believers, union, union with
Christ, calls him to attend to three important matters. The union of every child of God
with the Lord Jesus Christ is referred to as a mystical union,
a mystical union. And it's called mystical because
it's one of those mysteries in the New Testament that man would
never have understood, never would have heard, really, if
it had not been revealed in the Word of God. That every child
of God, you today, if you know Christ, you are in union with
Christ. Now, this is pictured to us in
the New Testament in the Word of God. in several different
ways. One way is the marriage union. The marriage union. When the
man and the woman, the two, become one. And that goes all the way
back, doesn't it, to the first man and the first woman. When
God made Adam a helpmate, that is Eve, then the two became one. And that's what marriage is.
man and wife becoming one before God, and the same thing, or that
pictures to us the union which exists between every child of
God, every believer, and the Lord Jesus Christ. That's a beautiful
picture, isn't it? You read Ephesians chapter five,
and some people only see that as Paul exhorting husbands and
wives, and certainly he does that there. But at the end, the
conclusion is, he tells us that it's a picture. It's a picture
of the union which exists between Christ, the bridegroom, the heavenly
bridegroom, and his bride. every child of God which was
chosen by God and given to Christ in that everlasting covenant
of grace before the foundation of the world. Another picture,
of course, is, and Paul has used this here, if you look in chapter
one in verse 18, is the body. This is an easy one to see, isn't
it? Every body has a head and then
many members, but they're one, they're one. What does it say
there in verse 18 of chapter one? And he is the head of the
body, the church. There is a union between the
head and the body. When the Apostle Paul in verse
1 says, if you then be risen with Christ, look back at our
text, if you then be risen with Christ, he's not asking a question.
He's not asking a question here. That word if could be translated
since, and I think it would have been better if they had translated
it like that in our translation, since. you then be risen with
Christ. He's stating a fact, not asking
a question, a stating a fact that is true of every child of
God. Every child of God is risen with
Christ. You say, well, I don't say I'm
risen with Christ. Representatively, you are risen
with Christ as the members and the head are one. The head is
seated at the right hand of God, and we in him are seated there. Now the New Testament, and I
realize that for many people this is mysterious, and there's
no question about it, but it is the truth that is revealed
in the word of God. If you are a child of God, you
were crucified with Christ. You were crucified with Christ.
When he was nailed on that tree, you too were in Christ, represented
by Christ as a head and you as a member. That's the reason Paul
in Galatians 2 and verse 20, he said, I am crucified with
Christ. Well, Paul had never been crucified. Oh yes, he had. Being a member
of Christ? Yes, he had. I am crucified with
Christ, he said. Let's look back there at that
verse. Galatians chapter 2, just a few pages back. Galatians chapter
2 and verse 20. I am crucified with Christ. Nevertheless, I live. Yet not
I, but Christ liveth in me. We sang that hymn just a few
minutes ago, didn't we? Christ liveth in me. In every
child of God, Christ in you, Paul said, the hope of glory.
If any man have not the spirit of God, he is none of his. Paul said, I'm crucified with
Christ, nevertheless I live, yet not I, but Christ liveth
in me. And the life which I now live
in the flesh, I live by the faith of the Son of God who loved me
and gave himself for me. That's one of the most precious
things stated in that verse that you and I could ever say about
ourselves, who loved me. Who loved me? God loved me. God loved me with an everlasting
love if you're one of his children today. His love didn't begin
at some point in your life. No, his love is from eternity. Who loved me? Who loved me? How that ought to move the heart
of every one of us here today to think that God loves me. He said, well, doesn't he love
everybody? Well, he didn't love Esau. Jacob have I loved, Esau
have I hated. That's what the scripture says.
No, Paul was able to say who loved me. And can you top that? Yeah. Gave himself for me. Gave himself. Didn't just give
part of himself or his riches or anything else that was all
his. No, he gave himself. He gave
it all of himself. Paul says for me, and that's
true of you today. If you trust in Christ, if you
know him, you're crucified with Christ. And that's only true
because you are in union with him. He's your head and you are
a member of his body. Look at the next letter, Ephesians,
in Ephesians chapter 2, beginning with verse 5. Again, Paul is writing to believers
here, even when we were dead in sin. hath quickened us together
with Christ, by grace you are saved, and hath raised us up,
so we were crucified. Now he tells us we were raised,
who hath raised us up together, together with Christ, and made
us sit together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus. So again, back
to our text, Colossians 3. Since then, you are risen with
Christ, representatively. And these believers to whom he
wrote, they have risen with Christ as their head, and it was pictured
in their baptism. It was pictured in your baptism,
if you've been baptized. Remember, our Lord commanded
his disciples, his church, to go into all the world and preach
the gospel to every creature whosoever believeth, and is baptized
shall be saved. Now, when a person believes,
he confesses his faith, and he confesses his faith in baptism,
he confesses that he has died with Christ, been raised with
Christ, and walks in newness of life. Now, that's pictured
in baptism, isn't it? When you bury a body, you put
it under the ground, you put the sod and the dirt back on
top of it. You don't just go out there and
sprinkle a few handfuls of dirt on the body and leave it. No,
you bury the body. And baptism is a burial. It's a picture of salvation. And the believer is put under
the water. He's buried. He's buried. but he doesn't stay under the
water. He's raised, he's raised. These believers in the church
here, they had pictured this, being raised with Christ in their
baptism, and they had experienced it in the new birth. In Ephesians
2, we didn't read that first verse, but it says, and you hath
he quickened who were dead in trespasses and sins. These believers
to whom Paul wrote were risen with Christ as their head and
they were members in union with him. Now here are the three important
matters. First of all, in light of this
truth, in light of this truth, you see that word therefore? In light of this truth, Number
one, we are to seek and set our affections on things above. If you then be risen with Christ,
seek those things which are above, where Christ sitteth on the right
hand of God. Set your affection on things
above, not on things of the earth. Now when he tells these believers
not to set their affections on the things of the earth, We must
remind ourselves that it doesn't mean that believers are not to
be concerned about the needs or the things of this life, but
we're not to be anxiously concerned. Yes, a man must work, support
his family. The scripture says he's worse
than an infidel if he doesn't support his wife and children. Yes. But you know that old saying,
some people become so heavenly minded that they are not of any
earthly worth. I don't think we have to worry
about many people being like that, do you? But that is a saying
people have come up with. They're so heavenly minded, they're
not of any earthly worth. No, man has a responsibility. We live in this world and we
have things to do, but we ought to remember Our Father watches
over us. Our Father has promised to take
care of us. And so be anxious for nothing.
Don't be all worked into a dither, into an anxious fit over what
we're gonna eat or what we're gonna drink or how we're gonna
be clothed. No, God feeds the birds. and they're not worth a whole
lot. That's what our Lord said, right? He closed the fields and
the beautiful flowers of the field. No, the Gentiles, the
lost people, He said, they seek after those things. Oh, seek
you first the kingdom of God and His righteousness. All these
things shall be added unto thee. That's what our Lord said. But
here Paul says, seek those things or set our affections and seek
those things above, you know where your heart is or where
your treasure is, rather? That's where your heart is going
to be, where your treasure is. To seek things above, we must
set our affections on things above. How do we do that? Well, first of all, we think
about who is above? First of all, Christ. Christ,
he's at the Father's right. Set your affections on things
above. He's not a thing, he's a person,
but set your affections upon him. And that's one reason he
gave us the Lord's table, isn't it? He said, this do in remembrance
of me. Oh, could a believer ever forget
his Savior? I don't think so, but I think
if we're not careful, he doesn't have the love and the attention
that he should have. The things of this world becomes
so important to us. And we forget that we're just
pilgrims here. Our citizenship is in heaven. We're just passing through this
world. And I tell you, Some of you young people here this morning,
you think you've got a long life ahead of you, and you may. I
hope you do, if that's the best for you. But I want to tell you
something. When you get older, it looks
like it went by awfully fast. It looks like it was just a day
or two when you were young. Set your affect. This is where
we're going to spend eternity. If we're God's children, we're
going to be in his presence. Think about him. Sing to him. Read about him. Read about him
in the word of God. Set your affection on things
above. You know, David, one of the psalmists, rather the sweet
psalmist of Israel, he said this in Psalm 27. One thing. And this is commendable, because
most of us have so many things we're concerned about and wanting
and desiring. He said, one thing have I desired. One thing, David? Yes, one thing
have I desired of the Lord. That will I seek after. What
is it? That I may dwell in the house
of the Lord all the days of my life. to behold the beauty of
the Lord and to inquire in his temple. The Lord Jesus, he's
above. Think upon him, read of him,
sing of him, sing to him, love him. He saw me plunged in deep
despair and flew to my relief. For me, he bore the awful cross
and carried all my guilt. I love to sing those hymns about
Christ, don't you? Majestic sweetness sets enthroned
upon the Savior's brow. We sang that this morning before
Sunday school. And on the chorus it said, His
lips with grace will flow. Doesn't that just thrill your
heart? Our Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ, His lips with grace. And that's what I need. I need
grace. unmerited favor, his lips with
grace or flow. So that's the first thing, set
your affection on things above, since you're risen with Christ.
Now the second thing is, we ought to know the value and security. Now listen to me, the value and
the security of our spiritual, eternal life. Notice that in
verse three. For you are dead and your life,
your life, your eternal life, your spiritual life, your life
is hid with Christ in God. Now, the word hid, hidden, speaks
about value, doesn't it? Sometimes over the years, Pat
and I, we've gone on a trip, and we've hid some things in
our house. It's strange. I don't ever have
anything to hide, but she does. But I've never seen her hide
a dishcloth. I've never seen her hide a washcloth
or anything. No. It's something that is of
value to her, and of value. So she hides it. when he tells
us that our life is hid with Christ. Our eternal life, the
value, what should it profit a man if he should gain the whole
world and lose his own soul? But look at this, it's hid with
Christ in God. Is that the way it reads? Verse
three, for you are dead and your life is hid with Christ in God. I like to compare this to our
Lord's words in John chapter 10. Turn back here to John 10. John chapter 10, and beginning
with verse 25, our Lord is speaking here with some Jewish leaders
Jesus answered them, I told you and you believe not. The works
that I do in my Father's name, they bear witness of me, but
you believe not because you are not of my sheep, as I said unto
you. Christ's sheep hear his voice,
follow him, believe in him. His sheep do, goats never do. Salvation isn't turning a goat
into a sheep. No. His sheep, his elect people,
they hear his voice. That's what he says here. You,
the ones he was speaking to here, you believe not because you're
not of my sheep, as I said unto you. My sheep hear my voice,
and I know them, and they follow me. And I give unto them eternal
life, and they shall never perish. Now watch this. Neither shall
anyone pluck them out of my hand. Believers are in the hand of
Christ. Our life is hid with Christ,
but that's part of it, isn't it? Read on. My father, which gave them me,
is greater than all, and no man is able to pluck them." Whose
hand now? My father's hand. What security. Your life is hid with Christ
in God. It's eternal life. You can never
lose eternal life. It wouldn't be eternal. For God so loved the world that
he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him
should not perish, but have everlasting life. And yet people tell us,
well, you can believe today and stop believing tomorrow, and
you don't have eternal, everlasting life anymore. How do you reconcile
that with the word of God? How do you reconcile that with
the character of God? I don't think you can. No. God's sheep hear His voice, they're
in His hand, and they're in the Father's hand, and they'll never
be taken out of God's hand. He said, I and my Father are
one. Now here's the third thing back
in our text here. If you then be risen with Christ,
seek those things which are above, where Christ sitteth on the right
hand of God. Set your affection on things
above, not on things on the earth. That's the first thing, set your
affection on things above. Second, recognize the value and
security of your life in Christ. But number three, when Christ
who is our life shall appear, then shall you also appear with
him in glory. We look forward to the coming
of the Lord Jesus Christ. And I would just say this, if
anyone were to doubt that he's going to come again, I would
just remind you that God said he was going to come the first
time. Right after Adam sinned, the seed of the woman shall bruise
the head of the serpent. He said he was going to come
the first time, and he came, didn't he? He came in the fullness
of the time. God sent forth his son made of
a woman. Yes. And when he says he's going
to come the second time, you may be sure he's going to come
the second time, just like he did the first time. But the first
time he came, he came as a man of sorrows and acquainted with
grief. You say, is that the way he's
going to come the next time? No, no, no, no, no, no. Perish the thought. No, no. He's going to come in His glory. That's what He, in His glory.
We sang about that a minute ago. And all the holy angels with
Him, then shall He sit upon the throne of His glory. No, he's
never going to come again to be mistreated, misused, crucified
by wicked men. No, he's going to come as the
King of Kings and the Lord of Lords that he is. When he comes
again, then all believers, those who lived in the old dispensation,
those who live in the new dispensation, that is from the time of Christ's
death until now, and on into the years to come, whenever the
Lord comes again, all of those who have died and gone to be
with the Lord, He's going to bring with Him. They're not perished. Where are
they? They're with Him. They're with
Him. But He's going to bring them
with Him, and they are going to be We, we're going to be,
if we're with him at that time, we are going to be reunited with
our body that's going to be raised from the grave. And so shall,
the scripture says, so shall we ever be with the Lord. People
say, well, where's heaven? Where Christ is. If he's on the
earth, we're going to be with him. If he's in the air, we're
going to be with him. If He's at the Father's throne,
we're still going to be with Christ. That's heaven. We shall be like Him. This body
that we have is going to perish, we know that, but we're going
to receive a body like unto His glorious body. Well, that's the
first part of the message. Let me just briefly go on with
the second part. The believer's union with Christ
calls him to walk in newness of life, verses 5 through 11. And I want to point out just
a few truths in these verses. Now I have emphasized that Paul
is writing to believers. So the first thing we see is
believers may sin. Huh? Well, I thought if a person was
saved, he'd never sin again. Well, you thought wrong. You
thought wrong. And we're gonna see why believers
do have sin in their life. And look over to 1 John 2. Let's
just emphasize this with the scripture. Verse 1 of 1 John 2, my little
children, these things write unto you that you sin not. And if any man sin, if any man
sin, there's no question, believers do sin. Well, does
that mean they're lost now? Does that mean they have to be
saved again? Oh, no. If any man sin, we have
an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous. Who
is the propitiation for our sins? There's one propitiation, one
sacrifice for sin that God accepts, and that's the sacrifice of Jesus
Christ. And when a believer sins, and
we do, we're not proud of it, but let's look back in our text
this morning. We're not proud of it, and John
exhorts us not to do it, And so does Paul. But we know that
we still have what is called here an old man. Look back, if you've turned back
to Colossians 3, I want you to look down to verse 10. Paul says, and have put on the
new man. Verse 9, he says, lie not one
to another, seeing that you have put off the old man with his
deeds. and have put on the new man,
which is renewed in knowledge after the image of him that created
him. The new man, if you notice in
verse 10, is created. You see that? Well, who can create? Can you create? Can you create something out
of nothing? Can you? Only God can create. Man can make things, yes. But you see, this new man is
created, and that just again testifies to the fact that salvation
is of the Lord. When a person is born again of
the Spirit of God, there is created a new man, a new nature, some
like to call it, a new man. But notice in verse nine, the
old man. Lie not one to another saying
that you have put off the old man with his deeds. Now what do we mean here? In
a believer, in a child of God, there is the old man, which is
that nature, the reason it's called the old man. We brought
it with us into this world. It's as old as we are. And we
still have it. but there's a new man, a new
creation in Christ Jesus. The believer is a person that
has both the old nature and the new nature and this is what Paul
means in Galatians 5 when he speaks about the flesh and the
spirit. The flesh, that is that old nature,
and the spirit that which is created new by the Spirit of
God in a believer. And there's a warfare that goes
on. There's a tension always between the old and the new. Now, I want you to notice in
verse nine, and this is important, line out one to another saying
that you have put off the old man. Now think about this. He's been put off, but he's not
been put out. Hear me now. In the new birth,
that old man, that old nature, it's been put off, but not put
out. We still have him. He's still
part of us. You say put off of what? Put
off the throne. Put off the ruling throne in
a person's life. He's put off, put off. He remains,
but he no longer reigns as he had And therefore, we're told
to mortify. Mortify, verse five said. Mortify,
therefore, your members. Now, the members here he's speaking
of are the members of the old man. We're not talking about
necessarily the members of our body. This is where people over
the ages have made have gone into error. They think, well,
we've got to starve ourselves to death. We've got to lay out
in the snow. All these things that people
have done to their bodies, that's not the members he's talking
about here. They'll mortify the members of that old man. Now,
it's true that the old man works through the members of the body,
no doubt about that. But that's not the mortification
Paul is speaking of here. We are to mortify, put them to
death. That's what the word means. Put
them to death, deaden them. Oh, sinful desires. that we still
have. Put them to death. Now, you and
I know, or we should at least, the Gentile world, the world
in which Paul lived, the world in which he carried the gospel,
was a world that accepted sexual immoralities. They thought nothing
of adultery, fornication, homosexuality, all those things that are mentioned
here. That was just commonplace. And
so Paul mentions them to mortify those deeds. That's not the way
a believer is to live. But I want you to notice in verse
5 what he says after mentioning a number of those sexual sins. Evil concupiscence. Now what
is that? Evil concupiscence. Evil desires. You know, there
are natural desires that God created when he created man. We have natural desires. We have
spiritual desires when we've been created anew in Christ Jesus. But we also have evil desires. And notice he names covetousness,
evil, desires, concupiscence, and covetousness, which is idolatry. Which is idolatry. He singles
out covetousness. All of the things he mentioned
are evil, but he singles out covetousness. And I believe the
reason is because It can be so easily hidden. A man may be very
covetous, and yet people think he's just frugal. He's just wise,
saving for a rainy day. Well, nothing wrong with those
things, that's true. But there is an inordinate affection
for the things of this world that some people, that we all
would have, the flesh would have. Well, notice in verse six, God's
wrath is coming. Those people that practice those
things, they may think they're getting away with them. Be sure
your sin will find you out, the scripture says. And I want you
to notice in verses eight and nine, in verse eight, he names
three sins of the heart. But now you also put off all
these, not only those things, but put off anger, wrath, and
malice, three things of the heart. But then he names three things
of the mouth, of the mouth. Blasphemy, filthy communication. Get back to blasphemy. I know
there's, there's, Maybe difference of opinion, but I want to say
this. Maybe some of you maybe don't
think I should say it, but I'm gonna say it anyway. I've lived
under a lot of presidents of the United States of America. I have never heard a president
use God's name like this man now in the White House. And it's
not good, as far as I'm concerned. It's not good. No. Blasphemy. And then he names
not only blasphemy, but filthy communication. filthy
communication, those unclean jokes and things that people
are prone to do. And the last thing, lying. Three
things that come out of a person's mouth. Now, let's close with
a conclusion. Verse 11. And I do, I appreciate
your patience. What's the conclusion? Christ
is all. You see, Christ is all. It's
not a matter of a person's nationality. It's not a matter of a person's
social status. No, no. What's all important
is to know Christ, to be found in him. Christ is all and in
all. May the Lord bless his word to
all of us here today. We're going to stand and sing
a hymn in just a moment. Hymn number 204. Hymn number
204. Let's all stand. 204.