Kingdom Minded

The letter to the Colossians was written while Paul was imprisoned in Rome. He had never visited Colossae and was not relationally connected to the church there outside of a few friends. The church most likely reflected the diversity of the city with a mix of Jewish legalism, Greek philosophy, Roman influence, and Oriental mysticism. As the church experienced trouble, Paul wrote this letter of admonition and encouragement. His focus was the centrality of Christ.

One of the beautiful passages in the letter is found in chapter 3.

"Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things. For you died, and your life is now hidden with Christ in God." (Colossians 3:2-3)

I also like the way THE MESSAGE puts it.

"Don't shuffle along, eyes to the ground, absorbed with the things right in front of you. Look up, and be alert to what is going on around Christ - that's where the action is. See things from His perspective. Your old life is dead. Your new life, which is your real life - even though invisible to spectators - is with Christ in God. He is your life."(Colossians 3:2-3)

Our minds are to be affixed, affectioned, and absorbed in kingdom things not earthly things. We are to be so kingdom focused that our thoughts reflect the heart of Christ. Through the miraculous act of grace, we have the mind of Christ (1 Corinthians 2:16). As we daily die to self, we live in Christ; we are hidden with Him.

As I studied a little deeper into the word "hidden," I found some great food to chew on. The word comes from a Greek word krupto from which we get our English word "crypt." A crypt is an underground burial vault or chamber that is usually concealed, hidden, and secret. Another associated word is encryption which is a message hidden within a message.

When I think of a crypt, I picture a team of adventurers digging around in Egypt looking for mummies. They make their way to a large underground room and then search for the hidden crypt that has to be right before their eyes. What usually happens is someone accidentally pushes a stone or wall ornament which triggers a wall to swing open revealing the crypt. The crypt was there the whole time, it was simply behind the wall. With encryption, the hidden code is there in the message, it's just hidden within the words. Though a person may know there is a crypt in the room or a code in the message, all the person can see in the room or the message.

So it is when we are hidden in Christ. We died to ourselves and Christ now controls us. We are clothed with Him (Galatians 3:26-27). As we are yielded fully to the Spirit of God, people don't see us anymore - they see Christ.

Therefore, through daily dying I am concealed in Christ and kingdom minded.

Father, for the glory of Your name, may those who look at me, see Christ alone.