“Lay not up for yourselves treasures upon earth, where moth and rust doth corrupt, and where thieves break through and steal: But lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust doth corrupt, and where thieves do not break through nor steal: For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also.” –Matthew 6:19-21
Colossians 3:2 also says- “Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things.” This verse is part of a larger passage that exhorts Christians to live a new life in Christ, who is their life and their hope of glory.
Jesus tells us in Matthew 6:19-21 – that our rewards are in Heaven and we should set our mind on the treasures above – for where our treasure is, there too is our heart!
The apostle Paul continues Jesus’ teachings thereby urging believers to put to death their sinful nature and to put on the new self, which is being renewed in the image of God.
He also tells them to clothe themselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness, patience, forgiveness, and love, which are the marks of the new humanity in Christ.
Paul also instructs Christians to let the peace of Christ rule in their hearts (Philippians 4:13) to let the word of Christ dwell in them richly, and to do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father.
The main idea of Colossians 3:2 passage, is Christians are called to live a heavenly-minded life, not a worldly-minded one. This does not mean that they should ignore or neglect their earthly responsibilities, such as work, family, or society. Rather, it means that they should view everything from a higher perspective, that of God’s will and purpose.
They should seek the things that are above, where Christ is, not the things that are on the earth, which are passing away.
They should set their minds on the eternal realities, not the temporal ones. They should live as citizens of heaven, not as slaves of the world- (Philippians 3:20)
By setting their minds on things above, Christians can experience the joy and peace that come from knowing Christ and being united with him.
They can also resist the temptations and pressures that come from the world, the flesh, and the devil. They can also witness to the world the transforming power of the gospel, which can change lives and renew the creation.
They can also look forward to the day when Christ will appear, and they will appear with Him in glory, sharing in His inheritance and His reign.
To set our minds on things above, we need to cultivate a close relationship with Christ, who is our life. We need to spend time with Him in prayer, worship, and meditation on His word.
We need to seek His guidance and direction in every decision and action. We need to obey his commands and follow His example. We need to love Him with all our heart, soul, mind, and strength, and love our neighbor as ourselves. We need to remember that we are not our own, but we belong to Him, who died for us and rose again.
We need to live for His glory, not our own. We need to set our minds on things above, not on this world, and the things in it. Rather the Eternity and the Eternal rewards that will ultimately come to fruition when we are called “home.”
“Dear Lord Jesus, Thank You for this day and moment in time, help me to keep my heart and mind fixed on You and Your Kingdom where You reign in glory. You are my heavenly goal, and with You is where I want to be! I will look ahead with hope in my heart and soul, knowing Your promises are real, and Your love in unsurpassed and unparalleled, Come, Lord Jesus! Amen!”
