Colossians 3:1-3 English Standard Version

Put On the New Self

1 If then you have been raised with Christ, seek the things that are above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. 2 Set your minds on things that are above, not on things that are on earth. 3 For you have died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God.

I did not know what it meant to be alive until I was born again.

John 3:3 Jesus answered him, “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born again he cannot see the kingdom of God.”

Now I see.

When I was blind I should have died in Vietnam. I should have died from drug addiction, and I should have died doing many stupid things that others had died from if not for the hand of God interdicting on their behalf.

Hebrews 13:15 Through him then let us continually offer up a sacrifice of praise to God, that is, the fruit of lips that acknowledge his name.

I owe Him that for saving me so many times. I got the chance to repent and become a son of God.

Romans 8:15 For you did not receive the spirit of slavery to fall back into fear, but you have received the Spirit of adoption as sons, by whom we cry, “Abba! Father!”

For me there is no “if”. I am what I am because of Jesus Christ, a child of God.

Matthew 15:24 He answered, “I was sent only to the lost sheep of the house of Israel.”

Born in Bethlehem to the tribe of Judah, Jesus was born into the Jewish faith for only one reason. The One True God made Himself known to the world through Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. It is how God the Father made Himself known to Moses as He gave Moses the Ten Commandments. It was the Prophets of Israel that delivered the prophecies of the coming Messiah.

Jesus was sent there to draw attention to who sent Him, not on who should be saved.

Romans 3:28 For we hold that one is justified by faith apart from works of the law.

Justification apart from the law means anyone can be justified by faith. Faith is not exclusive, it is inclusive.

It was Jesus that changed the demands for having a relationship with the Father.

If they could have obeyed the first commandment fully, none of the others would have been necessary. But then only the Jews would have been saved and that wasn’t God’s plan.

Colossians 3:1-3 English Standard Version

Put On the New Self

1 If then you have been raised with Christ, seek the things that are above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. 2 Set your minds on things that are above, not on things that are on earth. 3 For you have died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God. 

There is that word again, “if”.