Colossians 3:2, "Set your affection on things above, not on things on the earth."

This morning, the world is becoming manifestly more and more self-serving. People are more interested in themselves, promoting themselves, appearing intelligent, and keeping the focus directed on themselves than they are about actually helping someone else. One is a hallmark behaviour of egotistical greed and pride, while the other is a hallmark behaviour of Christian deportment. Those that think of others above self are humbly following the path of the Lamb, while those that think of self above others are haughtily following the path of destruction and ruin. A former NFL running back - Gale Sayers - wrote a book entitled "I Am Third," in which he depicts God as first, family as second, and himself as third. While not casting disparaging remarks at his book title (the intent of which I find very admirable), one of our patterns - the apostle Paul - showed us an even lower and more humble moniker: I am last or least of all. (Ephesians 3:8) Truly, if more people would adopt the "I am last" mentality, there would be much less room for self-seeking, self-promoting, and self-absorbed atmospheres in this world.

Paul, in our verse above, describes something that should serve to instruct and ground us in our daily activities and life. By keeping his thought firmly in view, we will begin to nurture and develop a more honest appraisal of ourselves as we approach different situations in life. How does one adequately deal with daily strife, daily warfare, or even handle in an honourable way the good seasons that we encounter? Surely, we should handle the bad with righteous determination to do the right thing, for the right reason, and in the right way. (I Corinthians 16:13-14) We should handle the good with unfailing thanksgiving to the giver of all good gifts and perfect gifts. (James 1:17) To be ready and armed to do this, we need preparation in the instruction above.

Our affection needs to be consistently and unwaveringly upon things above. By having our affection on things on the earth, we are ill-equipped and unprepared to handle good or bad seasons. If we are absorbed in things on the earth (self or self-serving endeavours), we handle bad situations badly, and we act as if good seasons are somehow deserved by us as "our right." What is interesting to note about Paul's admonition and command is both the singularity and plurality of words. Paul uses the singular "affection" but places that singular mode towards a plurality of objects: "things above."

The word affection is denoted as a devotion, love, adoration, or attachment. In life, we have many natural "affections." For example, there are people that I dearly love by natural relationship, and I have natural affections for the various branches of my family tree. There are affections that I have for my wife and two children. However, even though I have divided natural affections in this regard, the type of affection that I have for each is varied. For example, my affection for my wife is drastically different than the affection for my mother, brother, or sister. She and I have a special relationship that is dearer and stronger than my relationship, adoration, devotion, or love to any of the others. While I have affections for children that are in the church, neighbours in the community, or the children of relatives, those affections do not match the affection that I have for my own children. We have a closer bond of adoration and love than I do for the others.

However, Paul employed the singular word affection to show that what he is describing is undivided. My natural affections are divided with the lion's share of the time going to the stronger affections (wife and children). Paul allows for no such distinction in this command. The type of affection that we have for things above cannot be shared. While our time, effort, and energies are shared amongst many different endeavours on earth, our singular devotion and adoration of the highest order is worthy of undivided love and attachment. Just as my attachment to my wife cannot be divided to another in the same manner, so my attachment to things above cannot be divided to another in the same manner. What is interesting is that this same English word is used a couple of verses later as a reproof of something not to engage in.

While our affection should be on things above, Paul exhorts against inordinate affection. (Colossians 3:5) The word affection in Verse 5 is basically a passionate emotion, which could be sad, joyous, or depraved in sense. The word affection from our verse has connotations of heart-felt longing coupled with an awareness in wise understanding. The one to be left off is untempered emotion, while the one to be held to is a wisdom of place with a keen sense of desired harmony and unity. Christ Himself said, "For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also." (Matthew 6:21) Our affection is centered where the treasure is. This is not some flighty emotion that passes from good, to bad, and back again. This is a centered and grounded mindset that unflinchingly yearns and hopes for that desired thing.

Now we notice that what we are to be treasuring is plural in scope, even though our affection is singular in practice. We understand that the Scriptures teach that no man can serve to masters. (Matthew 6:24) So, how is there a plurality of things to have affection for? First of all, we understand that there is one God but a plurality (specifically a Trinity) of Persons in the Godhead. We do not just have affection for the Father, or just have affection for the Son, or just have affection for the Holy Ghost. We have an affection for things above, and as God, each member of the blessed Trinity is certainly above. We do not just praise and adore with love and attachment the Father that chose us in love. (Ephesians 1:4) Nor do we just love and desire the Son that redeemed us by His blood. (Ephesians 1:7) Finally, we do not just worship with foremost affection the Holy Spirit that quickened us into divine life and brings comfort to our aching souls as we journey here. (John 3:8, John 14) Rather, we have affection for each blessed one of the Triune Godhead for that great and majestic work that was agreed upon by all parties from all eternity to save us (God's family) from the lowest position possible (full depravity and separation from God) to the highest position possible (standing glorified in God's presence for ever and evermore).

Notice also what the text does not say. It does not say, "Set your affections on all things above..." Were the text to say that, we might have just cause for praying to the Virgin Mary or looking up to fathers, mothers, and other loved ones gone before. Perchance then we could have had a right to worship and adore an angel. Dear friends, none of these things, as glorious as their position might be, is worthy of that undivided affection that He our God alone deserves. No angel died for us, and the uplifted position that our loved ones and forefathers of the faith enjoy at this very moment in Paradise was not won by them for themselves or us. Angels inhabit His presence by His command, and the saints who have passed from this scene inhabit His presence in glory by His pleasure and grace unto them.

There is another element to this affection that sometimes goes unnoticed and is often misunderstood or misrepresented. One of the areas that we noticed earlier in natural affection that is reserved for one and only one is the affection that a husband has for a wife. The type of affection that I have for my wife must be undivided as that is not lawfully shared by/for another. One of the remarks of Scripture about this affection and relationship is that they twain shall be one flesh. (Matthew 19:5) That means that what one may say to the husband or wife is saying to the other as well. Likewise, the Lord's church is described as His bride or wife. (Ephesians 5) Christ purchased her (elect family of God), and some of them show that in their lives (manifestly joining her in baptism).

While it is seen that doing something for one of the members of His bride that He paid for is the equivalent of doing it to Him (Matthew 25 in His response to the sheep), how much more doing it to them who have manifestly declared their profession to live accordingly in this life? Paul exhorts that good should be done unto all men, but how much more to the household of faith? (Galatians 6:10) As manifest members of His church, we are saying that we declare our belief to be recipients of His love and mercy to us (by going down into the water and up again as a token of our belief that His death, burial, and resurrection was for us). (I Peter 3:21) So, likewise, when we partake of bread and wine, we say that we believe His body and blood have been applied to us as His people. (John 6:53)

Therefore, if we do something to the Lord's church or for the Lord's church - those walking manifestly after this way - we are doing it as unto Him. Whenever people in God's kingdom tell me that they love me, whether said or implied, I understand that they love me for Christ's sake. Certainly, as a person, I am not worth loving. How much more certainly, when Christ has purchased us and the scheme of the Godhead to rescue fallen man has been executed, is the worth to love one another! By having affection for each other in this way, we are showing forth affection, love, and adoration for our Great Almighty God. It is one of the ways that we know that we have passed from death unto life. (I John 3:14)

The church is always spoken of in an uplifted state. While her walls are found on the earth, she is not of the earth but above. Paul's main thought in our verse is the avoidance of idolatry. Anything placed before this commanded affection or shared with this commanded affection is idolatry: always has been and always will be the greatest affliction to the people of God while here on earth. Idols are prevalent and plenteous for us to put either before or alongside the Lord. So, what about His church? Can we idolize her? Truth be told, we can, but not in the way that some would suppose. Idolizing the church is found when one does not have a proper perspective of her. Looking at her properly - even having affection for her - will help us avoid idolatry of all things including her. What is Christ's command? Seek ye first (undivided and unshared) the kingdom of God and His righteousness. (Matthew 6:33)

Those that would put the church before God or alongside God (thereby idolizing her) are doing the same thing as addressing a woman without thinking that they are addressing her husband as well. If I were to talk to a woman in a harsh way and be surprised when her husband shows up to defend her, then I have looked upon the marriage relationship improperly. When one thinks that they can address the church either in a good or bad way but somehow separate from her Husband, then they have a misguided view of her relationship with Him. Her walls and fortresses are where we are lifted up from this old world and made to sit together with our Lord for a little while and taste the richness of those green pastures and still waters. It is the place where that glorious story of our rescue from sin and misery is so often told. It is the place on a hill that shines as a beacon of God's majesty and glory to help poor, heavy laden travelers find rest. Finally, it is a place that God has decked with His presence and glory to tabernacle with His saints, and as such is a thing above that showing affection for is showing affection for Him as well.

In Hope,

Bro Philip