“Since, then, you have been raised with Christ, set your hearts on things above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God.” (Colossians 3:1)

It has been said that if you are so heavenly minded, you are of no earthly good. The Apostle Paul would disagree. He said, “Since, then, you have been raised with Christ, set your hearts on things above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God.” (Colossians 3:1) The question is, how do we act here when we have been given our new life through Jesus Christ? Our new life is lived with the hope of what is to come through the power of Christ’s presence in our lives as He prepares for us a place to be with Him.

Let’s start with Jesus’ understanding of love. He tells us as His own to love each other. He even commands it. “A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.” (John 13:34-35) If we lived by the one rule as the body of Christ, all church conflicts could be worked out if we love each other and sought each other’s best interest as both of us followed this command.

Jesus also taught us that not only we are to love each other, but also to love our enemy. “But I tell you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, that you may be children of your Father in heaven.” (Matthew 5:44-45) Without a love for His enemies we would have no hope because God loved us when we were His enemies because of our sin. “Since we have now been justified by his blood, how much more shall we be saved from God’s wrath through him! For if, while we were God’s enemies, we were reconciled to him through the death of his Son, how much more, having been reconciled, shall we be saved through his life!” (Romans 5:9-10) We are to love them not trust them. Our enemies would be those who live as sinners, who want what they think is best for them because they are deceived by God’s enemy, the devil. If we love them, then there is hope they may come to Christ. Oswald Chambers said, “Our Lord trusted no man; yet He was never suspicious, never bitter, never in despair about any man because He put God first in trust; He trusted absolutely in what God’s grace could do for any man.” (Oswald Chambers, My Utmost for His Highest, “God First”, May 31). This love can bring change to people caught in the midst of sin and let them learn to love others. That love could bring a change to families, communities, and our society.

In a powerful parable, Jesus taught us about compassion. When three men came upon a man who had been beaten, robbed, and left by the side of the road, two of the men were religious men and one was a Samaritan. Samaritans were people who were looked down upon by others. The first two could not be bothered by the man in distress, but the Samaritan saw the need and completely addressed it, even taking the man where He could get more help and then paid for those helping. When Jesus asked, who was the neighbor to the man? The reply was the one who helped. “Jesus told him, ‘Go and do likewise.’” (Luke 10:37c)

When we set our hearts on things above, we respond as Jesus taught us. We are to care for others in this life. We are to be Jesus’ witness both in word and in deed. Then those who, in their sin, are God’s enemies can see the difference Jesus makes in our lives and be drawn to Him. All done because we have been loved by Jesus. Now we can love each other and our enemies by showing our care for those in need, especially those who need Jesus.

In the Love of Jesus,

Michael Block