“You must have the same attitude Christ Jesus had. He gave up his divine privileges. He took the humble position of a slave and was born as a human being. When he appeared in human form he humbled himself in obedience to God and died a criminal’s death on a cross. Therefore God elevated him to the place of highest honor and gave him the name above all other names…” Philippians 2:5-9
“Since you have been raised to new life with Christ, set your sights on the realities of heaven, where Christ sits in the place of honor at God’s right hand. Think about the things of heaven, not the things of earth. For you died to this life and your real life is hidden with Christ in God. And when Christ, who is your life, is revealed to the whole world, you will share in all his glory.”
Colossians 3:1-4
Things of heaven, what does that even mean? Since I already died to this life and have been raised I want to know about this reality I now live in. After verse 4 the section continues to talk about ridding ourselves of sinful stuff and putting on our new nature. Verse 10 is “Put on your new nature and be renewed as you learn to know your Creator and become like him.”
In the Philippians verse it says Christ became a slave, he emptied himself, gave up his divine rights, he humbled himself and obeyed God to the point of an underserving death. Yet in doing this he received all the glory and was seated in the place of highest honor. That is the same prize that awaits us, to share in his glory.
Since I am dead to this world and alive in Christ all I have to think about are the realities of heaven. There is an eternal prize waiting. I share in all his glory. I am a co-heir with Christ. I am a daughter of the King.
Even my identity in heaven is different than the one I had when I was part of the world.
Things like impurity, lust, evil desires, greed, idolatry, anger, rage, slander, and lies are part of my sinful nature, my old one, the one that is DEAD. Therefore my identity in heaven is none of those things. I am pure, selfless, joyful, peaceful, honest, loving, graceful, and obedient. Those things are who I am. I may fall short at times but that doesn’t mean I am back to living in my old self because my old self is literally dead. It just means I’m not allowing the reality of who I am to completely take over my life. “Put on your new nature and be renewed as you learn to know your Creator and become like him.” It’s a learning process and takes time, perhaps the rest of our lives.
I am a co-heir with Christ but that doesn’t mean I walk around with a “holier-than-thou” attitude it means that I have a secure prize in my life in Christ. It means that I should be like him in my life now. Christ humbled himself, became a slave even though he is King. He served others with a tender heart, mercy, and loving kindness. When it says to think of things of heaven and not things of earth, it’s saying remember the eternal glory, the eternal prize that awaits, and remember that the old self has been put to death, and that I am, in fact, a new creation.
As believers we have all been raised to new life where we can literally think about the realities of heaven. You are a co-heir with Christ in that place of honor. You are a son or daughter of the King.
When I think about the weight in that, the reality of it and what that actually means it blows my mind. Rather than getting a big head about my royalty (cuz that’s what I am), it actually brings me to my knees. It’s humbling when I think how underserving I really am to wear this crown. Yet he desperately wants me to have it. He says to me, see all that I have done? I did it because I love you. Just accept it. Take off your rags of self and put on me as a robe of righteousness. Become like me. Wear the prize because it belongs to you.
It’s such a simple and beautiful act of Love on God’s part. Putting on the crown isn’t always easy but I know it is worth it. I get to live and move in the realities of heaven. Where the things we call supernatural are completely natural to God.