ADJUSTING OUR BEHAVIOUR TO SUIT OUR POSITION

Mike Blume
October 2, 2005 pm

  Scripture Text:

 
Col 2:20-23  Wherefore if ye be dead with Christ from the rudiments of the world, why, as though living in the world, are ye subject to ordinances,  (21)  (Touch not; taste not; handle not;  (22)  Which all are to perish with the using;) after the commandments and doctrines of men?  (23)  Which things have indeed a shew of wisdom in will worship, and humility, and neglecting of the body; not in any honour to the satisfying of the flesh.

Col 3:1-12  If ye then be risen with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ sitteth on the right hand of God.  (2)  Set your affection on things above, not on things on the earth.  (3)  For ye are dead, and your life is hid with Christ in God.  (4)  When Christ, who is our life, shall appear, then shall ye also appear with him in glory.  (5)  Mortify therefore your members which are upon the earth; fornication, uncleanness, inordinate affection, evil concupiscence, and covetousness, which is idolatry:  (6)  For which things' sake the wrath of God cometh on the children of disobedience:  (7)  In the which ye also walked some time, when ye lived in them.  (8)  But now ye also put off all these; anger, wrath, malice, blasphemy, filthy communication out of your mouth.  (9)  Lie not one to another, seeing that ye have put off the old man with his deeds;  (10)  And have put on the new man, which is renewed in knowledge after the image of him that created him:  (11)  Where there is neither Greek nor Jew, circumcision nor uncircumcision, Barbarian, Scythian, bond nor free: but Christ is all, and in all.  (12)  Put on therefore, as the elect of God, holy and beloved, bowels of mercies, kindness, humbleness of mind, meekness, longsuffering;  

  Message:


We read some points here that have been such a blessing to us for some time now.
  • We are dead with Christ.
  • We are risen with Christ.

But this time, when he speaks about being dead and being risen/resurrected, he mentions TWO DIFFERENT LOCATIONS.
  • We are dead with Christ, and he mentions the WORLD in association with that death.
  • Then he says we are risen with Christ, and mentions the location of Heaven where Christ sits on the right hand of God.

The pattern is found in Jesus' own crucifixion and resurrection.
  • He died IN THE WORLD.
  • The cross was not in heaven but in the earth.
  • And after He resurrected, He then went to heaven to the right hand of God.

Since we are CONNECTED to his death and resurrection, Paul uses these locations associated with Jesus' death and resurrection, and gives us a message about them.
  • AND THEY CONCERN OUR BEHAVIOUR.

After all, if we were to actually die, we really do die to the world.
  • No more concern over money.
  • No more concern over getting to work on time.
  • No more care about change in gas prices.
  • Fashions.
  • What government party you vote for.
  • YOU ARE DEAD TO THE WORLD.

Now, God's Word says we are dead to the world with Christ.
  • Does this mean we should not be concerned with going to work on time now?
  • No.
  • IT HAS TO DO WITH PRIORITIES.
  • And Paul speaks his point very clearly.

Col 3:2  Set your affection on things above, not on things on the earth.

Col 3:2 ISV   Keep your minds on things that are above, not on things that are on the earth.

Col 3:2 GNB Keep your minds fixed on things there, not on things here on earth.

It is WHERE OUR MINDS ARE FOCUSED OR FIXED.

Paul spoke to the Colossians and said they had a problem.
  • They were dead to the world but FOCUSED or SET their minds on things as though they were LIVING IN THE WORLD.
  • YOUR LIFE is what you LIVE WITH.

Col 2:20  Wherefore if ye be dead with Christ from the rudiments of the world, why, as though living in the world, are ye subject to ordinances, 

If you died, you are no longer LIVING IN THE WORLD.
  • And the things Paul lists, that he calls ordinances, are as follows:

(21)  (Touch not; taste not; handle not;

Col 2:20-21 ISV  If you have died with Christ to the basic principles of the world, why are you submitting to its decrees as though you still lived in the world?  (21)  "Don't handle this! Don't taste or touch that!"

This is speaking about OLD TESTAMENT PHYSICAL temples and physical ceremonies, etc.
  • They were all physically oriented.
  • And as much as a person DIES to material things in the world, when we died with Christ we DIED to concentration on material things.
  • Material things are what we touch, taste or handle.

Instead of having concentration upon material things, although we have responsibilities, FOCUS ON SPIRITUAL THINGS.
  • WHERE CHRIST PRESENTLY IS.

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

Col 3:1 ISV  Therefore, if you have been raised with Christ, keep focusing on the things that are above, where Christ is seated at the right hand of God.

When Jesus died to the world, we died WITH HIM.
  • And we resurrected with Him and are PRESENTLY WITH HIM AS WELL.

Notice there are things that are PAST experiences WITH CHRIST.
  • Dead with Him, and risen with Him.

BUT THERE ARE MORE THINGS AS WELL.
  • PRESENT CONDITION AND FUTURE CONDITION.

Col 3:3-4 KJV  For ye are dead, and your life is hid with Christ in God.  (4)  When Christ, who is our life, shall appear, then shall ye also appear with him in glory.

OUR LIFE IS HID WITH CHRIST IN GOD.
  • That is a present state.
  • We already died and resurrected with Him.
  • But PRESENTLY WE ARE HID WITH HIM.
  • Dead WITH Him.
  • Risen WITH Him.
  • Hid WITH Him.

And there is a FUTURE condition.
  • This has not happened yet.
  • YE SHALL APPEAR WITH HIM IN GLORY.

Presently we are HID WITH HIM.
  • But in the future WE SHALL APPEAR WITH HIM.

And notice that APPEARING is what occurs when the HIDING is over.

And this APPEARING after the HIDING is a reason for Paul to tell us to do something.

Col 3:4-5 KJV  When Christ, who is our life, shall appear, then shall ye also appear with him in glory.  (5)  Mortify therefore your members which are upon the earth; fornication, uncleanness, inordinate affection, evil concupiscence, and covetousness, which is idolatry:

Because we SHALL APPEAR with Him, THEREFORE mortify your members.

Col 3:3-5 ISV  For you have died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God.  (4)  When Christ your life is revealed, then you, too, will be revealed with him in glory.  (5)  So put to death your worldly impulses: sexual sin, impurity, passion, evil desire, and greed (which is idolatry).

Putting to death, or MORTIFYING, WORLDLY IMPULSES is to be done BECAUSE we are hidden with Christ and shall be revealed with Christ.

IN OTHER WORDS, IF ALL THIS IS TRUE, THEN ADJUST OUR BEHAVIOUR TO SUIT OUR POSITION!

When we died WE PUT OFF THE OLD MAN.

Col 3:9-10 ISV  Do not lie to one another, for you have stripped off the old man with its practices  (10)  and have clothed yourselves with the new man, which is being renewed into full knowledge according to the image of the one who created it.

The old man is our OLD LIVES THAT WERE IN THE WORLD.
  • We behaved as sinners with worldly focuses because we were part of the world.
  • But when we were saved, we died with Christ to the world.
  • That old man we once were is now DEAD.
  • And THE PRACTICES ARE SUPPOSED TO BE GONE AS WELL.

BEHAVIOUR!

Our priorities were risen to HIGHER THINGS of a SPIRITUAL CONCERN.
  • Above material things.

While still in the world, we are associated  with Jesus to such an extent that we our priorities ought to SUIT the location where He presently is.

Jesus is in a spiritual realm, and we are there with Him in union.
  • We must concentrate on those things that are SPIRITUAL.

KILL YOUR MEMBERS ON THIS EARTH.

OUR LIFE is hid with Christ IN GOD.
  • Our Father who art in "HEAVEN."

WE MUST HAVE OUR BEHAVIOUR, WHICH AFFECTS OUR BODY'S MEMBERS, CATCH UP AND BE ADJUSTED WITH OUR POSITION.

Our actions need to match our positions.
  • We can make anything look so religious.
  • Even CONCENTRATION upon material things of the world.
  • Stress upon physical things.
  • BUT THIS IS TRULY BEING WORLDLY!

People think the way you dress can be worldly.
  • There is such a thing as indecent clothing.
  • Immodest clothing.
  • Christians ought never to be immodest and indecent in scant, thought clothes.
  • But CLOTHES ARE ALL PHYSICAL.
  • And being more concerned with how a person dresses than how a person's heart is, is wrong.


Someone told me their favourite topic in scripture is holiness, and by that they meant dressing properly and not smoking, etc.
  • Paul would have said, "If you are dead to the world and it's material things, why as though you are still alive in the world do you concentrate on physical things?
  • Make your favourite issues in scripture things like :

Col 3:12-23 KJV  Put on therefore, as the elect of God, holy and beloved, bowels of mercies, kindness, humbleness of mind, meekness, longsuffering;  (13)  Forbearing one another, and forgiving one another, if any man have a quarrel against any: even as Christ forgave you, so also do ye.  (14)  And above all these things put on charity, which is the bond of perfectness.  (15)  And let the peace of God rule in your hearts, to the which also ye are called in one body; and be ye thankful.  (16)  Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom; teaching and admonishing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord.  (17)  And whatsoever ye do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God and the Father by him.  (18)  Wives, submit yourselves unto your own husbands, as it is fit in the Lord.  (19)  Husbands, love your wives, and be not bitter against them.  (20)  Children, obey your parents in all things: for this is well pleasing unto the Lord.  (21)  Fathers, provoke not your children to anger, lest they be discouraged.  (22)  Servants, obey in all things your masters according to the flesh; not with eyeservice, as menpleasers; but in singleness of heart, fearing God:  (23)  And whatsoever ye do, do it heartily, as to the Lord, and not unto men;

Why concentrate on DON'T TOUCH, and DON'T TASTE, and DON'T HANDLE?

Rip your focus away from material category of things, and get them on the spiritual category.

A Jehovah's Witness once talked to me and I began to notice a trend in his point of concentration and focus.
  • He said he loved his JW movement, because they go to people's doors to witness...
  • They believe there was no cross Jesus died on, but a torture stake...
  • They believe hell is not fiery , but is only the grave...
  • They rent parks and clean them up so perfectly well that the owners are so impressed...
  • They get together and build a JW church in one day...
  • They do not take blood transfusions...
  • Their printing press rooms are so clean you could eat off the floor.

And I noticed that EVERYTHING HE CONCENTRATED UPON WAS SOMETHING MATERIAL.
  • I never heard anything about spiritual things like Righteousness, mercy, humility, meekness, longsuffering and love.
  • Nothing spiritual.

And many Apostolics are like that, too!
  • It does not matter if you are apostolic or Jehovah's Witness if you concentrate on WORLDLY THINGS and MATERIAL THINGS.

>From the abundance of the heart the mouth speaketh.
  • You can tell what a person focuses on in their hearts by what they talk about.
  • "Oh that person is not a very good Christian.  Look at their pants!
  • "That church is a good one!  The women all dress so beautifully!"
  • And EVEN.... ..."the Music is that church is so nice."

We all think of these things, but WHAT DO WE STRESS?
  • WHAT DO WE TALK MORE ABOUT?

"Oh I so appreciate the LOVE OF GOD in that believer."
  • "Their faith is so powerful!"
  • "That singer really worships God when she sings."
  • "That preacher has such a godly spirit and attitude."

WHY DO WE ACT AS THOUGH WE LIVE IN THE WORLD?

Col 2:20 KJV  Wherefore if ye be dead with Christ from the rudiments of the world, why, as though living in the world, are ye subject to ordinances,

Col 3:3 KJV  For ye are dead, and your life is hid with Christ in God.

Col 3:4 KJV  When Christ, who is our life, shall appear, then shall ye also appear with him in glory.

You LIVE what is called your LIFE!
  • Why LIVE in the world if your LIFE is in God in a very spiritual element?

Tit 2:12-13 KJV  Teaching us that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly, in this present world;  (13)  Looking for that blessed hope, and the glorious appearing of the great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ;

Notice Christ SHALL APPEAR IN GLORY.
  • A GLORIOUS APPEARING OF CHRIST!

And Titus said the same thing Colossians 3 said.
  • Live righteously and godly, because there is a GLORIOUS APPEARING OF OUR GOD AND OUR SAVIOUR JESUS CHRIST!

Right now Christ is HIDDEN IN GOD.
  • But He shall APPEAR!
  • And we are HIDDEN WITH HIM in God.
  • And we shall APPEAR WITH HIM!

The hard part is dealing with the fact that we are HIDDEN WITH HIM!
  • He is presently hidden in God.
  • The world does not see Him sitting on the throne.
  • But He is there!
  • The world does not see Him as KING OF KINGS!
  • He is hidden.
  • BUT ONE DAY THEY WILL SEE HIM APPEAR!
  • Everyone will know HE IS GOD AND HE WAS CORRECT AFTER ALL!

BUT WE ARE HIDDEN WITH HIM IN GOD.
  • As much as you cannot see Christ visibly, you cannot see yourself IN HEAVENLY PLACES.

Eph 1:20 KJV  Which he wrought in Christ, when he raised him from the dead, and set him at his own right hand in the heavenly places,

Eph 2:5-6 KJV  Even when we were dead in sins, hath quickened us together with Christ, (by grace ye are saved;)  (6)  And hath raised us up together, and made us sit together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus:

Eph said the same thing as Colossians.
  • Christ is on the right hand throne.
  • We are seated with Him there.

But because we cannot SEE THIS, and it is not REVEALED VISIBLY, as hard as it is for sinners to KNOW Jesus was correct and is really the ONLY TRUE GOD, SOME BELIEVERS HAVE A HARD TIME IN STOPPING THEMSELVES FROM CONCENTRATING ON THINGS YOU CAN SEE THAT ARE WORLDLY.
  • THEY ARE HID in God since it has not physically manifested in them yet.
  • Our BODIES are going to physically be made immortal one day.
  • This truth will not be something you have to have faith in when that happens.
  • YOU WILL KNOW!
  • You have FAITH when there is no physical proof, but only a PROMISE or a WORD.
  • One day there will be physical proof.
  • Jesus will APPEAR IN GLORY.
  • We will appear with Him in glory.
  • But while we are HIDDEN in God with Jesus, believers who get no teaching can only concentrate on material things.

They cannot SET THEIR MINDS/AFFECTION on things ABOVE the world, because THEY ARE MISSING SOMETHING THAT IS REQUIRED TO CAUSE THEM TO DO THAT.

Col 3:9-10 KJV  Lie not one to another, seeing that ye have put off the old man with his deeds;  (10)  And have put on the new man, which is renewed in knowledge after the image of him that created him:

Col 3:9-10 ISV  Do not lie to one another, for you have stripped off the old man with its practices  (10)  and have clothed yourselves with the new man, which is being renewed into full knowledge according to the image of the one who created it.

IN KNOWLEDGE.
  • Teaching and preaching EXPLAINS TO YOU HOW YOU SHOULD THINK.
  • And if you do not get teaching, YOU WILL THINK LIKE THE WORLD.
  • YOU WILL LIVE BY WHAT YOU SEE.

A spiritual person is someone who does not live their lives according to what they see and relate to outwardly and physically, but BY WHAT THE BIBLE SAYS ABOUT THEM.
  • So if the bible says they are dead to the world, then they act like they are dead to the world.
  • BEING SPIRITUAL IS LIVING ACCORDING TO HOW GOD DESCRIBES OUR POSITIONS.
  • You cannot be spiritual if you do not get teaching, though.

This passage takes us directly back to the thought of God creating man in his own image in Genesis.
  • Adam fell from life with God into sin.
  • And our lives as sinners are called ADAM.
  • Jesus became a NEW ADAM.
  • And as much as Adam was made in God's image before he sinned, THE NEW ADAM (MAN) IS RENEWED TO THE IMAGE OF THE CREATOR THE MORE THE OLD MAN DECAYS AWAY!
  • But the old man will not decay away if you continue to miss teaching.

2Co 4:16 KJV  For which cause we faint not; but though our outward man perish, yet the inward man is renewed day by day.

YOUR OUTWARD MAN... the part of you that STRESSES THE OUTWARD!
  • The part of you that focuses on the WORLD.
  • LET THAT DECAY.
  • And THE MORE IT DECAYS AND LOSES HOLD IN YOU, the more you let go of focus upon the outward and the material and the world, THE MORE THE INNER NEW MAN IS RENEWED!
  • RENEWED IN KNOWLEDGE.

If you did not learn tonight about how your BEHAVIOUR and FOCUS must change from being upon material things towards SPIRITUAL THINGS, you are not being changed into God's image.
  • You need to hear a preacher teach and preach these things for this to occur.
  • Pity the folks who do not get much teaching and preaching.
  • You will watch that their focus is more upon material things and their concentration and speech is more about worldly issues than the things of the Spirit and the things of God!

WHAT DO YOU TALK ABOUT ?

Millions of Christians are a bit SHY to speak about spiritual things.
  • A conversation of the spiritual things comes up and they become quiet.
  • Talk about sports or weather or even hunting, and watch them light up!
  • And some might get into chats about spiritual things, but they never start discussions on things of the Spirit because their hearts are not there in heavenly places where their position is.
  • Their hearts are in the world.

Luk 17:29 KJV  But the same day that Lot went out of Sodom it rained fire and brimstone from heaven, and destroyed them all.

Luk 17:32 KJV  Remember Lot's wife.

Lot's wife's position was OUTSIDE OF SODOM.
  • But the reason she looked back was because HER HEART WAS STILL THERE!
  • If the Lord comes to take the church away, maybe He will leave you in the world if your heart is still here.

Like our departure from our old lives when we were saved, read what Abraham did:

Heb 11:8 KJV  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.

Heb 11:9 KJV  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:

Heb 11:10 KJV  For he looked for a city which hath foundations, whose builder and maker is God.


Heb 11:14-15 KJV  For they that say such things declare plainly that they seek a country.  (15)  And truly, if they had been mindful of that country from whence they came out, they might have had opportunity to have returned.

Heb 11:14-15 ISV  For people who say such things make it clear that they are looking for a country of their own.  (15)  If they had been thinking about what they had left behind, they would have had an opportunity to go back.


Our hearts can be upon things in the earth, and not at all upon spiritual things.
  • A worldly person is someone caught up in the things that the world is caught up in.
  • I get concerned when my children are flipped out about a certain rock star like their unsaved friends at school are flipped out.
  • I get concerned over believers who are overly fashion conscious as the world is.
  • Even over-concern over cars or trucks or rifles or fishing poles can be WORLDLY.

We stay MINDFUL of the world and the THINGS OF THE WORLD... we are in trouble.

Mat 24:38 KJV  For as in the days that were before the flood they were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, until the day that Noe entered into the ark,

Luk 17:28 KJV  Likewise also as it was in the days of Lot; they did eat, they drank, they bought, they sold, they planted, they builded;

Nothing wrong with those things!
  • THEY WERE MATERIAL ONLY!
  • OUTWARD THINGS.
ADJUST your behaviour TO YOUR DEATH TO THE WORLD!

ADJUST YOUR CONCERN TO YOUR DEATH.
  • If you died to the world, then let your CONCENTRATION DIE with it!
  • KILL YOUR MEMBERS because worldly Christians' members ARE IN THE WORLD.

Paul used the term OUR MEMBERS.
  • Its your INCLINATIONS.

Col 3:5 WNT  Therefore put to death your earthward inclinations--fornication, impurity, sensual passion, unholy desire, and all greed, for that is a form of idolatry.

Too many believers are INCLINED TOWARDS things they are DEAD towards!
  • YOUR BEHAVIOUR.
  • YOUR EMPHASIS IN LIFE BY WHAT YOU ARE FOCUSED ON IN YOUR MINDS.

YOUR LIFE is in God in Heaven.
  • But even though these things do not yet appear, and we are not yet revealed with Christ in glory, ...
  • Although being hidden is not glorious...
  • ADJUST YOUR BEHAVIOUR TO THIS TRUTH!

God changes us to FOCUS UPON WHAT HE FOCUSES UPON.

Too many new creatures behave like old creatures, because without teaching they get no knowledge about the new creation.
  • So they live by what they NATURALLY know.

You died with Christ, were buried with Christ, resurrected with Christ, quickened with Christ, ascended and seated with Christ.
  • YOU ARE NOW HID WITH CHRIST.
  • YOU SHALL APPEAR WITH CHRIST.

In other words:

Col 3:10-11 KJV  And have put on the new man, which is renewed in knowledge after the image of him that created him:  (11)  Where there is neither Greek nor Jew, circumcision nor uncircumcision, Barbarian, Scythian, bond nor free: but Christ is all, and in all.


JESUS IS EVERYTHING TO US!
  • Our past, present and future!
  • WHATEVER we consider ourselves, always consider it as WHAT IS TRUE OF US IN CHRIST !!!

Notice Col 3:11 speaks of people's characteristics and natural differences.
  • We're dead to all that now!
  • Dead to all that is outward!
  • EVERYTHING IS CHRIST for us now!
  • What colour are you?
  • Who cares?!  Are you in CHRIST?

2Co 5:16-17 KJV  Wherefore henceforth know we no man after the flesh: yea, though we have known Christ after the flesh, yet now henceforth know we him no more.  (17)  Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new.

2Co 5:16-17 ISV  So then, from now on we do not think of anyone from a human point of view. Even if we did think of Christ from a human point of view, we don't think of him that way any more.  (17)  Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. Old things have disappeared, and-look!-all things have become new!