Romans: Sin, Judgment, and Gospel Foundations: Praying Against the Wicked

The Supremacy of Christ Over The Christians Mind And Affections

Transcript: AI Transcript

Professor: John Weaver

Subject: New Testament Studies

Genre: Sermon

Dictation Name:

Date: 2013-01-21

Synopsis: Pastor John Weaver expounds Colossians 3:1-3, emphasizing that because believers are risen 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 hidden with Christ in God.

[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 Christian's mind and affection. The supremacy or the superiority of Christ over the Christian's mind and affections. Notice Colossians chapter three, verse one. If you then be risen with Christ, seek those things which are above where Christ sitteth on the right end 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 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 can 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. For instance.

[John Weaver] 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 and 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 sent? 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. I want to show you from Colossians chapter 3 the truths that God enforces upon our minds and our affections. So let's look first of all at verse 1 and see the very first point, the duty enjoined.

[John Weaver] 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're risen with him through the faith of the operation of God who raised him from the dead. Now, I want you to also turn in your Bibles very quickly to Romans chapter 6 and look at verse 4. In fact, you might ought 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, 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.

[John Weaver] So just as Jesus Christ was buried, 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.

[John Weaver] 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 two, verse four, but God who is rich in mercy for his great love were with, he loved us. Even when we were dead in sins have quickened us together with Christ by grace. Are you saved and have 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 six, and he had the 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 first 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 in joining 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 wherefore God also hath highly exalted him, and given him a name which is above every name, 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 Father.

[John Weaver] 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 this same principle over and over in scripture. For instance, Matthew 6 in verse 20, he 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 in 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 in verse 20, the word of God says this, for our conversation is in heaven, for 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.

[John Weaver] 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, 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. 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.

[John Weaver] Notice the book of Hebrews chapter 11, and let's begin reading there at verse 8. Hebrews 11 and 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. 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 hath foundations, whose builder and maker is God.

[John Weaver] Now let me stop and think about this for a moment. God gave to 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 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.

[John Weaver] 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 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.

[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. In the, 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. Okay.

[John Weaver] The truth of the matter is this. When we seek those things 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 here, 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 or 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 1, he says, if you 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 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.

[John Weaver] 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, 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 thou, 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 may glory in the fact that all authority in heaven and earth has been given unto Him. We may exalt in the truth that He must rule and He must reign until He hath 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 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 to 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. Now, I want you to stop and think.

[John Weaver] 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 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 4. Look first at verse 16. Hebrews 4 and verse 16. Let this grab a hold of your understanding. Hebrews 4 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 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 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?

[John Weaver] 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 in 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 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 into 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, we were buried with Him, we were raised from the dead in Him, we ascended into heaven with Him, Since He is at the right hand of God, we have full and unfettered access to God our Heavenly Father.

[John Weaver] 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.

[John Weaver] 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.

[John Weaver] Now, go back to Colossians chapter 3, because I want you to see the fourth point in verse 2. 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 shekels 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.

[John Weaver] And so He said, set your affection 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 truths and biblical truths, 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 such 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.

[John Weaver] 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

[John Weaver] or happiness placed in possession of them." Now just stop. If your happiness is 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 3 and verse 19. Here is what earthly things would be like. Philippians 3 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, you're glorying in your shame, and you're walking completely and totally contrary to the Word of God. If you'll 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.

[John Weaver] Alice and I saw a car the other day. It had three bumper stickers on it. 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. And 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 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 to 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.

[John Weaver] 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're to be armed with the mind of Christ. We learn the truth of Romans 12 verse 2, in 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.

[John Weaver] 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.

[John Weaver] I want you to see the duty explained. Look in Colossians chapter 3 and verse 3. He says, For you are dead, and your life is hid 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 hid with Christ in God. No one can rise with Christ until he has died with Christ. Death comes before resurrection. I want you to turn in your Bibles to Romans chapter 6.

[John Weaver] I told you we're 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 hid with Christ in God. Look in Romans chapter 6 verse 1. Try to follow the apostles 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 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.

[John Weaver] 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.

[John Weaver] 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 in a 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 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're 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 to 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 1 Peter chapter 2 and verse 24, 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 under righteousness.

[John Weaver] by whose stripes you are healed. Note that we are to be dead to sins. The fact is, that if we are 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 6. Beginning there in verse 11. By the way, it's a whole different message. It is true 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.

[John Weaver] 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 you 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 says don't let it reign. Well, how can we not let sin reign over us? The answer is, We reckon ourselves dead indeed into sin. The word reckon there literally means to count. It means to impute. So God says you count yourself dead into sin. You impute yourselves dead into sin. So, here comes sin knocking at your door. And sin is saying, let us commit fornication. Let us get drunk. Let us steal.

[John Weaver] 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 unto 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] I want you to go back to Colossians chapter 3. I want you to look at this passage again. Look in verse 3. 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 3. For you 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.

[John Weaver] Do you realize that our real, genuine life is so safe there is 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 and verse 12.

[John Weaver] He said, For the witch cause 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 have 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 Brother Weaver, I know plenty of people who profess to be Christians and they left the Christian faith.

[John Weaver] That's why you need to read 1 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 and finally I found some preaching. And it was an old black preacher out of Atlanta, Georgia. And I never will forget that old gruff 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.

[John Weaver] 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 put 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.

[John Weaver] And come to think of it, them's 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. 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.

The Supremacy of Christ Over The Christians Mind And Affections

John Weaver | YouTube

Lecture Metadata	Details
Speaker	John Weaver
Source	YouTube
Media ID	do24iXClDVo
Subject	New Testament Studies
Course	Romans: Sin, Judgment, and Gospel Foundations: Praying Against the Wicked
Genre	Sermon
Date	2013-01-21
Dictation Name
Book	Book 136: Romans: Sin, Judgment, and Gospel Foundations - Volume 1 — Chapter 14
Source Timed Segments	62

Formatted Transcript

Introduction: The Preeminence of Christ

Christ is supreme over all creation, and believers must apply this confession to daily life by examining what controls their thoughts and desires.

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 three, verse one. 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.

And he deserves all honor, praise, honor, and glory. Therefore, Jesus Christ must have his rightful place in everything. If you 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?

So I can 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.

The Duty Enjoined: Since You Are Risen with Christ

Paul's command is based on the believer's union with Christ in His death, burial, resurrection, and ascension, as taught in Colossians 2 and Romans 6.

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're risen with him through the faith of the operation of God who raised him from the dead. Now, I want you to also turn in your Bibles very quickly to Romans chapter 6 and look at verse 4. In fact, you might ought 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, 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, 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 two, verse four, 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 show the exceeding riches of his grace in his kindness toward us through Christ Jesus. Note verse six, 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 involves seeking the kingdom of God, living as strangers and pilgrims, and being satisfied in Christ's salvation.

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. 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 this same principle over and over in scripture. For instance, Matthew 6 in verse 20, he 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 in 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 in verse 20, the word of God says this, for our conversation is in heaven, from whence also we look for our 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 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. 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 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 and 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. 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 to 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 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 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 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, 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. In the, 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. Okay. The truth of the matter is this. When we seek those things 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 here, 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 you 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 exalted at God's right hand, believers have bold access to the Father and should be motivated to holiness and heavenly affection.

I want you to note, thirdly, the duty emphasized. Verse 1, he says, if you 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 by 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, 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.

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 exalt in the truth that He must rule and He must reign until He hath 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 to 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. Now, I want you to 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, 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.

Now I want you to turn to the book of Hebrews chapter 4. Look first at verse 16. Hebrews 4 and verse 16. Let this grab a hold of your understanding. Hebrews 4 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 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 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?

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 in 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 a high priest over the house of God, let us draw near with a true heart and full

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 into 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, we were buried with Him, we were raised from the dead in Him, we ascended into 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.

Now, go back to Colossians chapter 3, because I want you to see the fourth point in verse 2. 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.

The Duty Exercised: Set Your Affection on Things Above

Believers must positively set their minds on heavenly things and negatively refuse to set affections on earthly things, learning to think biblically in every area of life.

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 shekels 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 He said, set your affection 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 truths and biblical truths, 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 such 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 is 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 3 and verse 19. Here is what earthly things would be like. Philippians 3 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.

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, you're glorying in your shame, and you're walking completely and totally contrary to the Word of God. If you'll 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. It had three bumper stickers on it. 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. And 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 to 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 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're to be armed with the mind of Christ. We learn the truth of Romans 12 verse 2, in 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 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.

The Duty Explained: Dead and 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 breaks sin's dominion.

I want you to see the duty explained. Look in Colossians chapter 3 and verse 3. He says, For you 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. I want you to turn in your Bibles to Romans chapter 6.

I told you we're 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 hid with Christ in God. Look in Romans chapter 6 verse 1. Try to follow the apostles 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 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 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 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.

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, 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're 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 to 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 1 Peter chapter 2 and verse 24, 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 you are healed. Note that we are to be dead to sins. The fact is, that if we are 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 6. Beginning there in 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 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. Now notice if you would, He did not say let not sin therefore be in your mortal bodies. It's there. But He says 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 unto sin. You impute yourselves dead 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 I write unto 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.

I want you to go back to Colossians chapter 3. I want you to look at this passage again. Look in verse 3. 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 3. For you 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 is 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 and 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 Brother Weaver, I know plenty of people who profess to be Christians and they left the Christian faith.

That's why you need to read 1 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.

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 gruff 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 put 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 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. 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.

Study Guide

Major Themes

Union with Christ in Death and Resurrection

Summary: Believers are spiritually united with Christ in His death, burial, resurrection, and ascension, which forms the basis for holy living.

Evidence: The speaker expounds Colossians 2:11-12, Romans 6:4, and Ephesians 2:4-6 to show that believers have died, been buried, raised, and seated with Christ.

Heavenly Mindedness

Summary: Christians are called to set their minds and affections on heavenly things rather than earthly pursuits, reflecting their true citizenship.

Evidence: The sermon repeatedly emphasizes seeking things above (Colossians 3:1-2) and contrasts it with minding earthly things (Philippians 3:19).

Dead to Sin

Summary: Through union with Christ, believers are dead to sin's dominion and must reckon themselves so, refusing to let sin reign.

Evidence: The speaker explains Romans 6:1-12 and 1 Peter 2:24, stressing that being dead to sin means sin no longer has lordship.

Security in Christ

Summary: The believer's life is hidden with Christ in God, providing absolute security and assurance of salvation.

Evidence: Colossians 3:3 is explained with illustrations of a hidden treasure and the anecdote of the old black preacher on John 10.

Access to God through Christ

Summary: Because Christ is at God's right hand, believers have bold access to the Father in prayer and worship.

Evidence: Hebrews 4:14-16 and Hebrews 10:19-22 are cited to show the privilege of coming boldly to the throne of grace.

Key Arguments

Union with Christ obligates heavenly conduct

Summary: Since believers have been raised and ascended with Christ, they must live in a manner consistent with their heavenly position.

Evidence: The speaker argues from Colossians 3:1 and Ephesians 2:6 that ascension follows resurrection, so our walk should be heavenly.

Seeking things above means pursuing God's kingdom

Summary: To seek things above is to focus on the kingdom of God, as Christ did after His resurrection, and to live as strangers on earth.

Evidence: Acts 1:3 and Hebrews 11:8-16 are used to define seeking above as speaking of the kingdom and looking for a heavenly city.

Christ's session at God's right hand grants bold access

Summary: Christ's exalted position means believers can approach God with confidence, a privilege unknown to Old Testament saints.

Evidence: Hebrews 4:16 and 10:19 are quoted to show that we have boldness to enter the holiest by the blood of Jesus.

Setting affections above requires thinking biblically

Summary: Believers must bring every thought captive to Christ and renew their minds, doing all things in reference to God's glory.

Evidence: 2 Corinthians 10:4-5 and Romans 12:2 are referenced to show the need for a transformed mind.

Death to sin is the ground for holy living

Summary: Being dead to sin means sin's dominion is broken; believers must reckon this true and refuse to let sin reign.

Evidence: Romans 6:1-12 is expounded to show that a dead person cannot respond to sin's temptations.

Scripture References

Colossians 3:1-3

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

Colossians 1:15-17

Context: Used to establish Christ's preeminence and supremacy over all creation.

Psalm 10:4

Context: Cited to show that the wicked do not seek God; God is not in all their thoughts.

Romans 14:23

Context: Quoted to support that whatever is not of faith is sin, applied to daily activities.

Proverbs 21:4

Context: Used to illustrate that even plowing is sin if not done in faith.

Colossians 2:11-12

Context: Referenced to explain the believer's spiritual circumcision and burial with Christ in baptism.

Romans 6:4

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

Ephesians 2:4-6

Context: Used to prove that believers have been raised and seated with Christ in heavenly places.

1 John 4:17

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

Philippians 2:5-11

Context: Referenced to illustrate Christ's humiliation and exaltation as the pattern for the believer's mind.

Matthew 6:20

Context: Cited to command laying up treasures in heaven.

Matthew 6:33

Context: Quoted to emphasize seeking first the kingdom of God.

Philippians 3:20

Context: Used to show that the believer's conversation (citizenship) is in heaven.

Acts 1:3

Context: Cited to demonstrate that Christ spoke of the kingdom of God after His resurrection.

Hebrews 11:8-10, 13-16

Context: Used to illustrate that the patriarchs sought a heavenly country, living as strangers and pilgrims.

1 Peter 2:11

Context: Quoted to exhort believers as strangers and pilgrims to abstain from fleshly lusts.

John 17:24

Context: Cited to show Christ's prayer that believers be with Him and behold His glory.

Ephesians 2:18

Context: Used to show that through Christ we have access by one Spirit to the Father.

Hebrews 4:14-16

Context: Quoted to encourage bold approach to the throne of grace because of our great High Priest.

Hebrews 10:19-23

Context: Cited to show boldness to enter the holiest by the blood of Jesus.

Historical References

John Gill (1697-1771)

Context: Quoted for his commentary on setting affection on things above, emphasizing that the heart should be where the treasure is.

Charles Spurgeon (1834-1892)

Context: Mentioned for his saying about security in Christ: 'Plagues and death around me fly. Till he please, I cannot die.'

Nazi rule and escape from Hungary

Context: Used as an illustration that those who tried to take all belongings were captured, but those who traveled light escaped, applied to setting affections on things above.

Important Quotes

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

Significance: Highlights the contrast between the wicked who ignore God and the believer's call to have Christ supreme in their thoughts.

Whatsoever is not of faith is sin.

Significance: Establishes the principle that all activities must be done in faith with reference to Christ's sovereignty.

If you 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, calling believers to a heavenly focus based on their union with the exalted Christ.

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

Significance: The foundational truth that enables believers to set affections above, emphasizing security and death to sin.

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

Significance: Key application: believers must count themselves dead to sin to resist its dominion.

Discussion Questions

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

Context: The sermon defines seeking above as pursuing God's kingdom and living as strangers on earth.

How does understanding our union with Christ in His death and resurrection change the way we fight sin?

Context: The speaker explains that being dead to sin means sin's dominion is broken, and we must reckon it so.

In what ways do we 'mind earthly things' like the enemies of the cross described in Philippians 3:19?

Context: The contrast is drawn between setting affections above and minding earthly things, which leads to destruction.

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

Context: The security of being hidden with Christ is meant to encourage believers to set affections above.

What does it look like to 'bring every thought into captivity to Christ' in practical situations?

Context: The sermon calls for thinking biblically in every area, from gardening to warfare.

Applications

Examine your thought life

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

Evidence: The speaker asks, 'What do you think about during your waking hours? What is on your mind as you lie down each night to sleep?'

Do all things in faith with reference to Christ

Summary: Every activity, from gardening to cooking, should be done in faith, recognizing Christ's sovereignty.

Evidence: The sermon states, '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.'

Live as strangers and pilgrims

Summary: Christians should hold loosely to earthly possessions and pleasures, focusing on the heavenly country.

Evidence: The illustration of escaping Nazi rule by leaving belongings behind is used to urge detachment from earthly things.

Reckon yourselves dead to sin

Summary: When tempted, believers must consciously count themselves dead to sin and alive to God, refusing to let sin reign.

Evidence: The speaker explains Romans 6:11 and gives the example of responding to temptation with 'I'm sorry, I'm dead. I can't perform your actions.'

Rest in the security of your salvation

Summary: Believers can have confidence that their life is safely hidden with Christ, which should produce peace and perseverance.

Evidence: The anecdote of the old black preacher emphasizes that no one can pluck the believer out of God's hand.

deepseek | deepseek-v4-pro | clean_readable_transcript | 2026-06-05T14:27:53Z

deepseek | deepseek-v4-pro | weaver_study | 2026-06-06T02:57:55Z

Clean Transcript

The Supremacy of Christ Over The Christians Mind And Affections

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 three, verse one. 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.
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And he deserves all honor, praise, honor, and glory. Therefore, Jesus Christ must have his rightful place in everything. If you 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?
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So I can 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 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.
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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. For instance.
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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 and 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. I want to show you from Colossians chapter 3 the truths that God enforces upon our minds and our affections. So let's look first of all at verse 1 and see the very first point, the duty enjoined.
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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're risen with him through the faith of the operation of God who raised him from the dead. Now, I want you to also turn in your Bibles very quickly to Romans chapter 6 and look at verse 4. In fact, you might ought 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, 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.
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So just as Jesus Christ was buried, 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.
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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 two, verse four, 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 show the exceeding riches of his grace in his kindness toward us through Christ Jesus. Note verse six, 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 first 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.
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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 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. 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 this same principle over and over in scripture. For instance, Matthew 6 in verse 20, he 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 in 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 in verse 20, the word of God says this, for our conversation is in heaven, from whence also we look for our 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 you then are risen with Christ, seek those things which are above.
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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, 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 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.
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Notice the book of Hebrews chapter 11, and let's begin reading there at verse 8. Hebrews 11 and 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. 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 to 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 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.
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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 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. In the, 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. Okay.
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The truth of the matter is this. When we seek those things 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 here, 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 you 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 1, he says, if you 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 by 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.
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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, 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.
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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 exalt in the truth that He must rule and He must reign until He hath 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 to 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. Now, I want you to stop and think.
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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, 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.
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Now I want you to turn to the book of Hebrews chapter 4. Look first at verse 16. Hebrews 4 and verse 16. Let this grab a hold of your understanding. Hebrews 4 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 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 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?
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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 in 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 a high priest over the house of God, let us draw near with a true heart and full
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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 into 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, we were buried with Him, we were raised from the dead in Him, we ascended into heaven with Him, since He is at the right hand of God, we have full and unfettered access to God our Heavenly Father.
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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.
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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.
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Now, go back to Colossians chapter 3, because I want you to see the fourth point in verse 2. 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.
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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 shekels 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.
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And so He said, set your affection 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 truths and biblical truths, 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 such 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.
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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
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or happiness placed in possession of them. Now just stop. If your happiness is 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 3 and verse 19. Here is what earthly things would be like. Philippians 3 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.
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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, you're glorying in your shame, and you're walking completely and totally contrary to the Word of God. If you'll 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. It had three bumper stickers on it. 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. And 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 to 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.
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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're to be armed with the mind of Christ. We learn the truth of Romans 12 verse 2, in 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.
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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.
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I want you to see the duty explained. Look in Colossians chapter 3 and verse 3. He says, For you 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. I want you to turn in your Bibles to Romans chapter 6.
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I told you we're 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 hid with Christ in God. Look in Romans chapter 6 verse 1. Try to follow the apostles 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 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.
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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.
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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 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.
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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, 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're 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 to 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 1 Peter chapter 2 and verse 24, 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.
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by whose stripes you are healed. Note that we are to be dead to sins. The fact is, that if we are 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 6. Beginning there in 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.
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Now, look in Romans 6 verse 11. He says, likewise, reckon ye 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. Now notice if you would, He did not say let not sin therefore be in your mortal bodies. It's there. But He says 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 unto sin. You impute yourselves dead 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.
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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 unto 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.
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I want you to go back to Colossians chapter 3. I want you to look at this passage again. Look in verse 3. 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 3. For you 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 is 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 and 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 Brother Weaver, I know plenty of people who profess to be Christians and they left the Christian faith.
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That's why you need to read 1 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.
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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 and finally I found some preaching. And it was an old black preacher out of Atlanta, Georgia. And I never will forget that old gruff 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.
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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 put 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.
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And come to think of it, them's 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. 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.
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deepseek | deepseek-v4-pro | clean_readable_transcript | 2026-06-05T14:27:53Z

The Supremacy of Christ Over The Christians Mind And Affections

John Weaver | Freedom Ministries

Pastor John Weaver expounds Colossians 3:1-3, emphasizing that because believers are risen 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 hidden with Christ in God.

Introduction: The Preeminence of Christ

Christ is supreme over all creation, and believers must apply this confession to daily life by examining what controls their thoughts and desires.

The Duty Enjoined: Since You Are Risen with Christ

Paul's command is based on the believer's union with Christ in His death, burial, resurrection, and ascension, as taught in Colossians 2 and Romans 6.

The Duty Established: Seek Those Things Which Are Above

Believers have an obligation to seek heavenly things, which involves seeking the kingdom of God, living as strangers and pilgrims, and being satisfied in Christ's salvation.

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

Because Christ is exalted at God's right hand, believers have bold access to the Father and should be motivated to holiness and heavenly affection.

The Duty Exercised: Set Your Affection on Things Above

Believers must positively set their minds on heavenly things and negatively refuse to set affections on earthly things, learning to think biblically in every area of life.

The Duty Explained: Dead and 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 breaks sin's dominion.

The Supremacy of Christ Over The Christians Mind And Affections

John Weaver | YouTube

Lecture Metadata	Details
Speaker	John Weaver
Source	YouTube
Media ID	do24iXClDVo
Subject	New Testament Studies
Course	Romans: Sin, Judgment, and Gospel Foundations: Praying Against the Wicked
Genre	Sermon
Date	2013-01-21
Dictation Name
Book	Book 136: Romans: Sin, Judgment, and Gospel Foundations - Volume 1 — Chapter 14
Source Timed Segments	62

Lecture Guide

Outline

Introduction: The Preeminence of Christ: Christ is supreme over all creation, and believers must apply this confession to daily life by examining what controls their thoughts and desires.
The Duty Enjoined: Since You Are Risen with Christ: Paul's command is based on the believer's union with Christ in His death, burial, resurrection, and ascension, as taught in Colossians 2 and Romans 6.
The Duty Established: Seek Those Things Which Are Above: Believers have an obligation to seek heavenly things, which involves seeking the kingdom of God, living as strangers and pilgrims, and being satisfied in Christ's salvation.
The Duty Emphasized: Where Christ Sits at God's Right Hand: Because Christ is exalted at God's right hand, believers have bold access to the Father and should be motivated to holiness and heavenly affection.
The Duty Exercised: Set Your Affection on Things Above: Believers must positively set their minds on heavenly things and negatively refuse to set affections on earthly things, learning to think biblically in every area of life.
The Duty Explained: Dead and 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 breaks sin's dominion.

Major Themes

Key Arguments

Union with Christ obligates heavenly conduct

Since believers have been raised and ascended with Christ, they must live in a manner consistent with their heavenly position.

The speaker argues from Colossians 3:1 and Ephesians 2:6 that ascension follows resurrection, so our walk should be heavenly.

Seeking things above means pursuing God's kingdom

To seek things above is to focus on the kingdom of God, as Christ did after His resurrection, and to live as strangers on earth.

Acts 1:3 and Hebrews 11:8-16 are used to define seeking above as speaking of the kingdom and looking for a heavenly city.

Christ's session at God's right hand grants bold access

Christ's exalted position means believers can approach God with confidence, a privilege unknown to Old Testament saints.

Hebrews 4:16 and 10:19 are quoted to show that we have boldness to enter the holiest by the blood of Jesus.

Setting affections above requires thinking biblically

Believers must bring every thought captive to Christ and renew their minds, doing all things in reference to God's glory.

2 Corinthians 10:4-5 and Romans 12:2 are referenced to show the need for a transformed mind.

Death to sin is the ground for holy living

Being dead to sin means sin's dominion is broken; believers must reckon this true and refuse to let sin reign.

Romans 6:1-12 is expounded to show that a dead person cannot respond to sin's temptations.

Scripture References

Colossians 3:1-3: Primary text of the sermon, commanding believers to seek things above and set affections there because they are dead and hidden with Christ.
Colossians 1:15-17: Used to establish Christ's preeminence and supremacy over all creation.
Psalm 10:4: Cited to show that the wicked do not seek God; God is not in all their thoughts.
Romans 14:23: Quoted to support that whatever is not of faith is sin, applied to daily activities.
Proverbs 21:4: Used to illustrate that even plowing is sin if not done in faith.
Colossians 2:11-12: Referenced to explain the believer's spiritual circumcision and burial with Christ in baptism.
Romans 6:4: Cited to show that believers are buried with Christ and raised to walk in newness of life.
Ephesians 2:4-6: Used to prove that believers have been raised and seated with Christ in heavenly places.
1 John 4:17: Quoted to show that as Christ is, so are believers in this world, giving boldness in judgment.
Philippians 2:5-11: Referenced to illustrate Christ's humiliation and exaltation as the pattern for the believer's mind.
Matthew 6:20: Cited to command laying up treasures in heaven.
Matthew 6:33: Quoted to emphasize seeking first the kingdom of God.
Philippians 3:20: Used to show that the believer's conversation (citizenship) is in heaven.
Acts 1:3: Cited to demonstrate that Christ spoke of the kingdom of God after His resurrection.
Hebrews 11:8-10, 13-16: Used to illustrate that the patriarchs sought a heavenly country, living as strangers and pilgrims.
1 Peter 2:11: Quoted to exhort believers as strangers and pilgrims to abstain from fleshly lusts.
John 17:24: Cited to show Christ's prayer that believers be with Him and behold His glory.
Ephesians 2:18: Used to show that through Christ we have access by one Spirit to the Father.
Hebrews 4:14-16: Quoted to encourage bold approach to the throne of grace because of our great High Priest.
Hebrews 10:19-23: Cited to show boldness to enter the holiest by the blood of Jesus.

Historical References

John Gill (1697-1771): Quoted for his commentary on setting affection on things above, emphasizing that the heart should be where the treasure is.
Charles Spurgeon (1834-1892): Mentioned for his saying about security in Christ: 'Plagues and death around me fly. Till he please, I cannot die.'
Nazi rule and escape from Hungary: Used as an illustration that those who tried to take all belongings were captured, but those who traveled light escaped, applied to setting affections on things above.

Important Quotes

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

Highlights the contrast between the wicked who ignore God and the believer's call to have Christ supreme in their thoughts.

Whatsoever is not of faith is sin.

Establishes the principle that all activities must be done in faith with reference to Christ's sovereignty.

If you 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, calling believers to a heavenly focus based on their union with the exalted Christ.

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

The foundational truth that enables believers to set affections above, emphasizing security and death to sin.

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

Key application: believers must count themselves dead to sin to resist its dominion.

Discussion Questions

[Question]

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

[Context]

The sermon defines seeking above as pursuing God's kingdom and living as strangers on earth.

[Question]

How does understanding our union with Christ in His death and resurrection change the way we fight sin?

[Context]

The speaker explains that being dead to sin means sin's dominion is broken, and we must reckon it so.

[Question]

In what ways do we 'mind earthly things' like the enemies of the cross described in Philippians 3:19?

[Context]

The contrast is drawn between setting affections above and minding earthly things, which leads to destruction.

[Question]

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

[Context]

The security of being hidden with Christ is meant to encourage believers to set affections above.

[Question]

What does it look like to 'bring every thought into captivity to Christ' in practical situations?

[Context]

The sermon calls for thinking biblically in every area, from gardening to warfare.

Applications

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deepseek | deepseek-v4-pro | weaver_study | 2026-06-06T02:57:55Z