Colossians 3:1-4
If then you have been raised with Christ, seek the things that are above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. Set your minds on things that are above, not on things that are on earth. For you have died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God. When Christ who is your life appears, then you also will appear with him in glory.
English Standard Version (ESV)
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The verse doesn't just say to "seek" heavenly things, but to "seek the things above." This isn't a vague, spiritual yearning, but a direct instruction to orient our entire pursuit and affection towards the reality where Christ reigns, as our ultimate goal and antidote to earthly distractions.
Paul is urging believers to live differently because of their new identity in Christ. Having established in the previous chapter that Christ's death and resurrection have broken the power of earthly regulations and "elemental spiritual forces," he now turns to the positive implications. This verse therefore kicks off a section that explains how their union with the risen Christ should shape their daily thoughts and actions, contrasting heavenly pursuits with earthly ones.
Ever felt like you're going through the motions, just existing? This verse calls us to something far more profound than mere survival. It's about a total identity shift.
The opening of Colossians 3:1 isn't a suggestion; it's a declaration of fact for believers. Paul says, "If then you have been raised with Christ..." The Greek word here implies a past event, a completed action. It's not about if you might be raised someday, but recognizing that your spiritual reality is that you have already been raised with Christ.
This resurrection isn't just a metaphor for a better life; it's a spiritual re-creation, a participation in Christ's own victory over death. Think of it like this: when Christ conquered the grave, His victory became yours. Your old life, bound by sin and its consequences, has been fundamentally transformed. This union with Christ in His resurrection means you are now identified with His new, victorious life.
Once you realize who you are in Christ, your whole perspective shifts. What once mattered most might now seem... well, earthly.
Paul doesn't just state that we've been raised with Christ; he immediately follows with a command: 'seek the things that are above'. This isn't arbitrary; it's the logical, natural outflow of our new identity.
If your life is now bound up with Christ's resurrection life, and He is seated at the right hand of God in glory, then your pursuits must align with Him. This means actively directing your thoughts, desires, and energies towards heavenly realities – God's purposes, His kingdom, His values. It’s about shifting your focus from the temporary and the earthly to the eternal and the divine.
This isn't about ignoring the needs of this world, but about orienting your life from a heavenly perspective. When your ultimate treasure and hope are fixed on Christ in glory, your daily actions and priorities naturally follow.
Understand the original words
synēgerthēte · Greek Verb
To be restored to life; in a spiritual sense, it refers to the regeneration of the believer, who is united with Jesus in His resurrection and empowered by the Holy Spirit to walk in newness of life.
Christos · Greek Noun
The promised Messiah of Israel and Savior of the world; the eternal Son of God who became incarnate, died for the sins of humanity, and rose again to reconcile believers to God.
dexia · Greek Noun
A metaphorical or literal position of supreme authority, power, and honor at the Father’s side, signifying the completion of the Savior's redemptive work and His present intercession.
phroneite · Greek Verb
The letter to the Colossians was written during a time when the early church was grappling with a blend of Jewish, pagan, and philosophical ideas. Paul addresses these by grounding the believers' identity and hope firmly in the resurrected and exalted Christ, distinguishing their heavenly calling from earthly pursuits.
c. AD 55— this verse
Paul Writes to the Church in Colossae
Paul, likely imprisoned in Rome, writes to the believers in Colossae, a city in Asia Minor, addressing theological challenges they are facing.
c. AD 50-60
Flourishing of the Mystery Religions
Various mystery cults and philosophical schools, which often incorporated ritualistic practices and esoteric knowledge, were popular in the Roman Empire, including Asia Minor.
c. AD 62
Destruction of Jerusalem (predicted)
While not directly occurring during Paul's writing, the impending doom of Jerusalem and its temple system, a major center of Jewish religious life, loomed as a future event impacting Jewish believers and the understanding of God's purposes.
This passage echoes the idea of 'being raised with Christ' by explaining that baptism symbolizes our union with Christ in His death and resurrection, leading to a new life.
Philippians 3:20It reinforces the command to 'seek the things that are above' by describing our 'citizenship' as being in heaven, from where we eagerly await Christ's return.
Ephesians 2:6This verse directly parallels the concept of being raised with Christ, stating that God has also 'made us sit with Christ in the heavenly places,' emphasizing our current spiritual reality with Him.
John 14:2-3Jesus' own words here provide the ultimate reason for seeking the things above: He has gone to prepare a place for us in heaven, and promises to come back and take us to be with Him.
Matthew 6:33This verse, spoken by Jesus, directly commands us to 'seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness,' which aligns with Paul's instruction to seek the things above, prioritizing God's reign and will.
vincentColossians 3:1: "If ye then be risen with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ sitteth on the right hand of God."
Be risen (συνηγέρθητε)Rev., correctly, were raised. See Colossians 2:12. In their baptism in which they died (Colossians 2:20). Compare Romans 6:2 sqq.Sitteth (ἐστιν καθήμενος)According to the A.V. the literal rendering would be is sitting. Is, however, must be taken separately; where Christ is, seated. Seated is a secondary predicate, as hidden in Colossians 2…
barnesColossians 3:1: "If ye then be risen with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ sitteth on the right hand of God."
If ye then be risen with Christ - The apostle in this place evidently founds the argument on what he had said in Colossians 2:12 ; see the notes at that passage. The argument is, that there was such an union between Christ and his people, that in virtue of his death they become dead to sin; that in virtue of his resurrection they rise to spiritual life, and that,…
The verse doesn't just say to "seek" heavenly things, but to "seek the things above." This isn't a vague, spiritual yearning, but a direct instruction to orient our entire pursuit and affection towards the reality where Christ reigns, as our ultimate goal and antidote to earthly distractions.
Paul is urging believers to live differently because of their new identity in Christ. Having established in the previous chapter that Christ's death and resurrection have broken the power of earthly regulations and "elemental spiritual forces," he now turns to the positive implications. This verse therefore kicks off a section that explains how their union with the risen Christ should shape their daily thoughts and actions, contrasting heavenly pursuits with earthly ones.
Paul is urging believers to live differently because of their new identity in Christ. Having established in the previous chapter that Christ's death and resurrection have broken the power of earthly regulations and "elemental spiritual forces," he now turns to the positive implications. This verse therefore kicks off a section that explains how their union with the risen Christ should shape their daily thoughts and actions, contrasting heavenly pursuits with earthly ones.
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In biblical terms, this refers to the inner life, the seat of the intellect, will, and affections; to set one's mind is to consciously align one's thoughts and priorities with the purposes and values of God.
gēs · Greek Noun
The state of being physically, spiritually, or morally disconnected from the kingdom of God; often used to describe the fallen, temporal, or sinful condition of the world system.
apethanete · Greek Verb
The decisive end of one's old way of living in sin; a spiritual reality for the believer, representing the complete severance from the dominion of the flesh and the world.
kekryptai · Greek Verb
The state of being kept secure in the presence and protection of God; it signifies that a believer's true, eternal existence is rooted in the life of Jesus, shielded from spiritual harm.
doxē · Greek Noun
The radiant manifestation of God's presence, majesty, and holiness; for the believer, it involves the future transformation into Christ’s likeness and sharing in His eternal victory.
"If then you have been raised with Christ, seek the things that are above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. Set your minds on things that are above, not on things that are on earth. For you have died, and your life is hidde…" — The verse doesn't just say to "seek" heavenly things, but to "seek the things above." This isn't a vague, spiritual yearning, but a direct instruction to orient our entire pursuit and affection tow…
