Off with the Old, On with the New

If then you have been raised with Christ, seek the things that are above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. (Col. 3:1)

​There is this idea out there that someone can be saved and on their way to heaven and not live the Christian life.  Since salvation is by faith alone then living a transformed life is simply unnecessary.  Yet in Colossians chapter 3, Paul writes, “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” (vv.1-3).  Notice: “If then you have been raised with Christ…”  If these things are true, if you have truly placed faith in Christ, if you have truly been given new life in Christ, then “seek the things that are above.”  Then to be sure Paul is not misunderstood, he then goes on to say that those who have been raised with Christ should put to death their old way of life and their old way of thinking: sexual immorality, impurity, passion, evil desire, covetousness, which is idolatry, anger, wrath, malice, slander, obscene talk, and lying (vv.5-10).  And they should then “put on”—because if you take something off, then it only makes sense to put something on in its place—compassionate hearts, kindness, humility, meekness, patience, bearing with one another, forgiving each other as the Lord has forgiven you, and love, which binds everything together in perfect harmony (vv.12-14).  From v.1 to v.17 of Colossians 3, scripture makes clear that to be raised with Christ means to put off the old self and to put on the new self.