Colossians 3:1

DISCOURSE: 2181
OUR RESURRECTION WITH CHRIST A MOTIVE TO HEAVENLY-MINDEDNESS

Colossians 3:1. If ye then be risen with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ sitteth on the right hand of God.

ONE of the most distinguished peculiarities of our holy religion is, that it suggests entirely new motives to action. The inducements which reason could offer, were (as all antiquity proves) altogether weak and inefficient — — — Those alone which Christianity proposes are capable of restraining the passions of men, and of regulating their conduct. Beg of God then that you may feel the power of his word, whilst I set before you,

I. The duty here inculcated—

I by no means must be understood as intimating, that we are at liberty to neglect our earthly concerns. Circumstanced as we are, we must of necessity devote much time and labour to the pursuit of worldly things: and, if we neglected them, we should offend against the order of Divine Providence, who has said in reference to them, “Six days shalt thou labour.” But
“The things which are above” are most worthy of our pursuit—
[Amongst these we must number the favour of our offended God, the manifestations of his love to our souls, the attainment of his image, and the possession of his glory.

Which of these things can be dispensed with? — — — or which can be attained by a mere inactive wish, or by a formal and faint endeavour? — — — These things, in point of value and importance, as far excel all earthly things, as the splendour of the meridian sun eclipses the faint radiance of the glow-worm.]
These therefore we are to seek with our whole hearts—
[They are to have the first place in our esteem, and to be sought with a diligence proportioned to their value [Note: Matthew 6:33.]. Seeking only will not suffice; we must strive to enter in at the strait gate; for we are told that “many shall seek, and not be able [Note: Luke 13:24.].” “The kingdom of heaven must be taken by violence [Note: Matthew 11:12.],” even by the holy violence of faith and prayer. The things above must be sought with the same constancy and zeal as are employed by the world in the pursuit of things below. Worldly men are never weary in the pursuit of their objects. From the earliest dawn to the very hour when they retire to rest, their appetite for earthly things continues; nor, whatever they may attain, are they ever satisfied. Their energies may be enfeebled by labour; but their taste is still the same: they savour the things which pertain to time and sense [Note: Romans 8:5.],—them constantly, them supremely, them only. Now this is the way in which we should “seek the things that are above:” and, in comparison of these, all earthly things should be to us as dung and dross. Even life itself should be of no value, if by sacrificing it our eternal interests may be improved [Note: Luke 14:26; Luke 14:33.]

If this appear “an hard saying,” attend while I lay before you,

II.

The considerations with which it is enforced—

The Apostle urges upon us our duty on the ground of consistency. Mark,

1. Your professions—

[The word “If” does not express any doubt in the Apostle’s mind, but imports an acknowledged fact, viz. that the Christian is risen with Christ. It is the same as if he had said, “Since ye are risen with Christ.” Now every Christian is risen with Christ both federally, and spiritually. Christ is his federal Head and Representative: and all that He experienced, we experienced in him. Was he circumcised when a child? Was he at the close of life crucified, dead, and buried? Did he rise, and ascend to heaven? And is he now sitting at the right hand of God? In the whole of this we had, not an interest only, but a direct participation [Note: Colossians 2:10.]. Exactly as we died in Adam, partaking, as it were, with him in the sin which, as our head and representative, he committed, so all which Christ did and suffered is imputed to us, as though we had ourselves done and suffered it in him [Note: 1 Corinthians 15:22. 2 Corinthians 5:21.]. Spiritually also are we risen in Christ. All that he did and suffered is, if I may so speak, accomplished personally in every one of us, his corporeal acts and sufferings being the model of what we experience in our souls. This is by St. Paul stated with great accuracy. In his prayer for the Ephesian Church, he desires that they may “know what is the exceeding greatness of God’s power in all his believing people, according to the working of his mighty power, which he wrought in Christ, when he raised him from the dead, and set him at his own right hand in the heavenly places.” And then ho marks distinctly and separately the work which God accomplishes in his people, quickening them from the dead, raising them up to newness of life, and setting them together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus [Note: Ephesians 1:19. with 2:4–6.].”

Now then I ask, Is not this what as Christians you profess? Do you not profess to be thus risen with Christ, interested in all that he did and suffered for you, and bound to be conformed to him in the whole of this his mediatorial work and office. You do profess it, whether you intend it or not. And this profession binds you to an entire devotedness of heart and life to God. You must of necessity “thus judge, that if One died for all, then were all dead; and that he died for all, that they who live should not henceforth live unto themselves, but unto him who died for them, and rose again [Note: 2 Corinthians 5:14.].”

But you shall see this on authority that cannot be disputed, and actually urged in the very way suggested by my text. “What shall we say then; Shall we continue in sin that grace may abound? God forbid. How shall we that are dead to sin (as we all profess to be) live any longer therein? Know ye not, that as many of us as were baptized into Jesus Christ, were baptized into his death? Therefore we are buried with him by baptism into death; that like as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life [Note: Romans 6:1.].”

The point then is proved. Consistency requires that you should seek primarily and with your whole hearts the things above.
If yet you entertain a doubt of this, I ask you, what judgment you yourselves pass on a carnal, sensual, worldly-minded professor of religion? Do you not condemn him as inconsistent? Then in so doing you pass judgment on yourselves.]

2. Your expectations—

[The words, “Where Christ sitteth at the right hand of God,” are not added casually and without design: they give exceeding great weight and emphasis to all that precedes. These words express the expectations of the Christian, as the former do his professions. “Christ is at the right hand of God,” the seat of honour and of power. But he is not there as a mere individual for his own happiness only. He is there prosecuting still the work which he began on earth, and in which we are as much interested as we are in what he did and suffered here below. We look to him to afford us all needful aid by the constant supplies of his Spirit and grace [Note: John 16:7. 2 Corinthians 12:8.].” We look to him to obtain for us the acceptance of our poor imperfect services [Note: 1 Peter 2:5.]. We look to Him to come again and take us in due season to a full participation of all the glory which he himself possesses [Note: John 16:23; John 17:24, and Revelation 3:21.]. But in which of these shall we succeed, it we do not live to him? If we were to tell you, that a worldly and carnal life was the way to obtain these blessings, would you not cry out against us as “blind leaders of the blind?” Then behold what your expectations are, and how powerfully they proclaim and enforce your duties. If “your faith and hope depend altogether upon the exaltation of Christ to the right hand of God [Note: 1 Peter 1:21.],” your duty must of necessity be to look to him continually, that you may receive out of his fulness all that your necessities require.]

And now see,
1.

How few real Christians there are upon earth—

[If they were Christians who were conformed to Christ in his entombed state, and who sought only the things below, there would be no lack of them in every place: but if those only be Christians who in heart and life are risen with Christ, and who seek only the things above, then are they few indeed. Brethren, try yourselves by these marks, and you shall soon find your real character before God — — — But know ye this of a truth, that, whatever you may think to the contrary, they only who live to Christ in this world, shall ever live with him in the world to come.]

2. How blessed are they who are Christians indeed—

[Being risen with Christ, their lives are hid with Christ in God, beyond the reach of men or devils [Note: ver. 3.]. While they are engaged in heavenly pursuits, they may enjoy the security which God has ordained for them. Oppositions, indeed, and difficulties they must expect; but Christ will not lose one member of his mystical body. He derides the vain attempts of his enemies and ours. We too may defy the confederate powers of earth and hell [Note: Romans 8:33.]: for, however they may obtain a temporary triumph, their efforts shall terminate in their own confusion. With Christ we shall rise victorious; and “when he who is our life shall appear, then shall we also appear with him in glory [Note: ver. 4.].”]