Colossians 3:2-3 - Homilies By T. Croskery.

Heavenly things the true object of Christian contemplation.

"Set your mind on the things that are above, not on the things that are upon the earth; for ye died, and your life is hid with Christ in God." We must not only seek things above, but think them.

I. THE OBJECT OF CHRISTIAN CONTEMPLATION .

1 . Not things upon the earth, because

2 . " Things there are above." (See hints on previous verse.) We ought to set our mind upon them, because

II. THE DUTY OF SETTING THE MIND UPON RIGHT OBJECTS OF THOUGHT AND AFFECTION . This is the secret of heavenly mindedness. "Tell me what a man thinks, and! will tell you what he is."

1 . It is our duty not to set our mind on things on the earth, because

2 . It is our duty to set our mind on things above, because

III. THE REASON FOR OUR SELECTING SUCH OBJECTS OF BELIEVING CONTEMPLATION . "For ye died, and your life is hid with Christ in God." The thought is twofold—it refers to a past act and to a continuous state.

1 . Our death in Christ. This involves

2 . Our hidden life in God. "Your life is hid with Christ in God."

(a) in its origin ( John 3:8 );

(b) it is hid, as an experience, from the world;

(c) it is hid from the believer himself in times of spiritual desertion;

(d) the full glory of this life is hidden even from the believer ( 1 John 3:1 ).

(a) It is hid with him as our Representative; this marks its security; this is the sheet anchor of our spiritual existence.

(b) It is hid with him as its constant source; "For he is our Life," in whom we realize a growth in all the graces of the Spirit ( Galatians 5:22 ); "Because I live, ye shall live also; I am come that ye may have life.., more abundantly."