"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 NIV
When I read Colossians 3, I am struck by three things.
First, in the very first verse it says that I have been raised with Christ. Not just me, but the whole body of Christ. "Raised" (sunegeitō) is in the aorist or past tense. That means this is not just a future promise, but a present reality. It also means (suggests?) that we have some present responsiblities.
Second, if we are now with Christ, were we also with Him in His suffering and death? Yes. In verse 3, we understand that we have died with Christ and that we are hidden (Greek word kruptō) with Christ in God. Literally, "our life is in a crypt" with Christ in God. This means that where Christ is we are. If in the crypt for three days, that's where we were. If resurrected to glory, that's where we are. You might say that you're living very much on this sin-filled earth. Ah, but here's the point. Where is your mind? In verse 2, we are literally commanded to let our thoughts willingly be "espousing the cause of someone else." That is Christ.
Finally, we must then make choices from within our new reality. This doesn't seem very Calvinistic. That's because it is not. We are responsible for our choices. God doesn't make us do anything. The fact that He doesn't manipulate His people like robots is why God had so much trouble with the Israelites of old-- with their constant head-on rush into idolatry. It seemed they liked to have the pretense of religion (worship of idols) without morals or responsibility. That is why they never really experienced all that God had for them in the promised land and they ended up displaced to Assyria or Babylon. We miss out on so many great opportunities because we decide in our minds not to follow God to wherever and in whatever wonderful thing He wishes for us. We need to learn from the Israelites.
I have added a new section under "Bible History" on Idolatry and its sorry history in the Old Testament. We must, as believers, not allow ourselves to live for ourselves in the lusts of the flesh, but instead to find out all the wonderful things God has for us.
1 Corinthians 2:9 says, "Eye has not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man, the things which God has prepared for them that love him." We have no idea what we are missing out on when we don't follow Christ.
Pray: "Heavenly Father, I am too earthly-minded and fail to see so much of what you have for me. Please change my heart that I might see things through Jesus' eyes and love like He does."