Jesus Is Sufficient for Our Holy Christan Lives
Since, then, you have been raised with Christ, set your hearts on things above, where Christ is seated at the right hand of God. 2 Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things.
The apostle has concluded the doctrinal portion of his epistle. He has dealt quite directly and thoroughly with the false teachings that were threatening the Colossians, confronting the various elements of that false teaching with the all-sufficiency of Christ. Now, as he does also in many of his other epistles, Paul follows the doctrinal portion with a practical section, giving the Colossians encouragement and advice for their day-to-day Christian living. As he does, he shows all Christians the vital importance of the connection between what Christians believe and how they live. He shows that, just as Christ is all-sufficient for believers’ faith, Christ is also all-sufficient for their Christian lives.
In 2:12 Paul introduced the thought that in Baptism Christians are buried and raised with Christ. He repeats that thought here and uses it as the basic, motivating truth for all the following encouragements for Christian living. Believers have been raised with Christ. Their faith rests not on a dead and lifeless Savior, but on a living Lord, who rose from the dead, ascended into heaven. He now sits at God’s right hand and rules as the exalted God-man over the universe, filling all things with his power. Soon from heaven he will reappear to establish his eternal kingdom.