreme, that everything was created not only by him but for him as well. So the question is, not do you simply believe what the Bible reveals in Colossians 1 and verses 15 through 17 about Jesus Christ, but the real question is, do you apply that confession to your daily life?

The Duty Enjoined: Since You Are Risen with Christ

The command to seek things above is based on the believer's union with Christ in His resurrection and ascension, as taught in Colossians 2:11-12, Romans 6:4, and Ephesians 2:4-6.

So let's look first of all at verse 1 and see the very first point, the duty enjoined. Look what he says, "If ye then be risen with Christ." Wow, if ye then be risen with Christ. Literally it is this, seeing then that ye are risen with Christ, or since ye are risen with Christ, the Apostle Paul is enjoining us to a certain truth. If you will look back in Colossians 2, at verses 11 and 12, you will understand the first phrase of chapter 3. Look in Colossians 2, verse 11,

Scripture Reading — Colossians 2:11-12

"In whom also ye are circumcised with the circumcision made without hands, in putting off the body of the sins of the flesh by the circumcision of Christ: Buried with him in baptism, wherein also ye are risen with him through the faith of the operation of God, who hath raised him from the dead."

I want you to also turn in your Bibles very quickly to Romans chapter 6 and look at verse 4. In fact, you might want to just mark Romans chapter 6 in your Bibles because we will be coming back there a little bit later.

But look in Romans 6 and verse 4. The Bible declares this,

Scripture Reading — Romans 6:4

"Therefore 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."

So just as Jesus Christ was buried and resurrected, we who are in Jesus Christ have been crucified, buried, and resurrected in Him. Now listen carefully. Ascension follows resurrection. What happened when God the Father raised Jesus Christ from the dead? It is true he was seen of his disciples, but the Bible tells us that he ascended up into the heavens. The Bible also teaches that we were not only crucified with Christ, buried with Christ, raised from the dead in Christ. The Bible also teaches that we ascended into heaven with Christ. For instance, look in your Bibles to the book of Ephesians, Galatians, Ephesians, Notice Ephesians chapter 2 beginning there with verse 4. Ephesians 2 and verse 4 just showing you that we who have been resurrected with Christ have also ascended with Christ.

Ephesians chapter 2 verse 4.

Scripture Reading — Ephesians 2:4-6

"But God, who is rich in mercy, for his great love wherewith he loved us, Even when we were dead in sins, hath quickened us together with Christ, (by grace ye are saved;) And hath raised us up together, and made us sit together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus: That in the ages to come he might shew the exceeding riches of his grace in his kindness toward us through Christ Jesus."

Note verse 6,

Scripture Reading — Ephesians 2:4-6

"And hath raised us up together, and made us sit together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus."

Now if Jesus Christ is our head, if we are His body, when He ascended, obviously we ascended as well. And so since we have ascended in Christ, we should therefore walk in a heavenly manner. It is not the old adage that someone is so heavenly minded that he's no earthly good. It is not that at all. No, but it is since our Lord has ascended into heaven and we have ascended with Him, our walk should be heavenly. Our walk should be a godly walk by virtue of our union and our association with Jesus Christ.

The Duty Established: Seek Those Things Which Are Above

Believers have an obligation to seek heavenly things, which means living as strangers and pilgrims, satisfied in Christ's salvation, and obeying His Word in every area of life.

Now, if you would turn right over to 1 John chapter 4 and look at verse 17 and you can see how this is very easily explained. Notice 1 John chapter 4 and verse 17. It's an interesting verse. Notice 1 John 4, it's verse 17. He says this.

Scripture Reading — 1 John 4:17

"Herein is our love made perfect, that we may have boldness in the day of judgment: because as he is, so are we in this world."

Now, what will give us boldness in the day of judgment? Because we walked as Christ walked in this world. As He is, so are we in this world. So here, the Apostle Paul is enjoining us with this duty because Christ is risen from the dead and we are risen with Him. Notice if you would please, secondly, in verse 1, the duty established. He said, if or since ye then be risen with Christ, seek those things which are above. That's the duty established. Do you realize that you have a duty, you have an obligation, you have a responsibility to seek those things which are above?

In other words, Christ sought me as a sinner. Now, therefore, I must seek him as a saint. He left heaven. He came down from heaven. In order to draw and to bring his people to heaven. Let me put it another way. He suffered death that we might live. Do you remember that passage in Philippians chapter 2 verses 5 through 11, where the word of God says,

Scripture Reading — Philippians 2:5-11

"Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus: Who, being in the form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal with God: But made himself of no reputation, and took upon him the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men: And being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross. Wherefore God also hath highly exalted him, and given him a name which is above every name: That at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of things in heaven, and things in earth, and things under the earth; And that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father."

So he tells us that we're to seek those things which are above. Where is Christ? He's seated at the right hand of God. Do you realize our Lord basically gave us the same principle over and over in Scripture? For instance, Matthew 6 and verse 20 said this,

Scripture Reading — Matthew 6:20, 33

"But lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust doth corrupt, and where thieves do not break through nor steal."

Lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven. And then that passage in Matthew 6 and verse 33, where he said, "But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you."

Now, let me give you another one. In Philippians 3 and verse 20, the Word of God says this,

Scripture Reading — Philippians 3:20

"For our conversation is in heaven; from whence also we look for the Saviour, the Lord Jesus Christ."

Now, notice what he said,

Scripture Reading — Philippians 3:20

"For our conversation is in heaven."

By the way, the word conversation refers to our conduct. It refers to the totality of our lives. So our Lord has told us to lay up treasure for ourselves in heaven. He's told us to seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness. Now He tells us for our conversation or our conduct is in heaven, from whence also we look for our Saviour, the Lord Jesus Christ. But He said since ye then are risen with Christ, seek those things which are above. So the question has to be asked, what is seeking those things which are above? Well, let me answer that question by showing you a passage of what Christ did and what He spoke of after His resurrection. Look in your Bibles to the book of Acts, chapter 1, and verse 3.

Acts chapter 1 and verse 3. Watch carefully. Acts 1 and verse 3. The Word of God says this. In reference to Jesus Christ, Acts 1 verse 3,

Scripture Reading — Acts 1:3

"To whom also he shewed himself alive after his passion by many infallible proofs, being seen of them forty days, and speaking of the things pertaining to the kingdom of God."

So here's my question. What did Christ speak concerning after his resurrection? And the answer is things that pertain to the kingdom of God. So seeking those things which are above is equated with speaking and dealing with those things that involve the kingdom of God.

I want you to turn in your Bibles to the book of Hebrews chapter 11. I want to show you how our forefathers in the faith sought those things which are above. Notice the book of Hebrews chapter 11 and let's begin reading there at verse 8. Hebrews 11 in verse 8 talking about Abraham.

Scripture Reading — Hebrews 11:8-16

"By faith Abraham, when he was called to go out into a place which he should after receive for an inheritance, obeyed; And he went out, not knowing whither he went. Now watch. By faith he sojourned in the land of promise, as in a strange country, dwelling in tabernacles with Isaac and Jacob, the heirs with him of the same promise: For he looked for a city which hath foundations, whose builder and maker is God."

Now, let me stop and think about this for a moment. God gave Abraham this big, wide piece of land. And what did Abraham and his descendants do, especially Isaac and Jacob? They stayed in that land as strangers and sojourners. Why do they consider themselves strangers and sojourners? Look at verse 10. "For he looked for a city which hath foundations, whose builder and maker is God." What Abraham understood was this. What Isaac and Jacob understood was this.

That which they had been given physically was a type and a shadow of the real heavenly city, that eternal home that's not made with hands. If you'll skip down to verse 13, watch it. Talking about all the other forefathers, "These all died in faith, not having received the promises, but having seen them afar off, and were persuaded of them, and embraced them, and confessed that they were strangers and pilgrims on the earth. For they that say such things declare plainly that they seek a country." Isn't that interesting? They say plainly that they seek a country. But what is it to seek those things which are above? It is to be content with seeking the things of God and not necessarily everything that we have that is around us.

Let me go a step further. Peter said it like this in 1 Peter 2 and verse 11. He said,

Scripture Reading — 1 Peter 2:11

"Dearly beloved, I beseech you as strangers and pilgrims, abstain from fleshly lusts, which war against the soul."

Ain't that interesting? Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob counted themselves strangers, pilgrims, sojourners. And now Peter says we're to count ourselves strangers and sojourners and pilgrims by abstaining from fleshly lusts which war against the soul. What is it to seek those things which are above? We seek those things which are above when in our minds we are truly sojourners and pilgrims in this world in the sense that we are not bound to it. This world is not my home. When I use the phrase this world, I'm talking about the world system and everything that it has. I am not a citizen of the new world order.

The truth of the matter is this. When we seek those things which are above, we are seeking a better and a heavenly country, the continuing city whose builder and maker is God. God may reform this earth. He may purge this earth with fire and have us hear the eternal city that may be. For I, John, saw the heavenly city, New Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven as a bride adorned for us. But I got news for you, wherever God gives us this continuing city, it will be His handiwork and not the handiwork of men. And that is what we are looking for. Seeking those things which are above is when we not only have sought Christ for his salvation, but we're satisfied in that salvation. Seeking those things which are above is when we live in obedience to Christ and his word alone. Seeking those things which are above is when we live by righteousness, live by his doctrine and seek to honor him in every area of our life, and seek to bring our life in conformity to his word. So he tells us, if ye then be risen with Christ, seek those things which are above.

The Duty Emphasized: Where Christ Sits at God's Right Hand

Because Christ is seated at the right hand of God, believers have bold access to the Father and should set their affections on heavenly things, rejoicing in Christ's glory and authority.

I want you to note, thirdly, the duty emphasized. Verse one, he says, see, if ye then be risen with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ sitteth on the right hand of God. Wow. I hope you can see the argument that the Apostle Paul is giving here. He is telling us if Christ is indeed our supreme affection, if we do view him as worthy of everything in all praise, honor and glory, and since Christ is seated at the right hand of God, that is where our affections should be if we love him. We should love heavenly things. And we should love them and be willing to live with them now in time in history in preparation for eternity. What do you say? Well, I can't see him now. Well, by faith you can.

And you may not be able to be with him now literally and physically. But soon you shall be in eternity. You know what our Lord prayed in John 17 in verse 24? That's His high priestly prayer. Listen to this one petition. He said this,

Scripture Reading — John 17:24

"Father, I will that they also, whom thou hast given me, be with me where I am; that they may behold my glory, which thou hast given me: for thou lovedst me before the foundation of the world."

Now, what did our Lord pray? I will that those whom thou hast given me be with me. Do you think that prayer is going to be answered? Of course it is.

We're already with him in union. We're already with him by faith. One day, literally, we shall be with him. But even now, in time and in history, we may behold his glory by faith. We may glory in the fact that all authority in heaven and earth has been given unto him. We may exult in the truth that he must rule and he must reign until he has put all of his enemies under his feet. We may rejoice in the fact that he is our God incarnate, that he is perfect man and perfect God, that he is the mediator, the intercessor, the savior, the protector, the provider, the preserver, and he is our glorious Lord and King. We can rejoice in those things now.

But what does it mean when it says, where Christ sitteth at the right hand of God? I want you to think about this for a moment. Let me ask that you turn first of all to the book of Ephesians chapter 2 and then we're going to the book of Hebrews chapter 4 and then chapter 10. I want you to think with me. If Christ is seated at the right hand of the Father, if Ephesians chapter 2 is true, and it is. We who have been saved by his grace have ascended with him. What does that imply? It implies that we have full and unfettered access to our heavenly Father. Don't you stop and think in the Old Testament, in the tabernacle and in the temple, only the high priest went into the holiest of all once a year, but that not without blood. The highest priest in the land could only go into the presence of God once a year.

Look what the Bible says in Ephesians 2 and verse 18. "For through him we both have access by one Spirit unto the Father." Through Jesus Christ, we have access by the Holy Spirit unto the Father. Now, I want you to turn to the book of Hebrews chapter four. Look first at verse 16, Hebrews four and verse 16. Let this grab a hold of your understanding. Hebrews four and verse 16. In fact, let's read verse 15, in fact, we'll read verse 14. Watch Hebrews 4 verse 14,

Scripture Reading — Hebrews 4:14-16

"Seeing then that we have a great high priest, that is passed into the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold fast our profession. For we have not an high priest which cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities; but was in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin."

Now watch verse 16. In light of this, that he is our great high priest,

Scripture Reading — Hebrews 4:14-16

"Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need."

I wonder.

If any of the Old Testament saints had any understanding of coming boldly into the presence of God when all they had was the blood of bulls and goats and heifers, and the answer is no. Because they knew if they went in that holiest of holies, they would be immediately killed. And yet here the Bible says that we may come boldly into the presence of God. Look at Hebrews chapter 10, and let's begin reading there with verse 19. Hebrews 10, watch verse 19. Here's what he says.

Scripture Reading — Hebrews 10:19-22

"Having therefore, brethren, boldness to enter into the holiest by the blood of Jesus, By a new and living way, which he hath consecrated for us, through the veil, that is to say, his flesh; And having an high priest over the house of God; Let us draw near with a true heart in full

assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience, and our bodies washed with pure water. Let us hold fast the profession of our faith without wavering; (for he is faithful that promised;)" Note, if you would, he said in verse 19, "Having therefore, brethren, boldness to enter into the holiest by the blood of Jesus." Since Christ is at the right hand of God, since we are in Christ, we died with Him. We were buried with Him. We were raised from the dead in Him. We ascended in heaven with Him. Since He is at the right hand of God, we have full and unfettered access to God, our Heavenly Father. Why should we not commune with Him? Why should we not fellowship with Him? Pray to Him. Worship and adore Him. We can do all these things through Jesus Christ, which the Old Testament saints did not have and could not do. Because Jesus Christ is the new and living way.

Our Lord not only died to provide for us and give us forgiveness of sins, He also lives to make intercession for us and to give us that which he actually died for. He gives us his salvation. So since Christ is at the right hand of God, since Christ, listen carefully, is God, which means he is omnipotent, he is omniscient, he is omnipresent, it means, therefore, that Jesus Christ is everywhere at one time in the totality of his person. Therefore, we can never, ever be left alone. Did he not promise, "I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee"? Such knowledge should not only motivate us to holiness, but it should motivate us to seek those things which are above, where Christ sitteth on the right hand of God.

The Duty Exercised: Set Your Affection on Things Above

Believers are commanded to mind heavenly things, not earthly things, which involves thinking biblically, being captivated by Christ's grace, and doing all things in reference to Him.

Now, go back to Colossians chapter three, because I want you to see the fourth point in verse two. He says, "Set your affection on things above, not on things on the earth." Here's the duty exercised. Here's the duty exercised. This is your responsibility. This is your obligation. Set your affection on things above, not on things of the earth. I want you to know there's a positive and a negative. Positively, you're to set your affection on things above. Negatively, you're not to set your affection on things of the earth.

You know, I've read, and we also know some individuals that this happened to, but when people were under the Nazi rule, tried to escape, those who tried to take all of their belongings with them were soon captured and either in prison or shot. But those people who put just a few shackles in their pockets and walked off like they were just going on a Sunday afternoon stroll, most of them made it. In fact, we know someone that got out of Hungary like that. They just walked out, left everything. And you know something? It really doesn't matter what we have or how much we have. We're going to leave it all. We are. And so I said, set your affections on things above, not on things of this earth. Literally, the word here means to mind or to think on things above. In other words, that's where the propensity of our affection should be, thinking on things of God and scriptural truth and biblical truth, how to apply them to our life.

Let me give you a quote from John Gill. I thought this was beautiful. He says this. Talking about set your affection on things above, not on things of the earth. John Gill says the word signifies to mind them and to think on them, to favor and to approve them, to be affectionately desirous of them and concerned for them. For where the treasure is, the heart should be. And as the saints' best things are above, their minds and affections should be there likewise. Their contemplation should be on those things, and their conversation should be in heaven.

Nor should they regard anything but what is there, or comes from thence, for they belong not to this world, but to another and better country. Their citizenship is in heaven, and there in a short time they must have their everlasting residence, and therefore should seek after and highly prize and value heavenly things, and set their affections on them, and not on things of the earth. Not mind earth and earthly things, temporal enjoyments, riches and honors, and though food and raiment and the necessities of life are to be sought after and cared and provided for, yet not with anxiety and perplexity of mind in an over-thoughtful and distressing manner, nor should the heart be set on those outward things or happiness placed in possession of them. Now, just stop if your happiness has placed in the possession of things. What's going to happen when you lose those things? There goes your happiness. Things are not what make us happy. I want to contrast this for you. I want you to look at two passages. I want you to turn to Philippians chapter 3 and then Romans chapter 8. Now, he said, set your affection on things above and not on things of the earth. So if you look in Philippians, look in Philippians, chapter three and verse 19. Here is what earthly things would be like. Philippians three, verse 19. In fact, let's read verse 18, so you can see that we're talking about those who are unconverted, those who are the enemies of Christ. He says, "For many walk, of whom I have told you often, and now tell you even weeping, that they are the enemies of the cross of Christ: Whose end is destruction, whose God is their belly, and whose glory is in their shame, who mind earthly things."

What do the wicked do? They mind earthly things. What does minding earthly things cause you to do? It causes you to have your belly as your God, your glorying in your shame, and you're walking completely and totally contrary to the Word of God. If you look back in your Bibles to the book of Romans chapter 8 and verse 5 again in this passage, he talks about the unconverted. He says this, "For they that are after the flesh do mind the things of the flesh; but they that are after the Spirit the things of the Spirit." What are the things of the flesh? Well, you can read about them in Galatians chapter 5. Fornication, adultery, murder, theft, witchcraft, all these things.

Alice and I saw a car the other day. Had three bumper stickers on it. I remember two of them. The first one was, "I'm a pagan and I vote." And the second one was, "I love Obamacare." And the other, oh, "I love equality" was the third one. Yeah, that was in Douglas, Georgia. "I'm a pagan and I vote, I love equality and I love Obamacare." Well, no wonder he loves Obamacare. No wonder he loves equality. He's a pagan. I mean, that explains the other two. I mean, who mind earthly things? What does he say? Set your affection on things above.

That means whatever we do, we're to do in reference to Christ and his word and his law. I don't care if we're fighting in a war, we're to do it biblically. I don't care if we're educating our children, we're to do it biblically. I don't care if we're cooking supper, we're to do it biblically. I don't care if we're digging a ditch, we're to dig it for God's honor and glory and in faith. Doing the best we can for our good and the good of God's people. Setting your affection on things above means that you've learned by grace to love heavenly things, to study them, to enjoy them, and to let your heart be engrossed entirely by them. Isn't it amazing? Stop and think about this. Isn't it amazing that a lot of Christians have said I'd rather be with my church family or my Christian brethren than my own literal flesh and blood family. Stop and think about that.

Because we have far more in common. Here's what happens when you set your affection on things above. You learn the truth of Philippians 2 and verse 5, where it said, "Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus." You learn to think, or at least you want to think like Christ thought. You learn the truth of 1 Peter 4 and verse 1 where we are to be armed with the mind of Christ. We learn the truth of Romans 12 verse 2 and Ephesians 4 and verse 23 when he said, "And be renewed in the spirit of your mind." And we also learn the truth of 2 Corinthians chapter 10 verses 4 and 5 when the Apostle Paul said, "For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but mighty through God to the pulling down of strong holds." Now listen carefully. Here's man's stronghold. It's his mind. "Casting down imaginations, and every high thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ." That's setting your affection on things above when you learn to think biblically and scripturally

on every thought. When you learn to think the way Christ thought, setting your affection on things above is when your mind, your heart, and your affections are captivated by Jesus Christ and His grace and His mercy. I've often thought and pondered how it could be that God could save someone like me. Have you ever thought about that? When you stop and think about all of your sins. And yet he loved us with an everlasting love. He loved us while we were ungodly, while we were sinners, while we were wicked and in rebellion to him. And then he saved us by his infinite grace. Wow. It's amazing that God has saved anyone. For we've all sinned against him, and yet he's gracious and kind. Setting your affection on things above. One last point. I want you to see the duty explained.

The Duty Explained: For You Are Dead and Your Life Is Hidden with Christ

The ability to set affections above comes from being dead to sin and having one's life securely hidden with Christ in God, which ensures eternal security and empowers holy living.

Look in Colossians chapter three and verse three. He says, "For ye are dead, and your life is hid with Christ in God." Now, you say, how in the world can I set my affection on things above and not on things of the earth? Well, he tells you how. He says, because you are dead and your life is hid with Christ in God. No one can rise with Christ until he has died with Christ. Death comes before resurrection.

Now, I want you to turn in your Bibles to Romans 6. I told you we were going to come back there. I want us to read the first 12 verses. I'm going to come back and comment especially on one verse and then explain this. When he says, for ye are dead and your life is hid with Christ in God. Look in Romans chapter six, verse one. Try to follow the apostle's argument.

He asked, "What shall we say then? Shall we continue in sin, that grace may abound? God forbid. How shall we, that are dead to sin, live any longer therein? Know ye not, that so many of us as were baptized into Jesus Christ were baptized into his death? Therefore 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. For if we have been planted together in the likeness of his death, we shall be also in the likeness of his resurrection: Knowing this, that our old man is crucified with him, that the body of sin might be destroyed, that henceforth we should not serve sin. For he that is dead is freed from sin. Now if we be dead with Christ, we believe that we shall also live with him: Knowing that Christ being raised from the dead dieth no more; death hath no more dominion over him. For in that he died, he died unto sin once:

but in that he liveth, he liveth unto God. Likewise reckon ye also yourselves to be dead indeed unto sin, but alive unto God through Jesus Christ our Lord. Let not sin therefore reign in your mortal body, that ye should obey it in the lusts thereof. Neither yield ye your members as instruments of unrighteousness unto sin: but yield yourselves unto God, as those that are alive from the dead, and your members as instruments of righteousness unto God."

Now, I want you to go back and look at verses 1 and 2. The apostle asks, "What shall we say then? Shall we continue in sin, that grace may abound?" And he says, "God forbid. How shall we, that are dead to sin, live any longer therein?" Have you ever thought what it means to be dead to sin? The Apostle is giving us a reason why we should not continue in sin. And the reason is drawn from the fact that we are dead to sin. It is impossible for those who are dead to act as if they were alive. So the apostle is saying it's just as absurd to suppose that a real, genuine Christian should desire to live in sin just as it is impossible that a dead man should put forth the actions of life.

Now stop and think with me. He says, for we are dead to sin. To be dead to something is a strong expression noting that it has absolutely no influence over us. A dead man is uninfluenced by anything. The nightlife, the cabaret, the liquor, the rodeo, football, baseball, business, family, nothing influences him. He's dead. He's absolutely, totally dead. When the Bible says that we're dead to sin, it is teaching us that sin no longer has dominion over us. Sin is not our Lord. Jesus Christ is our Lord. Let me show you. Turn in your Bible, hold Romans 6, we're coming right back there. But turn in your Bibles to 1 Peter chapter 2 and look at verse 24. 1 Peter chapter 2 verse 24. Not only does the Apostle Paul use this expression, but so does the Apostle Peter. Look in 1 Peter, chapter two and verse twenty four, speaking about Jesus Christ, the Bible says, "Who his own self bare our sins in his own body on the tree, that we, being dead to sins, should live unto

righteousness: by whose stripes ye were healed." Note that we're to be dead to sins. The fact is that if we're in Christ, we are already dead to sin, sin does not have dominion over us. It does not have lordship over us. You say, but pastor, I still sin. I understand that. Look in your Bibles to Romans six beginning there with verse 11. By the way, it's a whole different message, it is true that we sin, we fall short.

There's a vast difference between being perfect and willfully sinning. I cannot be perfect by virtue of the fact that I'm a sinner right now, I am perfect in Jesus Christ. And one day I will be perfect, totally and completely by his grace in glorification. But just because I'm falling short of his perfection now in the fact that I'm a sinner does not mean that I willfully and premeditatedly desire sin. Two totally different things. Now look in Romans 6 verse 11. He says, "Likewise reckon ye also yourselves to be dead indeed unto sin, but alive unto God through Jesus Christ our Lord. Let not sin therefore reign in your mortal body, that ye should obey it in the lusts thereof." Now, notice if you would, he did not say, let not sin therefore be in your mortal bodies. It's there. But he said, don't let it reign. Well, how can we not let sin reign over us? The answer is we reckon ourselves dead indeed unto sin. The word reckon there literally means to count. It means to impute, so God says you count yourself dead indeed unto sin, you impute yourselves dead indeed unto sin, so

here comes sin knocking at your door. And sin is saying, let us commit fornication. Let us get drunk, let us steal. Let us do so-and-so. And you say, I'm sorry, I'm dead. I can't perform your actions. What can a dead man do? Nothing. We have to count ourselves dead indeed unto sin, but alive unto God through Jesus Christ, our Lord. If we recognize that sin does not have dominion over us, if we recognize that sin is not our Lord, we must understand also the truth of 1 John 2 and verse 1, when he said, "My little children, these things write I unto you, that ye sin not. And if any man sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous." But John said, I wrote these things, so you will not sin. How do you not sin? By reckoning and counting yourself dead indeed.

Now, I want you to go back to Colossians chapter three. I want you to look at this passage again. Look in verse three. He says, "For ye are dead, and your life is hid with Christ in God." So in counting ourselves dead, we refuse to allow sin to reign in us. We refuse to allow sin to govern us or direct us or control us. We rather yield our lives unto God as alive from the dead. And we yield our members unto righteousness in obeying him. Now, look what he said in verse three, "For ye are dead, and your life is hid with Christ in God." Isn't that amazing? Your life is hid with Christ in God. The word hid there means literally to hide, to remain concealed, to remain locked together with Christ.

Do you realize that our real, genuine life is so safe there's not a hellish burglar that can break in to get it? Because our life is hid with Christ in God. Let's see, it was Spurgeon, I don't know if I can remember it. Spurgeon used to say it like this. "Plagues and death around me fly till he please, I cannot die. Not a single shaft can hit till the God of life sees fit." Isn't that amazing? Because our life is hid with Christ in God. So the language here is probably taken from a treasure which has been hid or concealed in a place of security. And so the picture is that our life and our salvation is hidden with Christ in God. And it will be very safe there, I can assure you. The Apostle Paul said it like this in 2 Timothy chapter 1 in verse 12.

He said, "For the which cause I also suffer these things: nevertheless I am not ashamed: for I know whom I have believed, and am persuaded that he is able to keep that which I have committed unto him against that day." What did Paul do? He committed his life, his salvation, his soul unto Christ. And he said, I'm persuaded that he's able to keep that which I have committed unto him unto that day. Do you realize that Jesus Christ has never lost one for whom he died? There's no saint that has ever been lost. You say, but for the Weaver, I know plenty of people who profess to be Christians and they left the Christian faith. Yeah, that's why you need to read 1 John 2 verse 19, where John said, "They went out from us, but they were not of us; for if they had been of us, they would no doubt have continued with us: but they went out, that they might be made manifest that they were not all of us." What did John say? Anybody who leaves the faith just demonstrates that he was never in the faith to begin with. He never lost his salvation. He never had it to begin with. For John said, if he did indeed have salvation, no doubt he would have continued with us. The proof that you have been saved by the grace of God is that you will continue in the grace of God and in repentance and in faith.

You remember, I told you this once before, I'm going to tell you again, it is so fitting and it's so enjoyable for me to remember it. But I was traveling through Atlanta, Georgia, one night. It was probably about one or two in the morning. I was going home. I was doing everything I could just to stay awake. And I kept turning the radio, trying to find some kind of Christian music and couldn't. And finally, I found some preaching. And it was an old black preacher out of Atlanta, Georgia. And I never will forget that old rough voice he had. And he was preaching from John chapter 10. When he said, "I know my sheep, and I call them by name, and they follow me: And I give unto them eternal life; and they shall never perish, neither shall any man pluck them out of my hand. My Father, which gave them me, is greater than all; and no man is able to pluck them out of my Father's hand." And I never will forget that old black preacher when he was preaching and he said, now, listen, he said, when God saved you, He puts you in the hand of Jesus Christ, and Jesus Christ is in the hand of God.

He said, mark it down. He said, God, the Father won't pluck you out of his hand. God, the Son won't pluck you out of his hand. God, the Spirit won't pluck you out of his hand. And come to think of it, them's the only three that can do any plucking anyhow. And that's the truth. That's the truth. Our life is hid with Christ in God. So we must

set our affection on things above and not on things below. Father, help us, we pray, in the name of Jesus Christ. We ask, Father, for Your grace and Your mercy and Your help. Give us, Lord, a heart that desires to live for Thee and to serve Thee. In the name of Jesus Christ, we ask and pray. Amen. Amen. This program was produced by Dominion Ministry. For more information about Pastor Weaver's sermons, you may contact Dominion Ministry by mail at 7400 Abercorn, that's A-B-E-R-C-O-R-N Street, Suite 705, PMD 175, Savannah, Georgia, 31406. Or give us a call at 912. You can also visit our website at www.dominionministry.com

Study Guide

Major Themes

Union with Christ in Death, Resurrection, and Ascension

Summary: Believers are spiritually united with Christ in His death, burial, resurrection, and ascension, which forms the basis for their new life and heavenly mindset.

Evidence: Weaver explains from Colossians 2:11-12, Romans 6:4, and Ephesians 2:4-6 that believers have been crucified, buried, raised, and seated with Christ in heavenly places.

Heavenly Mindedness vs. Earthly Affections

Summary: Christians are commanded to set their minds and affections on heavenly things rather than on temporal, earthly things, which characterizes the wicked.

Evidence: Weaver contrasts Philippians 3:19 (enemies of the cross mind earthly things) with Colossians 3:2, urging believers to think biblically and be captivated by Christ.

Dead to Sin and Alive to God

Summary: Through union with Christ, believers are dead to sin's dominion and must reckon themselves dead to sin, refusing to let it reign, while living unto God.

Evidence: Weaver expounds Romans 6:1-12, emphasizing that being dead to sin means sin no longer has lordship, and believers must count themselves dead to sin and alive to God.

Security of the Believer's Life Hidden in Christ

Summary: The believer's true life is hidden with Christ in God, providing absolute security against loss of salvation, as no one can pluck them from the Father's hand.

Evidence: Weaver cites Colossians 3:3, 2 Timothy 1:12, and John 10:28-29, and recounts a sermon illustration about being held in the hand of God.

The Supremacy and Preeminence of Christ

Summary: Jesus Christ is the supreme, sovereign God, creator of all things, and deserves all honor, praise, and glory, which should govern every aspect of the believer's life.

Evidence: Weaver reads Colossians 1:15-17 and emphasizes that Christ must have His rightful place in everything, from gardening to economics.

Key Arguments

Because believers are risen with Christ, they must seek heavenly things.

Summary: The indicative of union with Christ in resurrection and ascension grounds the imperative to seek things above, where Christ is seated.

Evidence: Weaver states, 'If ye then be risen with Christ, seek those things which are above,' and explains the connection to Colossians 2:11-12 and Ephesians 2:4-6.

Seeking things above means living as strangers and pilgrims, satisfied in Christ.

Summary: To seek heavenly things is to live as sojourners on earth, looking for the heavenly city, and to be content with Christ's salvation and obedience to His Word.

Evidence: Weaver references Hebrews 11:8-16 and 1 Peter 2:11, showing that Abraham and the patriarchs sought a heavenly country.

Christ's session at God's right hand gives believers bold access to the Father.

Summary: Because Christ is at the right hand of God, believers have full and unfettered access to God, unlike Old Testament saints, and should commune with Him.

Evidence: Weaver cites Ephesians 2:18, Hebrews 4:14-16, and Hebrews 10:19-22 to show the boldness believers have through Christ's blood.

Setting affections on things above requires thinking biblically in every area of life.

Summary: Believers must bring every thought captive to Christ and do all things—work, education, cooking—in reference to His sovereignty and for His glory.

Evidence: Weaver quotes 2 Corinthians 10:4-5 and applies the principle to daily activities, arguing that even plowing can be sin if not done in faith.

Being dead to sin means sin no longer has dominion, enabling holy living.

Summary: Union with Christ's death frees believers from sin's reign; they must reckon themselves dead to sin and not let it rule, though they still struggle with sin.

Evidence: Weaver expounds Romans 6:1-12, emphasizing that being dead to sin is the reason Christians should not continue in sin.

The believer's life is eternally secure because it is hidden with Christ in God.

Summary: Salvation is safe from any threat because it is concealed with Christ in God, and those who truly have it will persevere; apostasy proves a lack of genuine faith.

Evidence: Weaver references Colossians 3:3, 2 Timothy 1:12, John 10:28-29, and 1 John 2:19 to argue for eternal security and perseverance.

Scripture References

Colossians 3:1-3

Context: Primary text of the sermon, commanding believers to seek things above and set affections on heavenly things because they are dead and their life is hidden with Christ.

Colossians 1:15-17

Context: Used to establish the preeminence and supremacy of Christ as Creator and sustainer of all things.

Psalm 10:4

Context: Quoted to show that the wicked do not seek God and God is not in their thoughts, contrasting with the Christian's duty.

Romans 14:23

Context: Cited to argue that whatever is not of faith is sin, applied to daily activities like gardening.

Proverbs 21:4

Context: Used to illustrate that even plowing can be sin if not done in faith, emphasizing the need to do all things in reference to Christ.

Colossians 2:11-12

Context: Explains the believer's spiritual circumcision and burial and resurrection with Christ through faith.

Romans 6:4

Context: Shows that believers are buried with Christ in baptism and raised to walk in newness of life.

Ephesians 2:4-6

Context: Teaches that believers have been made alive, raised, and seated with Christ in heavenly places.

1 John 4:17

Context: Used to show that as Christ is, so are believers in this world, giving boldness in judgment.

Philippians 2:5-11

Context: Quoted to illustrate Christ's humility and exaltation, and the call to have the mind of Christ.

Matthew 6:20, 33

Context: Commands to lay up treasures in heaven and seek first God's kingdom, paralleling the call to seek things above.

Philippians 3:20

Context: States that the believer's citizenship is in heaven, from which they await the Savior.

Acts 1:3

Context: Shows that after His resurrection, Christ spoke of things pertaining to the kingdom of God, equating seeking things above with kingdom matters.

Hebrews 11:8-16

Context: Illustrates that Abraham and the patriarchs sought a heavenly country, living as strangers and pilgrims on earth.

1 Peter 2:11

Context: Exhorts believers as strangers and pilgrims to abstain from fleshly lusts, reinforcing the pilgrim mindset.

John 17:24

Context: Christ's high priestly prayer that believers be with Him and behold His glory, showing His desire for their presence.

Ephesians 2:18

Context: Declares that through Christ believers have access by one Spirit to the Father.

Hebrews 4:14-16

Context: Encourages believers to come boldly to the throne of grace because of Christ as great high priest.

Hebrews 10:19-22

Context: Exhorts believers to enter the holiest with boldness by the blood of Jesus, the new and living way.

Philippians 3:18-19

Context: Describes enemies of the cross whose god is their belly and who mind earthly things, contrasting with heavenly affections.

Historical References

Nazi rule and escape from Hungary

Context: Weaver recounts how people escaping Nazi rule who left their belongings behind often succeeded, illustrating the need to not set affections on earthly things.

John Gill quote on setting affections on things above

Context: Weaver quotes John Gill's commentary on Colossians 3:2, explaining that believers should mind, favor, and be desirous of heavenly things.

Charles Spurgeon quote on security

Context: Weaver paraphrases Spurgeon: 'Plagues and death around me fly till he please, I cannot die. Not a single shaft can hit till the God of life sees fit.'

Old black preacher in Atlanta illustration

Context: Weaver recounts hearing a sermon on John 10:28-29 by an old black preacher in Atlanta, emphasizing the security of the believer in God's hand.

Important Quotes

The wicked, through the pride of his countenance, will not seek after God: God is not in all his thoughts.

Significance: Highlights the contrast between the wicked who ignore God and the Christian's duty to have God in all thoughts.

An high look, and a proud heart, and the plowing of the wicked, is sin.

Significance: Illustrates that even mundane activities are sinful if not done in faith and reference to Christ's sovereignty.

If ye then be risen with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ sitteth on the right hand of God.

Significance: The central command of the sermon, grounding the duty to seek heavenly things in the believer's union with the risen Christ.

Set your affection on things above, not on things on the earth.

Significance: The positive and negative command to focus the mind and heart on heavenly realities rather than earthly things.

For ye are dead, and your life is hid with Christ in God.

Significance: Explains the basis for heavenly affections: the believer's death to sin and secure, hidden life in Christ.

Likewise reckon ye also yourselves to be dead indeed unto sin, but alive unto God through Jesus Christ our Lord.

Significance: Key verse on the believer's responsibility to count themselves dead to sin's dominion and alive to God.

Plagues and death around me fly till he please, I cannot die. Not a single shaft can hit till the God of life sees fit.

Significance: A memorable quote attributed to Spurgeon, emphasizing the absolute security of the believer's life hidden in God.

I know whom I have believed, and am persuaded that he is able to keep that which I have committed unto him against that day.

Significance: Paul's confident declaration of Christ's ability to preserve the believer's salvation, reinforcing the theme of eternal security.

Discussion Questions

What does it mean practically to 'seek those things which are above' in daily life?

Context: Weaver explains that seeking things above involves living as strangers and pilgrims, satisfied in Christ, and obeying His Word in every area.

How does understanding our union with Christ in His death, resurrection, and ascension change the way we live?

Context: Weaver argues that because we are risen with Christ, we should walk in newness of life and set our minds on heavenly things.

In what ways do we struggle with setting our affections on earthly things, and how can we combat that?

Context: Weaver contrasts the wicked who mind earthly things with the call to think biblically and bring every thought captive to Christ.

What does it mean to be 'dead to sin,' and how do we reckon ourselves dead to sin in practical situations?

Context: Weaver expounds Romans 6, explaining that being dead to sin means sin no longer has dominion, and we must count ourselves dead to it.

How does the truth that our life is hidden with Christ in God provide comfort and motivation for holy living?

Context: Weaver emphasizes the security of the believer's salvation and how it should lead to setting affections on things above.

Why is it important to do even mundane tasks like gardening or cooking in reference to Christ and His sovereignty?

Context: Weaver uses the example of plowing being sin if not done in faith, applying the principle to all areas of life.

How does the believer's access to God through Christ differ from the Old Testament saints' access?

Context: Weaver contrasts the boldness believers have through Christ's blood with the restricted access of the high priest once a year.

What does perseverance in the faith reveal about the genuineness of one's salvation?

Context: Weaver cites 1 John 2:19 to argue that those who leave the faith were never truly saved, emphasizing the perseverance of the saints.

Applications

Evaluate your thought life in light of Christ's supremacy.

Summary: Believers should examine what occupies their minds during waking hours and as they lie down, ensuring that Christ is central in their thoughts.

Evidence: Weaver asks, 'What do you think about during your waking hours? What is on your mind as you lie down each night to sleep?' and cites Psalm 10:4.

Do all daily activities in faith and for God's glory.

Summary: Whether gardening, cooking, or working, believers must perform every task in reference to Christ's sovereignty and in faith, avoiding sinful anxiety.

Evidence: Weaver explains that even plowing can be sin if not done in faith, and applies the principle to various areas of life.

Live as strangers and pilgrims on earth.

Summary: Christians should adopt a pilgrim mindset, not being bound to this world's system, but looking forward to the heavenly city whose builder is God.

Evidence: Weaver references Hebrews 11:8-16 and 1 Peter 2:11, urging believers to abstain from fleshly lusts and seek a heavenly country.

Reckon yourself dead to sin and alive to God.

Summary: When tempted, believers must count themselves dead to sin's dominion, refusing to let it reign, and instead yield themselves to God as instruments of righteousness.

Evidence: Weaver expounds Romans 6:11-13, instructing believers to say 'I'm dead' to sin's demands and to yield to God.

Rest in the security of your salvation hidden in Christ.

Summary: Believers can have confidence that their life is eternally safe with Christ in God, which should motivate holy living and gratitude.

Evidence: Weaver emphasizes that no one can pluck believers from God's hand and that their life is hidden securely, citing John 10 and 2 Timothy 1:12.

Bring every thought captive to the obedience of Christ.

Summary: Christians must actively take every thought and imagination and make it obedient to Christ, thinking biblically in all areas of life.

Evidence: Weaver quotes 2 Corinthians 10:4-5 and applies it to setting affections on things above by thinking as Christ thought.

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deepseek | deepseek-v4-pro | weaver_study | 2026-06-06T04:02:22Z

Clean Transcript

The Supremacy of Christ Over the Christian's Mind

Clean readable transcript. This view follows the Commentary.net cleaned segment text while preserving timestamps for audio follow-along.

All right, let's open our Bibles to the book of Colossians, chapter three. The book of Colossians, chapter three. And we're going to read the first three verses, Colossians, chapter three. And I want you to look, if you would, please, particularly at verses one, two and three. Galatians, Ephesians, Philippians, Colossians, Colossians, chapter three. The title of the message today is this: The supremacy of Christ over the Christian's mind and affection. The supremacy or the superiority of Christ over the Christian's mind and affections. Notice Colossians chapter 3 verse 1: "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." Jesus Christ is Lord. Jesus Christ is God. Jesus Christ is the glorified, resurrected, majestic, supreme, and sovereign God of heaven and earth.
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And He deserves all honor, praise, and glory. Therefore, Jesus Christ must have his rightful place in everything. If you will look in Colossians chapter 1, beginning there with verse 15, let's see what the Bible says concerning Christ. Colossians 1 verse 15, the Bible declares, "Who is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of every creature: For by him were all things created, that are in heaven, and that are in earth, visible and invisible, whether they be thrones, or dominions, or principalities, or powers: all things were created by him, and for him: And he is before all things, and by him all things consist." So the Bible declares that Jesus Christ is preeminent, that Jesus Christ is supreme, that everything was created not only by him but for him as well. So the question is, not do you simply believe what the Bible reveals in Colossians 1 and verses 15 through 17 about Jesus Christ, but the real question is, do you apply that confession to your daily life?
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So I could ask you several questions like, what do you think about during your waking hours? What is on your mind as you lie down each night to sleep? Who or what is controlling your thoughts, your imaginations and your desires? You have to understand that there are multitudes of voices, multitude of voices that are screaming for our attention today. In fact, you can look around and say, man, I have so many demands upon my life. It is unbelievable.
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And yet do you realize that one of the charges that God brings against the wicked and the ungodly is found in Psalm 10 in verse 4. Let me just quote it. Listen carefully. The Bible says, "The wicked, through the pride of his countenance, will not seek after God: God is not in all his thoughts." Wow. God is not in all of his thoughts. And the wicked, through the pride of his countenance, will not seek after God.
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Now, it is true that it is impossible for you and I to think upon our Lord 24 hours a day in one sense of the word. Because there are so many things that demand our attention and claim our attention. Yet the truth of the matter is this, whatever demands our attention and whatever claims our attention can indeed be thought of in reference to Christ, in reference to His kingship, sovereignty, and supremacy.
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For instance, a number of us plant gardens. You say I've got to concentrate upon my planting. Well, you may have to concentrate upon your planting in the sense that you want to put your vegetables so many inches apart or so many feet apart, the rows so far apart, and you're thinking about those things. But at the same time, when you think about those things, you can think about those things in reference to Christ and His sovereignty.
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Because the Bible teaches, "whatsoever is not of faith is sin," Romans chapter 14, verse 23. And the Bible tells you in Proverbs 21 in verse 4, listen carefully, "An high look, and a proud heart, and the plowing of the wicked, is sin." Think about that. The plowing of the wicked is sin. Does not God demand us to earn our living by the sweat of our brow? Yes. Well, how then can the plowing of the wicked be sin? Because he does not plow in faith. So when we plant our gardens or whatever we do, we must do it in faith in reference to the kingship and the sovereignty of Jesus Christ. And the same truth can be applied to cooking, it can be applied to child discipline, to economics, to the home, to education, whatever area of life it is, you can think about these things in reference to Christ, in reference to His sovereignty. Now, I want to show you from Colossians chapter 3 the truths that God enforces upon our minds and our affections.
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So let's look first of all at verse 1 and see the very first point, the duty enjoined. Look what he says, "If ye then be risen with Christ." Wow, if ye then be risen with Christ. Literally it is this, seeing then that ye are risen with Christ, or since ye are risen with Christ, the Apostle Paul is enjoining us to a certain truth. If you will look back in Colossians 2, at verses 11 and 12, you will understand the first phrase of chapter 3. Look in Colossians 2, verse 11, "In whom also ye are circumcised with the circumcision made without hands, in putting off the body of the sins of the flesh by the circumcision of Christ: Buried with him in baptism, wherein also ye are risen with him through the faith of the operation of God, who hath raised him from the dead." I want you to also turn in your Bibles very quickly to Romans chapter 6 and look at verse 4. In fact, you might want to just mark Romans chapter 6 in your Bibles because we will be coming back there a little bit later.
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But look in Romans 6 and verse 4. The Bible declares this, "Therefore 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." So just as Jesus Christ was buried and resurrected, we who are in Jesus Christ have been crucified, buried, and resurrected in Him. Now listen carefully. Ascension follows resurrection. What happened when God the Father raised Jesus Christ from the dead? It is true he was seen of his disciples, but the Bible tells us that he ascended up into the heavens. The Bible also teaches that we were not only crucified with Christ, buried with Christ, raised from the dead in Christ. The Bible also teaches that we ascended into heaven with Christ. For instance, look in your Bibles to the book of Ephesians, Galatians, Ephesians, Notice Ephesians chapter 2 beginning there with verse 4. Ephesians 2 and verse 4 just showing you that we who have been resurrected with Christ have also ascended with Christ.
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Ephesians chapter 2 verse 4. "But God, who is rich in mercy, for his great love wherewith he loved us, Even when we were dead in sins, hath quickened us together with Christ, (by grace ye are saved;) And hath raised us up together, and made us sit together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus: That in the ages to come he might shew the exceeding riches of his grace in his kindness toward us through Christ Jesus." Note verse 6, "And hath raised us up together, and made us sit together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus." Now if Jesus Christ is our head, if we are His body, when He ascended, obviously we ascended as well. And so since we have ascended in Christ, we should therefore walk in a heavenly manner.
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It is not the old adage that someone is so heavenly minded that he's no earthly good. It is not that at all. No, but it is since our Lord has ascended into heaven and we have ascended with Him, our walk should be heavenly. Our walk should be a godly walk by virtue of our union and our association with Jesus Christ.
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Now, if you would turn right over to 1 John chapter 4 and look at verse 17 and you can see how this is very easily explained. Notice 1 John chapter 4 and verse 17. It's an interesting verse. Notice 1 John 4, it's verse 17. He says this. "Herein is our love made perfect, that we may have boldness in the day of judgment: because as he is, so are we in this world." Now, what will give us boldness in the day of judgment? Because we walked as Christ walked in this world. As He is, so are we in this world. So here, the Apostle Paul is enjoining us with this duty because Christ is risen from the dead and we are risen with Him. Notice if you would please, secondly, in verse 1, the duty established. He said, if or since ye then be risen with Christ, seek those things which are above. That's the duty established. Do you realize that you have a duty, you have an obligation, you have a responsibility to seek those things which are above?
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In other words, Christ sought me as a sinner. Now, therefore, I must seek him as a saint. He left heaven. He came down from heaven. In order to draw and to bring his people to heaven. Let me put it another way. He suffered death that we might live. Do you remember that passage in Philippians chapter 2 verses 5 through 11, where the word of God says, "Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus: Who, being in the form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal with God: But made himself of no reputation, and took upon him the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men: And being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross. Wherefore God also hath highly exalted him, and given him a name which is above every name: That at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of things in heaven, and things in earth, and things under the earth; And that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father."
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So he tells us that we're to seek those things which are above. Where is Christ? He's seated at the right hand of God. Do you realize our Lord basically gave us the same principle over and over in Scripture? For instance, Matthew 6 and verse 20 said this, "But lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust doth corrupt, and where thieves do not break through nor steal." Lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven. And then that passage in Matthew 6 and verse 33, where he said, "But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you."
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Now, let me give you another one. In Philippians 3 and verse 20, the Word of God says this, "For our conversation is in heaven; from whence also we look for the Saviour, the Lord Jesus Christ." Now, notice what he said, "For our conversation is in heaven." By the way, the word conversation refers to our conduct. It refers to the totality of our lives. So our Lord has told us to lay up treasure for ourselves in heaven. He's told us to seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness. Now He tells us for our conversation or our conduct is in heaven, from whence also we look for our Saviour, the Lord Jesus Christ. But He said since ye then are risen with Christ, seek those things which are above. So the question has to be asked, what is seeking those things which are above? Well, let me answer that question by showing you a passage of what Christ did and what He spoke of after His resurrection. Look in your Bibles to the book of Acts, chapter 1, and verse 3.
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Acts chapter 1 and verse 3. Watch carefully. Acts 1 and verse 3. The Word of God says this. In reference to Jesus Christ, Acts 1 verse 3, "To whom also he shewed himself alive after his passion by many infallible proofs, being seen of them forty days, and speaking of the things pertaining to the kingdom of God." So here's my question. What did Christ speak concerning after his resurrection? And the answer is things that pertain to the kingdom of God. So seeking those things which are above is equated with speaking and dealing with those things that involve the kingdom of God.
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I want you to turn in your Bibles to the book of Hebrews chapter 11. I want to show you how our forefathers in the faith sought those things which are above. Notice the book of Hebrews chapter 11 and let's begin reading there at verse 8. Hebrews 11 in verse 8 talking about Abraham. "By faith Abraham, when he was called to go out into a place which he should after receive for an inheritance, obeyed;
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And he went out, not knowing whither he went. Now watch. By faith he sojourned in the land of promise, as in a strange country, dwelling in tabernacles with Isaac and Jacob, the heirs with him of the same promise: For he looked for a city which hath foundations, whose builder and maker is God."
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Now, let me stop and think about this for a moment. God gave Abraham this big, wide piece of land. And what did Abraham and his descendants do, especially Isaac and Jacob? They stayed in that land as strangers and sojourners. Why do they consider themselves strangers and sojourners? Look at verse 10. "For he looked for a city which hath foundations, whose builder and maker is God." What Abraham understood was this. What Isaac and Jacob understood was this.
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That which they had been given physically was a type and a shadow of the real heavenly city, that eternal home that's not made with hands. If you'll skip down to verse 13, watch it. Talking about all the other forefathers, "These all died in faith, not having received the promises, but having seen them afar off, and were persuaded of them, and embraced them, and confessed that they were strangers and pilgrims on the earth. For they that say such things declare plainly that they seek a country." Isn't that interesting? They say plainly that they seek a country. But what is it to seek those things which are above? It is to be content with seeking the things of God and not necessarily everything that we have that is around us.
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Let me go a step further. Peter said it like this in 1 Peter 2 and verse 11. He said, "Dearly beloved, I beseech you as strangers and pilgrims, abstain from fleshly lusts, which war against the soul." Ain't that interesting? Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob counted themselves strangers, pilgrims, sojourners. And now Peter says we're to count ourselves strangers and sojourners and pilgrims by abstaining from fleshly lusts which war against the soul.
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What is it to seek those things which are above? We seek those things which are above when in our minds we are truly sojourners and pilgrims in this world in the sense that we are not bound to it. This world is not my home. When I use the phrase this world, I'm talking about the world system and everything that it has. I am not a citizen of the new world order.
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The truth of the matter is this. When we seek those things which are above, we are seeking a better and a heavenly country, the continuing city whose builder and maker is God. God may reform this earth. He may purge this earth with fire and have us hear the eternal city that may be. For I, John, saw the heavenly city, New Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven as a bride adorned for us. But I got news for you, wherever God gives us this continuing city, it will be His handiwork and not the handiwork of men.
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And that is what we are looking for. Seeking those things which are above is when we not only have sought Christ for his salvation, but we're satisfied in that salvation. Seeking those things which are above is when we live in obedience to Christ and his word alone. Seeking those things which are above is when we live by righteousness, live by his doctrine and seek to honor him in every area of our life, and seek to bring our life in conformity to his word. So he tells us, if ye then be risen with Christ, seek those things which are above.
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I want you to note, thirdly, the duty emphasized. Verse one, he says, see, if ye then be risen with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ sitteth on the right hand of God. Wow. I hope you can see the argument that the Apostle Paul is giving here. He is telling us if Christ is indeed our supreme affection, if we do view him as worthy of everything in all praise, honor and glory, and since Christ is seated at the right hand of God, that is where our affections should be if we love him. We should love heavenly things. And we should love them and be willing to live with them now in time in history in preparation for eternity. What do you say? Well, I can't see him now. Well, by faith you can.
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And you may not be able to be with him now literally and physically. But soon you shall be in eternity. You know what our Lord prayed in John 17 in verse 24? That's His high priestly prayer. Listen to this one petition. He said this, "Father, I will that they also, whom thou hast given me, be with me where I am; that they may behold my glory, which thou hast given me: for thou lovedst me before the foundation of the world." Now, what did our Lord pray? I will that those whom thou hast given me be with me. Do you think that prayer is going to be answered? Of course it is.
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We're already with him in union. We're already with him by faith. One day, literally, we shall be with him. But even now, in time and in history, we may behold his glory by faith. We may glory in the fact that all authority in heaven and earth has been given unto him. We may exult in the truth that he must rule and he must reign until he has put all of his enemies under his feet. We may rejoice in the fact that he is our God incarnate, that he is perfect man and perfect God, that he is the mediator, the intercessor, the savior, the protector, the provider, the preserver, and he is our glorious Lord and King. We can rejoice in those things now.
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But what does it mean when it says, where Christ sitteth at the right hand of God? I want you to think about this for a moment. Let me ask that you turn first of all to the book of Ephesians chapter 2 and then we're going to the book of Hebrews chapter 4 and then chapter 10. I want you to think with me. If Christ is seated at the right hand of the Father, if Ephesians chapter 2 is true, and it is.
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We who have been saved by his grace have ascended with him. What does that imply? It implies that we have full and unfettered access to our heavenly Father. Don't you stop and think in the Old Testament, in the tabernacle and in the temple, only the high priest went into the holiest of all once a year, but that not without blood. The highest priest in the land could only go into the presence of God once a year.
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Look what the Bible says in Ephesians 2 and verse 18. "For through him we both have access by one Spirit unto the Father." Through Jesus Christ, we have access by the Holy Spirit unto the Father.
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Now, I want you to turn to the book of Hebrews chapter four. Look first at verse 16, Hebrews four and verse 16. Let this grab a hold of your understanding. Hebrews four and verse 16. In fact, let's read verse 15, in fact, we'll read verse 14. Watch Hebrews 4 verse 14, "Seeing then that we have a great high priest, that is passed into the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold fast our profession. For we have not an high priest which cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities; but was in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin." Now watch verse 16. In light of this, that he is our great high priest, "Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need." I wonder.
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If any of the Old Testament saints had any understanding of coming boldly into the presence of God when all they had was the blood of bulls and goats and heifers, and the answer is no. Because they knew if they went in that holiest of holies, they would be immediately killed. And yet here the Bible says that we may come boldly into the presence of God. Look at Hebrews chapter 10, and let's begin reading there with verse 19. Hebrews 10, watch verse 19. Here's what he says. "Having therefore, brethren, boldness to enter into the holiest by the blood of Jesus, By a new and living way, which he hath consecrated for us, through the veil, that is to say, his flesh; And having an high priest over the house of God; Let us draw near with a true heart in full
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assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience, and our bodies washed with pure water. Let us hold fast the profession of our faith without wavering; (for he is faithful that promised;)" Note, if you would, he said in verse 19, "Having therefore, brethren, boldness to enter into the holiest by the blood of Jesus." Since Christ is at the right hand of God, since we are in Christ, we died with Him.
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We were buried with Him. We were raised from the dead in Him. We ascended in heaven with Him. Since He is at the right hand of God, we have full and unfettered access to God, our Heavenly Father. Why should we not commune with Him? Why should we not fellowship with Him? Pray to Him. Worship and adore Him. We can do all these things through Jesus Christ, which the Old Testament saints did not have and could not do. Because Jesus Christ is the new and living way.
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Our Lord not only died to provide for us and give us forgiveness of sins, He also lives to make intercession for us and to give us that which he actually died for. He gives us his salvation. So since Christ is at the right hand of God, since Christ, listen carefully, is God, which means he is omnipotent, he is omniscient, he is omnipresent, it means, therefore, that Jesus Christ is everywhere at one time in the totality of his person. Therefore, we can never, ever be left alone. Did he not promise, "I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee"? Such knowledge should not only motivate us to holiness, but it should motivate us to seek
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those things which are above, where Christ sitteth on the right hand of God.
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Now, go back to Colossians chapter three, because I want you to see the fourth point in verse two. He says, "Set your affection on things above, not on things on the earth." Here's the duty exercised. Here's the duty exercised. This is your responsibility. This is your obligation. Set your affection on things above, not on things of the earth. I want you to know there's a positive and a negative. Positively, you're to set your affection on things above. Negatively, you're not to set your affection on things of the earth.
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You know, I've read, and we also know some individuals that this happened to, but when people were under the Nazi rule, tried to escape, those who tried to take all of their belongings with them were soon captured and either in prison or shot. But those people who put just a few shackles in their pockets and walked off like they were just going on a Sunday afternoon stroll, most of them made it. In fact, we know someone that got out of Hungary like that. They just walked out, left everything. And you know something?
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It really doesn't matter what we have or how much we have. We're going to leave it all. We are. And so I said, set your affections on things above, not on things of this earth. Literally, the word here means to mind or to think on things above. In other words, that's where the propensity of our affection should be, thinking on things of God and scriptural truth and biblical truth, how to apply them to our life.
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Let me give you a quote from John Gill. I thought this was beautiful. He says this. Talking about set your affection on things above, not on things of the earth. John Gill says the word signifies to mind them and to think on them, to favor and to approve them, to be affectionately desirous of them and concerned for them. For where the treasure is, the heart should be. And as the saints' best things are above, their minds and affections should be there likewise. Their contemplation should be on those things, and their conversation should be in heaven.
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Nor should they regard anything but what is there, or comes from thence, for they belong not to this world, but to another and better country. Their citizenship is in heaven, and there in a short time they must have their everlasting residence, and therefore should seek after and highly prize and value heavenly things, and set their affections on them, and not on things of the earth. Not mind earth and earthly things, temporal enjoyments, riches and honors, and though food and raiment and the necessities of life are to be sought after and cared and provided for, yet not with anxiety and perplexity of mind in an over-thoughtful and distressing manner, nor should the heart be set on those outward things
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or happiness placed in possession of them. Now, just stop if your happiness has placed in the possession of things. What's going to happen when you lose those things? There goes your happiness. Things are not what make us happy. I want to contrast this for you. I want you to look at two passages. I want you to turn to Philippians chapter 3 and then Romans chapter 8. Now, he said, set your affection on things above and not on things of the earth. So if you look in Philippians, look in Philippians, chapter three and verse 19. Here is what earthly things would be like. Philippians three, verse 19. In fact, let's read verse 18, so you can see that we're talking about those who are unconverted, those who are the enemies of Christ. He says, "For many walk, of whom I have told you often, and now tell you even weeping, that they are the enemies of the cross of Christ: Whose end is destruction, whose God is their belly, and whose glory is in their shame, who mind earthly things."
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What do the wicked do? They mind earthly things. What does minding earthly things cause you to do? It causes you to have your belly as your God, your glorying in your shame, and you're walking completely and totally contrary to the Word of God. If you look back in your Bibles to the book of Romans chapter 8 and verse 5 again in this passage, he talks about the unconverted. He says this, "For they that are after the flesh do mind the things of the flesh; but they that are after the Spirit the things of the Spirit." What are the things of the flesh? Well, you can read about them in Galatians chapter 5. Fornication, adultery, murder, theft, witchcraft, all these things.
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Alice and I saw a car the other day. Had three bumper stickers on it. I remember two of them. The first one was, "I'm a pagan and I vote." And the second one was, "I love Obamacare." And the other, oh, "I love equality" was the third one. Yeah, that was in Douglas, Georgia. "I'm a pagan and I vote, I love equality and I love Obamacare." Well, no wonder he loves Obamacare. No wonder he loves equality. He's a pagan. I mean, that explains the other two. I mean, who mind earthly things? What does he say? Set your affection on things above.
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That means whatever we do, we're to do in reference to Christ and his word and his law. I don't care if we're fighting in a war, we're to do it biblically. I don't care if we're educating our children, we're to do it biblically. I don't care if we're cooking supper, we're to do it biblically. I don't care if we're digging a ditch, we're to dig it for God's honor and glory and in faith. Doing the best we can for our good and the good of God's people.
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Setting your affection on things above means that you've learned by grace to love heavenly things, to study them, to enjoy them, and to let your heart be engrossed entirely by them. Isn't it amazing? Stop and think about this. Isn't it amazing that a lot of Christians have said I'd rather be with my church family or my Christian brethren than my own literal flesh and blood family. Stop and think about that.
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Because we have far more in common. Here's what happens when you set your affection on things above. You learn the truth of Philippians 2 and verse 5, where it said, "Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus." You learn to think, or at least you want to think like Christ thought. You learn the truth of 1 Peter 4 and verse 1 where we are to be armed with the mind of Christ. We learn the truth of Romans 12 verse 2 and Ephesians 4 and verse 23 when he said, "And be renewed in the spirit of your mind." And we also learn the truth of 2 Corinthians chapter 10 verses 4 and 5 when the Apostle Paul said, "For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but mighty through God to the pulling down of strong holds." Now listen carefully. Here's man's stronghold. It's his mind. "Casting down imaginations, and every high thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ." That's setting your affection on things above when you learn to think biblically and scripturally
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on every thought. When you learn to think the way Christ thought, setting your affection on things above is when your mind, your heart, and your affections are captivated by Jesus Christ and His grace and His mercy. I've often thought and pondered how it could be that God could save someone like me. Have you ever thought about that? When you stop and think about all of your sins.
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And yet he loved us with an everlasting love. He loved us while we were ungodly, while we were sinners, while we were wicked and in rebellion to him. And then he saved us by his infinite grace. Wow. It's amazing that God has saved anyone. For we've all sinned against him, and yet he's gracious and kind. Setting your affection on things above. One last point. I want you to see the duty explained.
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Look in Colossians chapter three and verse three. He says, "For ye are dead, and your life is hid with Christ in God."
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Now, you say, how in the world can I set my affection on things above and not on things of the earth? Well, he tells you how. He says, because you are dead and your life is hid with Christ in God. No one can rise with Christ until he has died with Christ. Death comes before resurrection.
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Now, I want you to turn in your Bibles to Romans 6. I told you we were going to come back there. I want us to read the first 12 verses. I'm going to come back and comment especially on one verse and then explain this. When he says, for ye are dead and your life is hid with Christ in God. Look in Romans chapter six, verse one. Try to follow the apostle's argument.
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He asked, "What shall we say then? Shall we continue in sin, that grace may abound? God forbid. How shall we, that are dead to sin, live any longer therein? Know ye not, that so many of us as were baptized into Jesus Christ were baptized into his death? Therefore 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. For if we have been planted together in the likeness of his death, we shall be also in the likeness of his resurrection: Knowing this, that our old man is crucified with him, that the body of sin might be destroyed, that henceforth we should not serve sin. For he that is dead is freed from sin. Now if we be dead with Christ, we believe that we shall also live with him: Knowing that Christ being raised from the dead dieth no more; death hath no more dominion over him. For in that he died, he died unto sin once:
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but in that he liveth, he liveth unto God. Likewise reckon ye also yourselves to be dead indeed unto sin, but alive unto God through Jesus Christ our Lord. Let not sin therefore reign in your mortal body, that ye should obey it in the lusts thereof. Neither yield ye your members as instruments of unrighteousness unto sin: but yield yourselves unto God, as those that are alive from the dead, and your members as instruments of righteousness unto God."
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Now, I want you to go back and look at verses 1 and 2. The apostle asks, "What shall we say then? Shall we continue in sin, that grace may abound?" And he says, "God forbid. How shall we, that are dead to sin, live any longer therein?" Have you ever thought what it means to be dead to sin? The Apostle is giving us a reason why we should not continue in sin. And the reason is drawn from the fact that we are dead to sin. It is impossible for those who are dead to act as if they were alive. So the apostle is saying it's just as absurd to suppose that a real, genuine Christian should desire to live in sin just as it is impossible that a dead man should put forth the actions of life.
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Now stop and think with me. He says, for we are dead to sin. To be dead to something is a strong expression noting that it has absolutely no influence over us. A dead man is uninfluenced by anything. The nightlife, the cabaret, the liquor, the rodeo, football, baseball, business, family, nothing influences him. He's dead. He's absolutely, totally dead. When the Bible says that we're dead to sin, it is teaching us that sin no longer has dominion over us. Sin is not our Lord. Jesus Christ is our Lord. Let me show you. Turn in your Bible, hold Romans 6, we're coming right back there. But turn in your Bibles to 1 Peter chapter 2 and look at verse 24. 1 Peter chapter 2 verse 24. Not only does the Apostle Paul use this expression, but so does the Apostle Peter. Look in 1 Peter, chapter two and verse twenty four, speaking about Jesus Christ, the Bible says, "Who his own self bare our sins in his own body on the tree, that we, being dead to sins, should live unto
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righteousness: by whose stripes ye were healed." Note that we're to be dead to sins. The fact is that if we're in Christ, we are already dead to sin, sin does not have dominion over us. It does not have lordship over us. You say, but pastor, I still sin. I understand that. Look in your Bibles to Romans six beginning there with verse 11. By the way, it's a whole different message, it is true that we sin, we fall short.
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There's a vast difference between being perfect and willfully sinning. I cannot be perfect by virtue of the fact that I'm a sinner right now, I am perfect in Jesus Christ. And one day I will be perfect, totally and completely by his grace in glorification. But just because I'm falling short of his perfection now in the fact that I'm a sinner does not mean that I willfully and premeditatedly desire sin. Two totally different things. Now look in Romans 6 verse 11. He says, "Likewise reckon ye also yourselves to be dead indeed unto sin, but alive unto God through Jesus Christ our Lord. Let not sin therefore reign in your mortal body, that ye should obey it in the lusts thereof." Now, notice if you would, he did not say, let not sin therefore be in your mortal bodies. It's there. But he said, don't let it reign. Well, how can we not let sin reign over us? The answer is we reckon ourselves dead indeed unto sin. The word reckon there literally means to count. It means to impute, so God says you count yourself dead indeed unto sin, you impute yourselves dead indeed unto sin, so
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here comes sin knocking at your door. And sin is saying, let us commit fornication. Let us get drunk, let us steal. Let us do so-and-so. And you say, I'm sorry, I'm dead. I can't perform your actions. What can a dead man do? Nothing. We have to count ourselves dead indeed unto sin, but alive unto God through Jesus Christ, our Lord. If we recognize that sin does not have dominion over us, if we recognize that sin is not our Lord, we must understand also the truth of 1 John 2 and verse 1, when he said, "My little children, these things write I unto you, that ye sin not. And if any man sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous." But John said, I wrote these things, so you will not sin. How do you not sin? By reckoning and counting yourself dead indeed.
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Now, I want you to go back to Colossians chapter three. I want you to look at this passage again. Look in verse three. He says, "For ye are dead, and your life is hid with Christ in God." So in counting ourselves dead, we refuse to allow sin to reign in us. We refuse to allow sin to govern us or direct us or control us. We rather yield our lives unto God as alive from the dead. And we yield our members unto righteousness in obeying him. Now, look what he said in verse three, "For ye are dead, and your life is hid with Christ in God." Isn't that amazing? Your life is hid with Christ in God. The word hid there means literally to hide, to remain concealed, to remain locked together with Christ.
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Do you realize that our real, genuine life is so safe there's not a hellish burglar that can break in to get it? Because our life is hid with Christ in God. Let's see, it was Spurgeon, I don't know if I can remember it. Spurgeon used to say it like this. "Plagues and death around me fly till he please, I cannot die. Not a single shaft can hit till the God of life sees fit." Isn't that amazing? Because our life is hid with Christ in God. So the language here is probably taken from a treasure which has been hid or concealed in a place of security. And so the picture is that our life and our salvation is hidden with Christ in God. And it will be very safe there, I can assure you. The Apostle Paul said it like this in 2 Timothy chapter 1 in verse 12.
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He said, "For the which cause I also suffer these things: nevertheless I am not ashamed: for I know whom I have believed, and am persuaded that he is able to keep that which I have committed unto him against that day." What did Paul do? He committed his life, his salvation, his soul unto Christ. And he said, I'm persuaded that he's able to keep that which I have committed unto him unto that day. Do you realize that Jesus Christ has never lost one for whom he died? There's no saint that has ever been lost. You say, but for the Weaver, I know plenty of people who profess to be Christians and they left the Christian faith.
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Yeah, that's why you need to read 1 John 2 verse 19, where John said, "They went out from us, but they were not of us; for if they had been of us, they would no doubt have continued with us: but they went out, that they might be made manifest that they were not all of us." What did John say? Anybody who leaves the faith just demonstrates that he was never in the faith to begin with. He never lost his salvation. He never had it to begin with. For John said, if he did indeed have salvation, no doubt he would have continued with us. The proof that you have been saved by the grace of God is that you will continue in the grace of God and in repentance and in faith.
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You remember, I told you this once before, I'm going to tell you again, it is so fitting and it's so enjoyable for me to remember it. But I was traveling through Atlanta, Georgia, one night. It was probably about one or two in the morning. I was going home. I was doing everything I could just to stay awake. And I kept turning the radio, trying to find some kind of Christian music and couldn't.
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And finally, I found some preaching. And it was an old black preacher out of Atlanta, Georgia. And I never will forget that old rough voice he had. And he was preaching from John chapter 10. When he said, "I know my sheep, and I call them by name, and they follow me: And I give unto them eternal life; and they shall never perish, neither shall any man pluck them out of my hand. My Father, which gave them me, is greater than all; and no man is able to pluck them out of my Father's hand." And I never will forget that old black preacher when he was preaching and he said, now, listen, he said, when God saved you, He puts you in the hand of Jesus Christ, and Jesus Christ is in the hand of God.
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He said, mark it down. He said, God, the Father won't pluck you out of his hand. God, the Son won't pluck you out of his hand. God, the Spirit won't pluck you out of his hand. And come to think of it, them's the only three that can do any plucking anyhow. And that's the truth. That's the truth. Our life is hid with Christ in God. So we must
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set our affection on things above and not on things below. Father, help us, we pray, in the name of Jesus Christ. We ask, Father, for Your grace and Your mercy and Your help. Give us, Lord, a heart that desires to live for Thee and to serve Thee. In the name of Jesus Christ, we ask and pray. Amen. Amen. This program was produced by Dominion Ministry. For more information about Pastor Weaver's sermons, you may contact Dominion Ministry by mail at 7400 Abercorn, that's A-B-E-R-C-O-R-N Street, Suite 705, PMD 175, Savannah, Georgia, 31406. Or give us a call at 912. You can also visit our website at www.dominionministry.com
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deepseek | deepseek-v4-pro | clean_readable_transcript | 2026-06-05T15:04:42Z

The Supremacy of Christ Over the Christian's Mind

John Weaver | Freedom Ministries

John Weaver expounds Colossians 3:1-3, emphasizing that because believers have been raised with Christ, they must seek heavenly things and set their affections on Christ, not on earthly things. He explains that union with Christ in His death, resurrection, and ascension obligates Christians to live with a heavenly mindset, reckoning themselves dead to sin and alive to God, with their life securely hidden in Christ.

Introduction: The Preeminence of Christ

Weaver introduces the supremacy of Christ over the Christian's mind and affections, reading Colossians 3:1-3 and emphasizing Christ's rightful place in everything.

Scripture Reading — Colossians 3:1-3

"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."

Jesus Christ is Lord. Jesus Christ is God. Jesus Christ is the glorified, resurrected, majestic, supreme, and sovereign God of heaven and earth.

Scripture Reading — Colossians 1:15-17

"Who is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of every creature: For by him were all things created, that are in heaven, and that are in earth, visible and invisible, whether they be thrones, or dominions, or principalities, or powers: all things were created by him, and for him: And he is before all things, and by him all things consist."

The Duty Enjoined: Since You Are Risen with Christ

The command to seek things above is based on the believer's union with Christ in His resurrection and ascension, as taught in Colossians 2:11-12, Romans 6:4, and Ephesians 2:4-6.

Scripture Reading — Colossians 2:11-12

"In whom also ye are circumcised with the circumcision made without hands, in putting off the body of the sins of the flesh by the circumcision of Christ: Buried with him in baptism, wherein also ye are risen with him through the faith of the operation of God, who hath raised him from the dead."

But look in Romans 6 and verse 4. The Bible declares this,

Scripture Reading — Romans 6:4

"Therefore 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."

Ephesians chapter 2 verse 4.

Scripture Reading — Ephesians 2:4-6

"But God, who is rich in mercy, for his great love wherewith he loved us, Even when we were dead in sins, hath quickened us together with Christ, (by grace ye are saved;) And hath raised us up together, and made us sit together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus: That in the ages to come he might shew the exceeding riches of his grace in his kindness toward us through Christ Jesus."

Note verse 6,

Scripture Reading — Ephesians 2:4-6

"And hath raised us up together, and made us sit together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus."

The Duty Established: Seek Those Things Which Are Above

Believers have an obligation to seek heavenly things, which means living as strangers and pilgrims, satisfied in Christ's salvation, and obeying His Word in every area of life.

Scripture Reading — 1 John 4:17

"Herein is our love made perfect, that we may have boldness in the day of judgment: because as he is, so are we in this world."

Scripture Reading — Philippians 2:5-11

"Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus: Who, being in the form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal with God: But made himself of no reputation, and took upon him the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men: And being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross. Wherefore God also hath highly exalted him, and given him a name which is above every name: That at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of things in heaven, and things in earth, and things under the earth; And that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father."

Scripture Reading — Matthew 6:20, 33

"But lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust doth corrupt, and where thieves do not break through nor steal."

Now, let me give you another one. In Philippians 3 and verse 20, the Word of God says this,

Scripture Reading — Philippians 3:20

"For our conversation is in heaven; from whence also we look for the Saviour, the Lord Jesus Christ."

Now, notice what he said,

Scripture Reading — Philippians 3:20

"For our conversation is in heaven."

Acts chapter 1 and verse 3. Watch carefully. Acts 1 and verse 3. The Word of God says this. In reference to Jesus Christ, Acts 1 verse 3,

Scripture Reading — Acts 1:3

"To whom also he shewed himself alive after his passion by many infallible proofs, being seen of them forty days, and speaking of the things pertaining to the kingdom of God."

Scripture Reading — Hebrews 11:8-16

"By faith Abraham, when he was called to go out into a place which he should after receive for an inheritance, obeyed; And he went out, not knowing whither he went. Now watch. By faith he sojourned in the land of promise, as in a strange country, dwelling in tabernacles with Isaac and Jacob, the heirs with him of the same promise: For he looked for a city which hath foundations, whose builder and maker is God."

Let me go a step further. Peter said it like this in 1 Peter 2 and verse 11. He said,

Scripture Reading — 1 Peter 2:11

"Dearly beloved, I beseech you as strangers and pilgrims, abstain from fleshly lusts, which war against the soul."

The Duty Emphasized: Where Christ Sits at God's Right Hand

Because Christ is seated at the right hand of God, believers have bold access to the Father and should set their affections on heavenly things, rejoicing in Christ's glory and authority.

Scripture Reading — John 17:24

"Father, I will that they also, whom thou hast given me, be with me where I am; that they may behold my glory, which thou hast given me: for thou lovedst me before the foundation of the world."

Now, what did our Lord pray? I will that those whom thou hast given me be with me. Do you think that prayer is going to be answered? Of course it is.

Scripture Reading — Hebrews 4:14-16

"Seeing then that we have a great high priest, that is passed into the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold fast our profession. For we have not an high priest which cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities; but was in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin."

Now watch verse 16. In light of this, that he is our great high priest,

Scripture Reading — Hebrews 4:14-16

"Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need."

I wonder.

Scripture Reading — Hebrews 10:19-22

"Having therefore, brethren, boldness to enter into the holiest by the blood of Jesus, By a new and living way, which he hath consecrated for us, through the veil, that is to say, his flesh; And having an high priest over the house of God; Let us draw near with a true heart in full

The Duty Exercised: Set Your Affection on Things Above

Believers are commanded to mind heavenly things, not earthly things, which involves thinking biblically, being captivated by Christ's grace, and doing all things in reference to Him.

The Duty Explained: For You Are Dead and Your Life Is Hidden with Christ

The ability to set affections above comes from being dead to sin and having one's life securely hidden with Christ in God, which ensures eternal security and empowers holy living.

The Supremacy of Christ Over the Christian's Mind

John Weaver | SermonAudio

Lecture Metadata	Details
Speaker	John Weaver
Source	SermonAudio
Media ID	1128121519328
Subject	New Testament Studies
Course	Romans: Sin, Judgment, and Gospel Foundations: Prepared Hearts
Genre	Sermon
Date	2012-10-14
Dictation Name
Book	Book 136: Romans: Sin, Judgment, and Gospel Foundations - Volume 1 — Chapter 14
Source Timed Segments	67

Lecture Guide

Outline

Introduction: The Preeminence of Christ: Weaver introduces the supremacy of Christ over the Christian's mind and affections, reading Colossians 3:1-3 and emphasizing Christ's rightful place in everything.
The Duty Enjoined: Since You Are Risen with Christ: The command to seek things above is based on the believer's union with Christ in His resurrection and ascension, as taught in Colossians 2:11-12, Romans 6:4, and Ephesians 2:4-6.
The Duty Established: Seek Those Things Which Are Above: Believers have an obligation to seek heavenly things, which means living as strangers and pilgrims, satisfied in Christ's salvation, and obeying His Word in every area of life.
The Duty Emphasized: Where Christ Sits at God's Right Hand: Because Christ is seated at the right hand of God, believers have bold access to the Father and should set their affections on heavenly things, rejoicing in Christ's glory and authority.
The Duty Exercised: Set Your Affection on Things Above: Believers are commanded to mind heavenly things, not earthly things, which involves thinking biblically, being captivated by Christ's grace, and doing all things in reference to Him.
The Duty Explained: For You Are Dead and Your Life Is Hidden with Christ: The ability to set affections above comes from being dead to sin and having one's life securely hidden with Christ in God, which ensures eternal security and empowers holy living.

Major Themes

Key Arguments

Because believers are risen with Christ, they must seek heavenly things.

The indicative of union with Christ in resurrection and ascension grounds the imperative to seek things above, where Christ is seated.

Weaver states, 'If ye then be risen with Christ, seek those things which are above,' and explains the connection to Colossians 2:11-12 and Ephesians 2:4-6.

Seeking things above means living as strangers and pilgrims, satisfied in Christ.

To seek heavenly things is to live as sojourners on earth, looking for the heavenly city, and to be content with Christ's salvation and obedience to His Word.

Weaver references Hebrews 11:8-16 and 1 Peter 2:11, showing that Abraham and the patriarchs sought a heavenly country.

Christ's session at God's right hand gives believers bold access to the Father.

Because Christ is at the right hand of God, believers have full and unfettered access to God, unlike Old Testament saints, and should commune with Him.

Weaver cites Ephesians 2:18, Hebrews 4:14-16, and Hebrews 10:19-22 to show the boldness believers have through Christ's blood.

Setting affections on things above requires thinking biblically in every area of life.

Believers must bring every thought captive to Christ and do all things—work, education, cooking—in reference to His sovereignty and for His glory.

Weaver quotes 2 Corinthians 10:4-5 and applies the principle to daily activities, arguing that even plowing can be sin if not done in faith.

Being dead to sin means sin no longer has dominion, enabling holy living.

Union with Christ's death frees believers from sin's reign; they must reckon themselves dead to sin and not let it rule, though they still struggle with sin.

Weaver expounds Romans 6:1-12, emphasizing that being dead to sin is the reason Christians should not continue in sin.

The believer's life is eternally secure because it is hidden with Christ in God.

Salvation is safe from any threat because it is concealed with Christ in God, and those who truly have it will persevere; apostasy proves a lack of genuine faith.

Weaver references Colossians 3:3, 2 Timothy 1:12, John 10:28-29, and 1 John 2:19 to argue for eternal security and perseverance.

Scripture References

Colossians 3:1-3: Primary text of the sermon, commanding believers to seek things above and set affections on heavenly things because they are dead and their life is hidden with Christ.
Colossians 1:15-17: Used to establish the preeminence and supremacy of Christ as Creator and sustainer of all things.
Psalm 10:4: Quoted to show that the wicked do not seek God and God is not in their thoughts, contrasting with the Christian's duty.
Romans 14:23: Cited to argue that whatever is not of faith is sin, applied to daily activities like gardening.
Proverbs 21:4: Used to illustrate that even plowing can be sin if not done in faith, emphasizing the need to do all things in reference to Christ.
Colossians 2:11-12: Explains the believer's spiritual circumcision and burial and resurrection with Christ through faith.
Romans 6:4: Shows that believers are buried with Christ in baptism and raised to walk in newness of life.
Ephesians 2:4-6: Teaches that believers have been made alive, raised, and seated with Christ in heavenly places.
1 John 4:17: Used to show that as Christ is, so are believers in this world, giving boldness in judgment.
Philippians 2:5-11: Quoted to illustrate Christ's humility and exaltation, and the call to have the mind of Christ.
Matthew 6:20, 33: Commands to lay up treasures in heaven and seek first God's kingdom, paralleling the call to seek things above.
Philippians 3:20: States that the believer's citizenship is in heaven, from which they await the Savior.
Acts 1:3: Shows that after His resurrection, Christ spoke of things pertaining to the kingdom of God, equating seeking things above with kingdom matters.
Hebrews 11:8-16: Illustrates that Abraham and the patriarchs sought a heavenly country, living as strangers and pilgrims on earth.
1 Peter 2:11: Exhorts believers as strangers and pilgrims to abstain from fleshly lusts, reinforcing the pilgrim mindset.
John 17:24: Christ's high priestly prayer that believers be with Him and behold His glory, showing His desire for their presence.
Ephesians 2:18: Declares that through Christ believers have access by one Spirit to the Father.
Hebrews 4:14-16: Encourages believers to come boldly to the throne of grace because of Christ as great high priest.
Hebrews 10:19-22: Exhorts believers to enter the holiest with boldness by the blood of Jesus, the new and living way.
Philippians 3:18-19: Describes enemies of the cross whose god is their belly and who mind earthly things, contrasting with heavenly affections.

Historical References

Nazi rule and escape from Hungary: Weaver recounts how people escaping Nazi rule who left their belongings behind often succeeded, illustrating the need to not set affections on earthly things.
John Gill quote on setting affections on things above: Weaver quotes John Gill's commentary on Colossians 3:2, explaining that believers should mind, favor, and be desirous of heavenly things.
Charles Spurgeon quote on security: Weaver paraphrases Spurgeon: 'Plagues and death around me fly till he please, I cannot die. Not a single shaft can hit till the God of life sees fit.'
Old black preacher in Atlanta illustration: Weaver recounts hearing a sermon on John 10:28-29 by an old black preacher in Atlanta, emphasizing the security of the believer in God's hand.

Important Quotes

The wicked, through the pride of his countenance, will not seek after God: God is not in all his thoughts.

Highlights the contrast between the wicked who ignore God and the Christian's duty to have God in all thoughts.

An high look, and a proud heart, and the plowing of the wicked, is sin.

Illustrates that even mundane activities are sinful if not done in faith and reference to Christ's sovereignty.

If ye then be risen with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ sitteth on the right hand of God.

The central command of the sermon, grounding the duty to seek heavenly things in the believer's union with the risen Christ.

Set your affection on things above, not on things on the earth.

The positive and negative command to focus the mind and heart on heavenly realities rather than earthly things.

For ye are dead, and your life is hid with Christ in God.

Explains the basis for heavenly affections: the believer's death to sin and secure, hidden life in Christ.

Likewise reckon ye also yourselves to be dead indeed unto sin, but alive unto God through Jesus Christ our Lord.

Key verse on the believer's responsibility to count themselves dead to sin's dominion and alive to God.

Plagues and death around me fly till he please, I cannot die. Not a single shaft can hit till the God of life sees fit.

A memorable quote attributed to Spurgeon, emphasizing the absolute security of the believer's life hidden in God.

I know whom I have believed, and am persuaded that he is able to keep that which I have committed unto him against that day.

Paul's confident declaration of Christ's ability to preserve the believer's salvation, reinforcing the theme of eternal security.

Discussion Questions

[Question]

What does it mean practically to 'seek those things which are above' in daily life?

[Context]

Weaver explains that seeking things above involves living as strangers and pilgrims, satisfied in Christ, and obeying His Word in every area.

[Question]

How does understanding our union with Christ in His death, resurrection, and ascension change the way we live?

[Context]

Weaver argues that because we are risen with Christ, we should walk in newness of life and set our minds on heavenly things.

[Question]

In what ways do we struggle with setting our affections on earthly things, and how can we combat that?

[Context]

Weaver contrasts the wicked who mind earthly things with the call to think biblically and bring every thought captive to Christ.

[Question]

What does it mean to be 'dead to sin,' and how do we reckon ourselves dead to sin in practical situations?

[Context]

Weaver expounds Romans 6, explaining that being dead to sin means sin no longer has dominion, and we must count ourselves dead to it.

[Question]

How does the truth that our life is hidden with Christ in God provide comfort and motivation for holy living?

[Context]

Weaver emphasizes the security of the believer's salvation and how it should lead to setting affections on things above.

[Question]

Why is it important to do even mundane tasks like gardening or cooking in reference to Christ and His sovereignty?

[Context]

Weaver uses the example of plowing being sin if not done in faith, applying the principle to all areas of life.

[Question]

How does the believer's access to God through Christ differ from the Old Testament saints' access?

[Context]

Weaver contrasts the boldness believers have through Christ's blood with the restricted access of the high priest once a year.

[Question]

What does perseverance in the faith reveal about the genuineness of one's salvation?

[Context]

Weaver cites 1 John 2:19 to argue that those who leave the faith were never truly saved, emphasizing the perseverance of the saints.

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