Devotions: New Status, New Pursuits

Therefore if you have been raised up with Christ, keep seeking the things above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God.

Colossians 3:1 New American Standard Bible (NASB)

There are two states possible for our souls: raised with Christ or dead in the world. There are also two different results or directions: seeking the things above (heaven) or seeking the things of the world. We choose which state we are in and which direction we take. To be raised with Christ requires belief in Him and who/what He is and has done. It requires submission to Him rather than submission to sin. If we have been raised with Christ then we are to seek the things of heaven, because that is where Christ is. When we cross over to that state, we are giving up sin and the world and we need to stay out of them. If we have been raised with Christ out of the world why would we continue to seek the things of the world which result in sin and death? There can be no middle ground. It would be just as futile to be raised with Him yet continue to seek the world, as it is to be dead in the world yet seeking the things of heaven. It doesn’t work. Granted seeking the things of heaven while in the world can lead to being raised with Christ, but once we cross over we need to then transition our desires, goals and purposes as well. Anything less is treason, for the things of the world are opposed to God. Christ saved us from sin and death, from a life in the world. Continuing to seek the world after being saved is returning slavery after one has been freed. If we are to be in Christ, we must be in Christ and not the world. That does not mean we should have no contact with anyone in the world, but that we should pursue God rather than our own desires and pleasures. Our goal should be to please and honor Him, not ourselves. We should value godliness over worldliness. Our desires and pursuits reveal where we truly are, for where you treasure is there your heart is also. So what are you seeking? What is your motivation and goal in life, yourself or God? Do you live as one who has been raised?