Today’s Bible reading from the Five Day Bible Reading Plan: Numbers 15-18; Psalm 113; Colossians 3

Colossians 3:2 reminds the church, “Set your mind on things that are above.” This is about doctrinal truth and wisdom! This is about our minds, knowledge, truth, and wisdom—not only in the content of what the Scripture says but also in how by the Spirit we may apply what we know. This is important.

Over the years, people have gone in particular directions. Some believe Christianity is about living a good moral life. If you’re a good person with proper values, God will approve of you. Some go the other direction: it’s not about how I live, it’s about what I know—the Person of Jesus and the content of Scripture. They know a lot, but it doesn’t translate into a lifestyle.

Sometimes our small groups turn into this. Some are really heavy in the Scripture but light on community—others vice versa. Jesus has called us to a relationship. Jerry Bridges in his book “The Discipline of Grace” says this:

“Our entire confidence in our acceptance before God is based solely upon the fact that Jesus was our legal representative in His sinless life and obedient death.”

So we seek and set our minds on things that are above. In verse 7 and the first part of verse 8, Paul says, “In these you too once walked, when you were living in them.”  But in verse 3, Paul tells us “You have died and your life is hidden with Christ in God.” In Romans 6 we see that sin no longer has dominion over us. Why? We are safely hidden in Christ, secure.

In verse 10: We “have put on the new self, which is being renewed in knowledge after the image of its creator.” Christ transforms our minds and our hearts.

God has given us a tool in which to help us set our minds and hearts, and that is singing/music. In verse 16, Paul speaks of Psalms (Scripture), hymns (based on Scripture), and spiritual songs that are expressions that just come from a Spirit-filled heart. These songs are here to sing praise to the one who rescues us, to teach each other about who Christ is and what he accomplished, and to encourage each other to come to the faith or keep the faith.

The point is we must continue to seek that which is above with the tools and wisdom God provides.