Set your affection on things above, not on things on the earth.
To set the affection above is to fix desire, thought, love, mind, heart and loyalty on heavenly things rather than on earthly things. Things above are heaven where Christ sits enthroned at the right hand of God interceding, the eternal home without death or pain where imperishable treasure, glory, peace and joy are found, while things on earth are the world, its customs, spirit and friendship from which to turn as pilgrims and strangers. Those risen with Christ have died to the old sinful, self-indulgent life through faith and baptism, buried in the likeness of His death and raised to new obedience, with their new life hidden with Christ in God, bound up with Him, justified and sanctified. This requires mortifying fornication, uncleanness, evil desire, covetousness which is idolatry, anger, malice and lying, and putting on mercy, kindness, humbleness, meekness, forgiveness and above all charity, by beholding Christ until transformed after the divine similitude. It is practiced by disciplining thought and conversation toward sacred and eternal themes, giving the whole undivided heart to God, ordering work, household and all powers by eternity's claims in strict honesty and self-denying love, and keeping Christ's coming in view. When Christ who is the life shall appear, those with affection above shall also appear with Him in glory, receiving now greater peace, strength and growth in grace, and then riches and joys far exceeding anticipation, while those who keep affection on earth walk in darkness and will lose all unless they repent.
Meaning of Words
To set the affection is to fix desires, thoughts, love, mind, heart, intellect, attention and loyalty on heavenly things rather than on earthly things. It is the calling of those risen with Christ, whose old life has ended and whose new life is hidden with Christ in God, to direct desire heavenward where Christ is, with the promise that when He appears they will appear with Him in glory. Attachment to earthly things taints and corrupts the life, while keeping this instruction as a guiding principle brings greater happiness, and daily cherishing heaven's joys prepares for future immortal life. For those baptized in the name of the Father, Son and Holy Spirit, it belongs to having taken a stand on the Lord's side and separated from the enemy, going down into the water pledging service to God and receiving pledged power and grace from heaven to resist every temptation to dishonor God, and rising to represent the resurrection of Christ.
Things above mean heaven where Christ sits at the right hand of God, enthroned and reigning and interceding. To look there is to fix love and attention on heaven rather than earth, which takes the transforming power of grace changing heart and character. It is the eternal home without death or pain where imperishable treasure, glory, peace, holiness and joy are found, and where the Christian character as a reproduction of Christ's love, grace and unselfish benevolence belongs. Transformation after the divine similitude brings high intellectual culture and refinement of sentiments and manners, while worldly culture and artifice are of little consequence, for the Holy Spirit removes hereditary and cultivated tendencies to evil and by beholding Christ the believer becomes like Him.
Not on things on the earth means turning from the world, its customs, spirit and friendship, and living as pilgrims and strangers. There is a plain and distinct line of demarcation in spirit and principle between the church and the world, with life under higher laws than the world obeys, controlled by unselfish principles as sons and daughters of the heavenly King, separated from selfishness, pride, vanity and selfish indulgence. It requires coming out and being separate, having no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness, for love for God and obedience to His commandments are incompatible with friendship with the world and love of its pleasures. The cross of Calvary is to be kept continually in view as the perpetual memorial of a nobler world, drawing the mind away from the earthly to the heavenly to survey Christ interceding, so that those who keep the heavenly world in view are uplifted above this world in affections and pursuits, in the world but not of the world, seeking a better, heavenly country and drawing others with them. Seeking what is above is walking an onward, upward way of the cross that leaves earthly things farther behind through decided effort, faith and prayer in continued resistance to the downward pull, refusing to follow the fashions of the world, lest climbers be borne down with the current into the broad road to death and lest careless example hinder others, especially children.
Death and New Life
To set affection above belongs to those risen with Christ, who have entered this life through faith and baptism in the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit, buried in the likeness of His death and raised in the likeness of His resurrection. Going down into the water pledges death to the world and its temptations and pledges service to God in new obedience and newness of life, refusing to shape character after the world and refusing a course that denies Christ. Rising from the water represents the resurrection of Christ, and with it comes pledged power and grace from heaven, covenanted help of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit awaiting the believer's call, to resist every temptation, to overcome seducing spirits and Satan's beguiling, and to stand as victors when the enemy comes in like a flood.
Being dead means the old sinful, self-indulgent, carnal life is dead, dead to fierce burning passions that consume love and gentleness and Christian courtesy, dead to quick impatient temper, hate, envy, revenge, retaliation, pride of heart, emulation, and seeking for supremacy. Conversion is death to self with no thread of selfishness drawn into the pattern of life, requiring present continuing conversion that empties old things from the heart and transforms the entire being rather than resting on first profession. Even the converted still face a tempting devil continually on the track and a strong undercurrent running swiftly to bear back to the former state of sin and indulge the natural passions of the unrenewed heart, so no heart stays pure without being constantly salted with divine grace, watching unto prayer, keeping firmly united to Christ, trusting Him every moment, and rowing against wind and tide with both oars of faith and works. The test is whether one is truly dead to sin and the world and living the Christ-life in keeping with baptismal vows, or has been buried in baptism while still alive to sin and the world, buried alive, dwelling on trivial self-pleasing instead of Christ and His self-sacrificing love.
Life hidden with Christ in God is a new life of heavenly origin imparted when truth is received, with life purposes changed and its principles brought into daily experience, bound up with Christ, justified and sanctified, abiding in Him as refuge and having His mind and Spirit. Attachment to earthly things taints and corrupts the life, while this hidden life directs thoughts and desires to where Christ sits at the right hand of God and guards weak points of character with rigor. In it ambition for supremacy is quenched, sinful habits and fruits of the unregenerate heart are put away, and fruits of righteousness appear through faithfulness to the baptismal vow. When Christ who is the life shall appear, those so dead and hidden shall also appear with Him in glory.
Transformed Character Required
To set affection on things above is to mortify the members that are upon the earth and to put off the old man with his deeds. The deeds to be mortified and put off are fornication, uncleanness, inordinate affection, evil concupiscence, and covetousness which is idolatry. They also include anger, wrath, malice, blasphemy, filthy or evil communication, and lying. This putting away of sinful desires and conduct is the lived outworking of being dead to the world with life hidden with Christ in God.
It is at the same time to put on the new man, which is renewed in knowledge after the image of Him that created him, where Christ is all and in all. As the elect of God this means putting on mercies, kindness, humbleness of mind, meekness, longsuffering, forbearance, and forgiveness even as Christ forgave. Above all it means putting on charity, which is the bond of perfectness, with the peace of God ruling in the heart and with thankfulness. It means letting the word or wisdom of Christ dwell richly in teaching and admonishing in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, and doing all in word and deed in the name of the Lord Jesus with thanksgiving to God. This heavenly focus is shown in discerning weak points of character and guarding against them with rigor, refusing any course that denies Christ, overcoming seducing and evil spirits and every beguiling, and praying in faith, watching unto prayer, and believingly singing songs of praise and thanksgiving.
This change is transformation of character after the divine similitude by beholding Christ. For everyone who makes Christ a personal Saviour the Holy Spirit removes hereditary and cultivated tendencies to evil, and by beholding Christ the beholder becomes like Him. Seeking what is above brings the Holy Spirit, who equips with the mind of Christ and sanctifies the life through His grace and merits unto works of righteousness and good fruit testifying to purifying Bible truth. It brings high intellectual culture and refinement of sentiments and manners, while worldly culture and artifice are of little consequence. The Christian character thus becomes a reproduction of the character of Christ, with the same love, the same grace, and the same unselfish benevolence that marked the Redeemer's life marking the lives of His followers through self-denial, self-sacrifice, and free personal choice of God over mammon.
Earthly Things Rejected
Earthly things to be rejected include wealth, treasure, gain, money, rank and position, and the pursuit of them eclipses heaven, lets worldly attractions hide the heavenly, and gives to Satan the allegiance he sought from Christ. Increasing love of worldly wealth weakens attachment to God and heavenly concerns, so love of the world must be removed from the heart and eternal matters made primary, with means and influence used unselfishly to support God's work and save souls rather than investing life in earthly gain. Strong attachment to earthly possessions keeps people from valuing heavenly treasure enough to sacrifice earthly wealth for glory and immortality, and those whose interests and treasures are fixed on earthly wealth must turn affections toward heaven to secure treasure and a home there. Pursuit of earthly riches can end in disappointment, an unhappy life, and death, costing the heavenly reward, yet seeing this outcome in others does not keep people from repeating the same course. Love and interest are to be directed toward heavenly things rather than earthly things, especially by people of higher standing who have talents and must recognize dependence on God for every spiritual and temporal favor, giving self to God, glorifying God in body and spirit, and using all abilities to lay up treasure in heaven where Christ intercedes instead of storing earthly treasure to be consumed in the fires of the last days. The use of money and time reveals whether the heart is on heavenly things where Christ is or on earthly, sensual and selfish desires, for spending them on needless finery and indulgence withholds help from the poor and support from gospel work, while self-denial makes them available for good, and God sees motives and actions and judges how what was entrusted has been used.
They also include worldly pleasure, fashion and dress, display, pride, vanity, frivolity, sentimentalism and self-indulgence, which must be denied by self-denial, taking up the cross and following Christ with no divided service between God and mammon. Those risen with Christ must fix mind and desires on heavenly things rather than earthly pursuits and pleasures, showing by deadness to the world that life is hidden with Him, and dwelling on trivial things and self-pleasing instead of Christ and His self-sacrificing love falls short of that requirement. Being dead to the world means being dead through baptismal vows to its customs, ambition, pride, pursuits, fashions, display and ambition for notoriety, with life hid with Christ in God and shaped by His divine nature. This heavenly focus is to shape how young people speak and behave in association, replacing frivolity and cheap example with conduct reflecting Christ and the Spirit's transforming grace. In the setting of parents and children it contrasts true love for Jesus with sentimental or shallow romantic love focused on courtship and marriage. It is the Lord's command to be separate from a sensual world following its own customs and practices, fixing love and desire on heavenly things instead of earthly things and keeping the cross continually in view as perpetual memorial of a nobler world, with these obligations often in mind and meditated upon and no solemn promise violated lest God be defrauded.
They include a divided heart that gives to humans, self or earthly attachments the devotion owed to God, loving what belongs to another, drinking iniquity and clothing Scripture with evil imaginings. A heart absorbed in and controlled by earthly affections cannot be given to God, so there must be no divided heart but loving God with all the heart and neighbor as self, forsaking all earthly interests and abiding in Christ. Overpowering love for a human being becomes idolatry when the heart gives that person the devotion belonging to God, calling for examination of where feelings and desires are chiefly fixed, since a child's main sympathies, affections, desires and conversation are directed toward heaven. Outward profession, clear presentation of truth and sacred position are worthless while the heart stays carnal, loving and practicing secret sin, drinking impurity and clothing Scripture with evil imaginings. The heart is the citadel and stronghold of the person, from which come life or death, and truth must be stamped there, the mind of God must control the mind, and the love of the Saviour must constrain base passions. While the heart is not wholly on the Lord's side the enemy holds it there and only God can dislodge him, so the whole heart must be given, purified and turned heavenward with gratitude expressed in offerings, for until the heart is purified no one is fit for fellowship with the saints, since the Heartsearcher sees those lingering in sin and every secret thing is witnessed. When professed Christians cherish earthly desires they view truth and heavenly things from a worldly standpoint, mistake gain for godliness and their own will for God's, forget God as temporal things engross attention, and such a life does not glorify God. Keeping affection above through communion with God and conversion leaves the soul dead to love of the world and to self-serving, hides life with Christ in God, produces God-likeness with love, peace, joy, faith, gratitude and hope springing up in the renewed soul, leads to mortifying earthly members such as fornication, uncleanness, inordinate affection, evil concupiscence and covetousness which is idolatry, escapes the wrath of God on disobedience, and ends in appearing with Christ in glory when Christ who is life appears.
Heavenly Life Practiced
Setting affection above is practiced by disciplining thoughts, imagination and conversation toward sacred, eternal and glorious themes of revelation rather than earthly troubles, trifles and trivial matters, for what the mind dwells on shapes the inner life. Dwelling on earthly things brings unbelief, gloom and foreboding, while focusing on things above quiets murmuring and vexing thoughts, turns the heart to praise, brings gladness, enjoyment in work, faithfulness in duty, a calm temper and a trusting spirit, and gives spiritual light and strength of faith by exercise. This requires training mind and affections to dwell on elevated, spiritual subjects under Christ's will, directing them away from selfishness, love of the world, and forbidden romantic fantasies that make a person unfit for usefulness, and giving the mind purposeful exercise without which religion cannot flourish. It is done by dwelling on Calvary, on Christ, His character and the eternal reward, remembering God's gift of salvation and both great mercies and smaller gifts with continual praise that deepens understanding of His goodness and mercy, thereby transforming into Christ's likeness so as to be a light wherever one is. The soul is thus opened heavenward and closed earthward, with watchfulness and secret prayer, because Satan seeks to tear affections away.
In household life this heavenly focus brings peace, joy and rest in the Lord instead of faultfinding and harshness. Parents show it by giving their whole hearts to God, responding to His blessings with gratitude and offerings, teaching children by example as well as precept, guarding words, directing their minds to high and holy objects, and training them to live pure, noble lives prepared for heaven rather than spending time and effort on what has no lasting worth. The heart is the citadel and stronghold: while it is not wholly on the Lord's side the enemy holds it there and only God can dislodge him, and true love for Jesus is contrasted with sentimental or shallow romantic love centered on courtship and marriage. Children's eternal good must not be sacrificed for worldly advantage, and the converted life must extend to the whole household with affections separated from earthly things and fixed on heavenly things.
In work and business the same affection requires bringing the spirit of truth, strict honesty, liberality and fair dealing into stewardship and every transaction, giving a fair, just equivalent for work done, putting away all sharp scheming to get work done for the lowest possible figure, and refusing the keenness and sharpness counted necessary in business and the aim to appear a sharp financier, for nothing gained by that policy will be wanted in the day of judgment. Every transaction is to be subjected to criticism lest selfishness intertwine, possessions esteemed as God's, display and debt in institutions avoided, and life and example made to reflect heavenly priorities rather than centering interests and affections on worldly things. Those given greater light, gifts, means, opportunities and abilities carry greater responsibility to use them for God's glory rather than worldly gain, valuing the promises and making pursuit of heavenly things evident in public service, helping pupils grow into Christ's perfect character as the pattern of beings created in God's image. Because nothing compares with working for salvation of souls, death to self also requires workers not to separate as friends over trifling differences of opinion on minor matters such as diet, but to humble the heart, recognize no human opinion is flawless, talk matters over and yield to one another to unite in good work, binding medical missionary work and the gospel inseparably as one united whole.
It orders interests and actions by eternity's claims, growing in spiritual understanding, trimming the lamp of the soul and replenishing it with the oil of the Spirit, seeking grace and clearness of comprehension from Christ to labor for those for whom He gave His life. The whole life — body, mind and soul — dead to the world and selfishness and subordinate to God's will as pledged at baptism, is given to the Lord for sanctification to His service in a godly example and well-ordered life, with Christ formed within as hope and strength, without whom even the most talented worker can do little. This calls Christians to put shared work for salvation of souls above minor disagreements, to use every talent from largest to smallest as sacred trust for God's glory, to use all powers and means unselfishly and God's provisions to relieve suffering people Christ bought with His blood, and to lead others' affections upward to secure the better life. As the heart is cleansed Christ takes the place once held by self, self-righteousness is banished, and the life shows the new character created in righteousness and true holiness.
It separates from the world as a peculiar people, coming out and touching corruption apart, living under higher laws than the world obeys with a plain and distinct line of demarcation in spirit and principle between church and world, refusing to shape character after worldly patterns and refusing fellowship with darkness. This is the baptismal pledge lived out: dead to the world and its temptations, denying self, taking up the cross and following Christ, living His life as co-laborers reproducing His love, grace and unselfish benevolence through self-denial and self-sacrifice, with free personal choice of God over mammon and over Baal and no divided service. The cross of Calvary is kept continually in view as perpetual memorial of a nobler world, drawing the mind from earth to survey Christ at God's right hand interceding, uplifting affections and pursuits above this world so that believers, in the world but not of it, move as pilgrims and strangers seeking a better, heavenly country and draw others by influence while obeying God's unchanging law and representing Christ while waiting fully to reflect Him.
It gives the whole undivided heart and affection freely to God who gave all and has first claim on attention, withdrawing love from the world and its treasures and centering affections on God where Christ lives. When the Holy Spirit guides affections they are rightly placed and lead others toward purity and holy living, while cherishing earthly desires makes truth viewed from a worldly standpoint, mistakes gain for godliness and one's own will for God's, and forgets God as temporal things engross attention so that life does not glorify God. Communion with God and contemplation of heavenly things, with looking by faith to Christ and growing in His character, transform the soul into His likeness, set heart and affections on heaven rather than worldly vanity, pleasure-seeking and folly, reach out for pardon, peace, righteousness and true holiness, and guard against Satan's temptations that overtake those who turn earthward. Those who disobey walk in darkness, cannot love, enjoy or discern heavenly things because understanding is darkened and alienated from Christ's life, pursue the course of this world with interests joined to earth, and in trying to serve both God and mammon become a burden and curse, drinking iniquity like water and bending to ruin even with the Word open before them. Divine power thus purifies and sanctifies affections without destroying pure human love, which is elevated and balanced by partaking of the divine nature.
It opens the soul heavenward to receive heavenly communications that angels are ready to give, since both God's angels and evil angels are present among worshipers, and enables understanding of spiritual things. Communion with God through divine power directs thoughts heavenward, frees the mind from the world's polluting and deceiving influence, draws it away from earthly influences, and purifies and sanctifies the affections, while earthly treasure soon passes away and the soul receives heavenly treasure of life through Christ. This means not magnifying or exalting self, but keeping the soul open to Christ the Sun of Righteousness to show forth God's praises, making it the ardent desire to know God and Jesus Christ, looking to Jesus living before the Father in heavenly courts interceding for those still in turmoil and strife, for the church militant is not yet the church triumphant. It surrenders self-direction and dependence on people for God's direction, obedience and service, standing in God's strength on God's principles, opening windows of the soul heavenward and closing them earthward so God can reveal His salvation.
It reckons with the brevity and preciousness of probation given to lay hold of what is heavenly and seek entrance into the city of God, keeping Christ's coming and soon coming in view with Christ formed within as hope of glory. Believers must guard against being weighed down by excess, drunkenness and cares of life, yield pride and love of the world, and remember Christ's infinite sacrifice which leads them to value the promised reward; a claim to be alive to God is not enough when thoughts remain fixed on the world, and those turned earthward must repent or perish. A right view of Jesus turns the heart from earthly things to heaven, and a soul-purifying response to the solemn message of His coming turns affections from worldly things to deeper consecration, for the world's standards count for nothing on God's day and will not win Christ's commendation. Keeping living connection with Christ is incompatible with wholehearted participation in exciting sports and scenes that distract from God and encourage forgetfulness of Him, and looking to heaven and God leads to walking safely in light while keeping eyes on earthly things leads to darkness and stumbling.
It looks to Jesus as pattern, not magnifying self, following His self-denying love and prayer, bearing reproach, and drawing the mind from earth to survey Him interceding at God's right hand. Christian character is a reproduction of Christ's character, with the same love, grace and unselfish benevolence that marked the Redeemer's life marking followers, grounded in being dead with life hid in God and the promise of appearing with Christ in glory. Mind and desires fixed on heavenly things rather than earthly pursuits, pleasures, trivial things and self-pleasing show by life that one is dead to the world, for dwelling on self instead of Christ and His self-sacrificing love falls short of what is required of those risen with Christ.
Promise and Blessing
Those who have risen with Christ are called to fix desire, thought, love and mind on heaven where Christ sits at the right hand of God, because the old life has ended and the new life is hidden with Christ in God. Attachment to earthly things taints and corrupts the life, while this heavenly focus belongs with baptism in the name of the Father, Son and Holy Spirit, going down into the water pledging death to the world and service to God with pledged heavenly power and grace to resist temptation, and rising to represent Christ's resurrection in new obedience. Being dead means the old sinful self-indulgent life is dead, and having life hidden with Christ in God means entering a new life pledged to represent His life, which requires mortifying fornication, uncleanness, inordinate affection, evil concupiscence, covetousness which is idolatry, anger, wrath, malice, blasphemy, filthy communication and lying, and putting off the old man. Its lived result is transformation after the divine similitude by beholding Christ, by which the Holy Spirit removes hereditary and cultivated evil, renews in knowledge after the image of the Creator, and brings high intellectual culture and refinement, practiced as mercy, kindness, humbleness of mind, meekness, longsuffering, forbearance and forgiveness as Christ forgave, and above all charity which is the bond of perfectness, with the peace of God ruling, thankfulness, the word dwelling richly in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, and doing all in the name of the Lord Jesus. When Christ who is the life shall appear, those with affection above shall also appear with Him in glory and share His glory, and this promise is an inducement to faithful service that uses every talent from largest to smallest as a sacred trust for God's glory.
Keeping this instruction as a guiding principle brings even now greater happiness, peace, gladness, calm temper, trusting spirit, strength in conflict, light to the world, and growth in grace, and daily cherishing heaven's joys prepares for future immortal life. Seeking what is above brings the Holy Spirit, who equips with the mind of Christ for a life sanctified through His grace and merits and shown by works of righteousness as fruitful trees bearing good fruit that testifies to Bible truth and its power to purify the whole person, deepened by remembering God's gift of salvation and continually praising Him for blessings and understanding His goodness and mercy. In household life this heavenly focus brings peace, joy and rest in the Lord instead of faultfinding and harshness, and in outward life it is expressed in mercy, kindness, humility, meekness, patience, forgiveness, love, peace and thankfulness, which leaves unbelievers a favorable impression of the truth. It is hope cast like an anchor within the veil that holds in sickness, trial, bereavement and darkest hours by seeing matchless charms in Jesus, resulting in a life hid with Christ in God now and appearing with Christ in glory when He appears, while affliction itself can turn the heart heavenward.
Things above far exceed the anticipation and appreciation of fallen man, and the most costly treasures of the world do not compare with their worth. They include the riches and pure glories of heaven, pure contentment, peace, exalted holiness, unalloyed joys, the full approval of God, and the glory enshrouding the Father whose power has no limit, fixed upon as the eternal heavenly home of the blessed beyond this brief and troubled life where sin and sorrow are absent, with lasting riches and righteousness that will not perish through use. In view of life's uncertainty and brevity this means reckoning with eternity, giving the self to God, glorifying God in body and spirit, recognizing dependence on God for every spiritual and temporal favor, using all God-given abilities and talents to lay up treasure in heaven where Christ intercedes instead of storing earthly treasure to be consumed in the fires of the last days, and recognizing how small earthly wealth is when gained at risk of losing the soul. As believers grow in grace and knowledge of the truth heaven's attractions become absorbing and shape conversation, and by contemplating Jesus and receiving the light of His presence by faith they have a foretaste of heavenly joy, with His righteousness and judgment evident as they follow on to know God. Satan knew their inestimable value by experience before his rebellion and loss, and having hoped by leading man to sin to make God's abhorrence of sin forever separate man from God and break the connecting link between heaven and earth, and fearing from the opened heavens and the voice of God to His Son that God would unite man more fully to Himself and give power to overcome his devices, he in revenge is determined to cause as many as he can to undervalue heaven and place affections upon earthly treasures.
Those who keep affection on earth walk in darkness and cannot love, enjoy, discern or know heavenly and divine things, being alienated from the life of Christ with darkened understandings to whom the things of the Spirit are foolishness, with pursuits, interests and prospects joined to the world according to the course of this world where Satan reigns. Strong attachment to earthly possessions, wealth, treasure and gain keeps people from valuing heavenly treasure rightly, so that those who should be preparing for glory and immortality show by action that they do not prize the heavenly inheritance enough to sacrifice earthly wealth for it, mistake gain for godliness, and pursue a divided service of God and mammon while satisfied to keep the Christian name. Pursuit of earthly riches can end in disappointment, an unhappy life and death, and cost the heavenly reward and eternal life, yet seeing this outcome in others does not keep people from repeating the same course. A claim to be alive to God is not enough when thoughts remain fixed on the world through vanity and pride, and those who drink up iniquity like water even with the Word open before them, read God's appeals in a perverted light and bend footsteps to certain ruin, must repent and receive salvation or perish and lose all, with times of trial revealing such hearts and separating conscientious followers from the self-deceived.
To set the affection above is to fix desire, thought, love, mind, heart and loyalty on heavenly things rather than on earthly things. Things above are heaven where Christ sits enthroned at the right hand of God interceding, the eternal home without death or pain where imperishable treasure, glory, peace and joy are found, while things on earth are the world, its customs, spirit and friendship from which to turn as pilgrims and strangers. Those risen with Christ have died to the old sinful, self-indulgent life through faith and baptism, buried in the likeness of His death and raised to new obedience, with their new life hidden with Christ in God, bound up with Him, justified and sanctified. This requires mortifying fornication, uncleanness, evil desire, covetousness which is idolatry, anger, malice and lying, and putting on mercy, kindness, humbleness, meekness, forgiveness and above all charity, by beholding Christ until transformed after the divine similitude. It is practiced by disciplining thought and conversation toward sacred and eternal themes, giving the whole undivided heart to God, ordering work, household and all powers by eternity's claims in strict honesty and self-denying love, and keeping Christ's coming in view. When Christ who is the life shall appear, those with affection above shall also appear with Him in glory, receiving now greater peace, strength and growth in grace, and then riches and joys far exceeding anticipation, while those who keep affection on earth walk in darkness and will lose all unless they repent.
Meaning of Words
To set the affection is to fix desires, thoughts, love, mind, heart, intellect, attention and loyalty on heavenly things rather than on earthly things. It is the calling of those risen with Christ, whose old life has ended and whose new life is hidden with Christ in God, to direct desire heavenward where Christ is, with the promise that when He appears they will appear with Him in glory. Attachment to earthly things taints and corrupts the life, while keeping this instruction as a guiding principle brings greater happiness, and daily cherishing heaven's joys prepares for future immortal life. For those baptized in the name of the Father, Son and Holy Spirit, it belongs to having taken a stand on the Lord's side and separated from the enemy, going down into the water pledging service to God and receiving pledged power and grace from heaven to resist every temptation to dishonor God, and rising to represent the resurrection of Christ.
Things above mean heaven where Christ sits at the right hand of God, enthroned and reigning and interceding. To look there is to fix love and attention on heaven rather than earth, which takes the transforming power of grace changing heart and character. It is the eternal home without death or pain where imperishable treasure, glory, peace, holiness and joy are found, and where the Christian character as a reproduction of Christ's love, grace and unselfish benevolence belongs. Transformation after the divine similitude brings high intellectual culture and refinement of sentiments and manners, while worldly culture and artifice are of little consequence, for the Holy Spirit removes hereditary and cultivated tendencies to evil and by beholding Christ the believer becomes like Him.
Not on things on the earth means turning from the world, its customs, spirit and friendship, and living as pilgrims and strangers. There is a plain and distinct line of demarcation in spirit and principle between the church and the world, with life under higher laws than the world obeys, controlled by unselfish principles as sons and daughters of the heavenly King, separated from selfishness, pride, vanity and selfish indulgence. It requires coming out and being separate, having no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness, for love for God and obedience to His commandments are incompatible with friendship with the world and love of its pleasures. The cross of Calvary is to be kept continually in view as the perpetual memorial of a nobler world, drawing the mind away from the earthly to the heavenly to survey Christ interceding, so that those who keep the heavenly world in view are uplifted above this world in affections and pursuits, in the world but not of the world, seeking a better, heavenly country and drawing others with them. Seeking what is above is walking an onward, upward way of the cross that leaves earthly things farther behind through decided effort, faith and prayer in continued resistance to the downward pull, refusing to follow the fashions of the world, lest climbers be borne down with the current into the broad road to death and lest careless example hinder others, especially children.
Death and New Life
To set affection above belongs to those risen with Christ, who have entered this life through faith and baptism in the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit, buried in the likeness of His death and raised in the likeness of His resurrection. Going down into the water pledges death to the world and its temptations and pledges service to God in new obedience and newness of life, refusing to shape character after the world and refusing a course that denies Christ. Rising from the water represents the resurrection of Christ, and with it comes pledged power and grace from heaven, covenanted help of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit awaiting the believer's call, to resist every temptation, to overcome seducing spirits and Satan's beguiling, and to stand as victors when the enemy comes in like a flood.
Being dead means the old sinful, self-indulgent, carnal life is dead, dead to fierce burning passions that consume love and gentleness and Christian courtesy, dead to quick impatient temper, hate, envy, revenge, retaliation, pride of heart, emulation, and seeking for supremacy. Conversion is death to self with no thread of selfishness drawn into the pattern of life, requiring present continuing conversion that empties old things from the heart and transforms the entire being rather than resting on first profession. Even the converted still face a tempting devil continually on the track and a strong undercurrent running swiftly to bear back to the former state of sin and indulge the natural passions of the unrenewed heart, so no heart stays pure without being constantly salted with divine grace, watching unto prayer, keeping firmly united to Christ, trusting Him every moment, and rowing against wind and tide with both oars of faith and works. The test is whether one is truly dead to sin and the world and living the Christ-life in keeping with baptismal vows, or has been buried in baptism while still alive to sin and the world, buried alive, dwelling on trivial self-pleasing instead of Christ and His self-sacrificing love.
Life hidden with Christ in God is a new life of heavenly origin imparted when truth is received, with life purposes changed and its principles brought into daily experience, bound up with Christ, justified and sanctified, abiding in Him as refuge and having His mind and Spirit. Attachment to earthly things taints and corrupts the life, while this hidden life directs thoughts and desires to where Christ sits at the right hand of God and guards weak points of character with rigor. In it ambition for supremacy is quenched, sinful habits and fruits of the unregenerate heart are put away, and fruits of righteousness appear through faithfulness to the baptismal vow. When Christ who is the life shall appear, those so dead and hidden shall also appear with Him in glory.
Transformed Character Required
To set affection on things above is to mortify the members that are upon the earth and to put off the old man with his deeds. The deeds to be mortified and put off are fornication, uncleanness, inordinate affection, evil concupiscence, and covetousness which is idolatry. They also include anger, wrath, malice, blasphemy, filthy or evil communication, and lying. This putting away of sinful desires and conduct is the lived outworking of being dead to the world with life hidden with Christ in God.
It is at the same time to put on the new man, which is renewed in knowledge after the image of Him that created him, where Christ is all and in all. As the elect of God this means putting on mercies, kindness, humbleness of mind, meekness, longsuffering, forbearance, and forgiveness even as Christ forgave. Above all it means putting on charity, which is the bond of perfectness, with the peace of God ruling in the heart and with thankfulness. It means letting the word or wisdom of Christ dwell richly in teaching and admonishing in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, and doing all in word and deed in the name of the Lord Jesus with thanksgiving to God. This heavenly focus is shown in discerning weak points of character and guarding against them with rigor, refusing any course that denies Christ, overcoming seducing and evil spirits and every beguiling, and praying in faith, watching unto prayer, and believingly singing songs of praise and thanksgiving.
This change is transformation of character after the divine similitude by beholding Christ. For everyone who makes Christ a personal Saviour the Holy Spirit removes hereditary and cultivated tendencies to evil, and by beholding Christ the beholder becomes like Him. Seeking what is above brings the Holy Spirit, who equips with the mind of Christ and sanctifies the life through His grace and merits unto works of righteousness and good fruit testifying to purifying Bible truth. It brings high intellectual culture and refinement of sentiments and manners, while worldly culture and artifice are of little consequence. The Christian character thus becomes a reproduction of the character of Christ, with the same love, the same grace, and the same unselfish benevolence that marked the Redeemer's life marking the lives of His followers through self-denial, self-sacrifice, and free personal choice of God over mammon.
Earthly Things Rejected
Earthly things to be rejected include wealth, treasure, gain, money, rank and position, and the pursuit of them eclipses heaven, lets worldly attractions hide the heavenly, and gives to Satan the allegiance he sought from Christ. Increasing love of worldly wealth weakens attachment to God and heavenly concerns, so love of the world must be removed from the heart and eternal matters made primary, with means and influence used unselfishly to support God's work and save souls rather than investing life in earthly gain. Strong attachment to earthly possessions keeps people from valuing heavenly treasure enough to sacrifice earthly wealth for glory and immortality, and those whose interests and treasures are fixed on earthly wealth must turn affections toward heaven to secure treasure and a home there. Pursuit of earthly riches can end in disappointment, an unhappy life, and death, costing the heavenly reward, yet seeing this outcome in others does not keep people from repeating the same course. Love and interest are to be directed toward heavenly things rather than earthly things, especially by people of higher standing who have talents and must recognize dependence on God for every spiritual and temporal favor, giving self to God, glorifying God in body and spirit, and using all abilities to lay up treasure in heaven where Christ intercedes instead of storing earthly treasure to be consumed in the fires of the last days. The use of money and time reveals whether the heart is on heavenly things where Christ is or on earthly, sensual and selfish desires, for spending them on needless finery and indulgence withholds help from the poor and support from gospel work, while self-denial makes them available for good, and God sees motives and actions and judges how what was entrusted has been used.
They also include worldly pleasure, fashion and dress, display, pride, vanity, frivolity, sentimentalism and self-indulgence, which must be denied by self-denial, taking up the cross and following Christ with no divided service between God and mammon. Those risen with Christ must fix mind and desires on heavenly things rather than earthly pursuits and pleasures, showing by deadness to the world that life is hidden with Him, and dwelling on trivial things and self-pleasing instead of Christ and His self-sacrificing love falls short of that requirement. Being dead to the world means being dead through baptismal vows to its customs, ambition, pride, pursuits, fashions, display and ambition for notoriety, with life hid with Christ in God and shaped by His divine nature. This heavenly focus is to shape how young people speak and behave in association, replacing frivolity and cheap example with conduct reflecting Christ and the Spirit's transforming grace. In the setting of parents and children it contrasts true love for Jesus with sentimental or shallow romantic love focused on courtship and marriage. It is the Lord's command to be separate from a sensual world following its own customs and practices, fixing love and desire on heavenly things instead of earthly things and keeping the cross continually in view as perpetual memorial of a nobler world, with these obligations often in mind and meditated upon and no solemn promise violated lest God be defrauded.
They include a divided heart that gives to humans, self or earthly attachments the devotion owed to God, loving what belongs to another, drinking iniquity and clothing Scripture with evil imaginings. A heart absorbed in and controlled by earthly affections cannot be given to God, so there must be no divided heart but loving God with all the heart and neighbor as self, forsaking all earthly interests and abiding in Christ. Overpowering love for a human being becomes idolatry when the heart gives that person the devotion belonging to God, calling for examination of where feelings and desires are chiefly fixed, since a child's main sympathies, affections, desires and conversation are directed toward heaven. Outward profession, clear presentation of truth and sacred position are worthless while the heart stays carnal, loving and practicing secret sin, drinking impurity and clothing Scripture with evil imaginings. The heart is the citadel and stronghold of the person, from which come life or death, and truth must be stamped there, the mind of God must control the mind, and the love of the Saviour must constrain base passions. While the heart is not wholly on the Lord's side the enemy holds it there and only God can dislodge him, so the whole heart must be given, purified and turned heavenward with gratitude expressed in offerings, for until the heart is purified no one is fit for fellowship with the saints, since the Heartsearcher sees those lingering in sin and every secret thing is witnessed. When professed Christians cherish earthly desires they view truth and heavenly things from a worldly standpoint, mistake gain for godliness and their own will for God's, forget God as temporal things engross attention, and such a life does not glorify God. Keeping affection above through communion with God and conversion leaves the soul dead to love of the world and to self-serving, hides life with Christ in God, produces God-likeness with love, peace, joy, faith, gratitude and hope springing up in the renewed soul, leads to mortifying earthly members such as fornication, uncleanness, inordinate affection, evil concupiscence and covetousness which is idolatry, escapes the wrath of God on disobedience, and ends in appearing with Christ in glory when Christ who is life appears.
Heavenly Life Practiced
Setting affection above is practiced by disciplining thoughts, imagination and conversation toward sacred, eternal and glorious themes of revelation rather than earthly troubles, trifles and trivial matters, for what the mind dwells on shapes the inner life. Dwelling on earthly things brings unbelief, gloom and foreboding, while focusing on things above quiets murmuring and vexing thoughts, turns the heart to praise, brings gladness, enjoyment in work, faithfulness in duty, a calm temper and a trusting spirit, and gives spiritual light and strength of faith by exercise. This requires training mind and affections to dwell on elevated, spiritual subjects under Christ's will, directing them away from selfishness, love of the world, and forbidden romantic fantasies that make a person unfit for usefulness, and giving the mind purposeful exercise without which religion cannot flourish. It is done by dwelling on Calvary, on Christ, His character and the eternal reward, remembering God's gift of salvation and both great mercies and smaller gifts with continual praise that deepens understanding of His goodness and mercy, thereby transforming into Christ's likeness so as to be a light wherever one is. The soul is thus opened heavenward and closed earthward, with watchfulness and secret prayer, because Satan seeks to tear affections away.
In household life this heavenly focus brings peace, joy and rest in the Lord instead of faultfinding and harshness. Parents show it by giving their whole hearts to God, responding to His blessings with gratitude and offerings, teaching children by example as well as precept, guarding words, directing their minds to high and holy objects, and training them to live pure, noble lives prepared for heaven rather than spending time and effort on what has no lasting worth. The heart is the citadel and stronghold: while it is not wholly on the Lord's side the enemy holds it there and only God can dislodge him, and true love for Jesus is contrasted with sentimental or shallow romantic love centered on courtship and marriage. Children's eternal good must not be sacrificed for worldly advantage, and the converted life must extend to the whole household with affections separated from earthly things and fixed on heavenly things.
In work and business the same affection requires bringing the spirit of truth, strict honesty, liberality and fair dealing into stewardship and every transaction, giving a fair, just equivalent for work done, putting away all sharp scheming to get work done for the lowest possible figure, and refusing the keenness and sharpness counted necessary in business and the aim to appear a sharp financier, for nothing gained by that policy will be wanted in the day of judgment. Every transaction is to be subjected to criticism lest selfishness intertwine, possessions esteemed as God's, display and debt in institutions avoided, and life and example made to reflect heavenly priorities rather than centering interests and affections on worldly things. Those given greater light, gifts, means, opportunities and abilities carry greater responsibility to use them for God's glory rather than worldly gain, valuing the promises and making pursuit of heavenly things evident in public service, helping pupils grow into Christ's perfect character as the pattern of beings created in God's image. Because nothing compares with working for salvation of souls, death to self also requires workers not to separate as friends over trifling differences of opinion on minor matters such as diet, but to humble the heart, recognize no human opinion is flawless, talk matters over and yield to one another to unite in good work, binding medical missionary work and the gospel inseparably as one united whole.
It orders interests and actions by eternity's claims, growing in spiritual understanding, trimming the lamp of the soul and replenishing it with the oil of the Spirit, seeking grace and clearness of comprehension from Christ to labor for those for whom He gave His life. The whole life — body, mind and soul — dead to the world and selfishness and subordinate to God's will as pledged at baptism, is given to the Lord for sanctification to His service in a godly example and well-ordered life, with Christ formed within as hope and strength, without whom even the most talented worker can do little. This calls Christians to put shared work for salvation of souls above minor disagreements, to use every talent from largest to smallest as sacred trust for God's glory, to use all powers and means unselfishly and God's provisions to relieve suffering people Christ bought with His blood, and to lead others' affections upward to secure the better life. As the heart is cleansed Christ takes the place once held by self, self-righteousness is banished, and the life shows the new character created in righteousness and true holiness.
It separates from the world as a peculiar people, coming out and touching corruption apart, living under higher laws than the world obeys with a plain and distinct line of demarcation in spirit and principle between church and world, refusing to shape character after worldly patterns and refusing fellowship with darkness. This is the baptismal pledge lived out: dead to the world and its temptations, denying self, taking up the cross and following Christ, living His life as co-laborers reproducing His love, grace and unselfish benevolence through self-denial and self-sacrifice, with free personal choice of God over mammon and over Baal and no divided service. The cross of Calvary is kept continually in view as perpetual memorial of a nobler world, drawing the mind from earth to survey Christ at God's right hand interceding, uplifting affections and pursuits above this world so that believers, in the world but not of it, move as pilgrims and strangers seeking a better, heavenly country and draw others by influence while obeying God's unchanging law and representing Christ while waiting fully to reflect Him.
It gives the whole undivided heart and affection freely to God who gave all and has first claim on attention, withdrawing love from the world and its treasures and centering affections on God where Christ lives. When the Holy Spirit guides affections they are rightly placed and lead others toward purity and holy living, while cherishing earthly desires makes truth viewed from a worldly standpoint, mistakes gain for godliness and one's own will for God's, and forgets God as temporal things engross attention so that life does not glorify God. Communion with God and contemplation of heavenly things, with looking by faith to Christ and growing in His character, transform the soul into His likeness, set heart and affections on heaven rather than worldly vanity, pleasure-seeking and folly, reach out for pardon, peace, righteousness and true holiness, and guard against Satan's temptations that overtake those who turn earthward. Those who disobey walk in darkness, cannot love, enjoy or discern heavenly things because understanding is darkened and alienated from Christ's life, pursue the course of this world with interests joined to earth, and in trying to serve both God and mammon become a burden and curse, drinking iniquity like water and bending to ruin even with the Word open before them. Divine power thus purifies and sanctifies affections without destroying pure human love, which is elevated and balanced by partaking of the divine nature.
It opens the soul heavenward to receive heavenly communications that angels are ready to give, since both God's angels and evil angels are present among worshipers, and enables understanding of spiritual things. Communion with God through divine power directs thoughts heavenward, frees the mind from the world's polluting and deceiving influence, draws it away from earthly influences, and purifies and sanctifies the affections, while earthly treasure soon passes away and the soul receives heavenly treasure of life through Christ. This means not magnifying or exalting self, but keeping the soul open to Christ the Sun of Righteousness to show forth God's praises, making it the ardent desire to know God and Jesus Christ, looking to Jesus living before the Father in heavenly courts interceding for those still in turmoil and strife, for the church militant is not yet the church triumphant. It surrenders self-direction and dependence on people for God's direction, obedience and service, standing in God's strength on God's principles, opening windows of the soul heavenward and closing them earthward so God can reveal His salvation.
It reckons with the brevity and preciousness of probation given to lay hold of what is heavenly and seek entrance into the city of God, keeping Christ's coming and soon coming in view with Christ formed within as hope of glory. Believers must guard against being weighed down by excess, drunkenness and cares of life, yield pride and love of the world, and remember Christ's infinite sacrifice which leads them to value the promised reward; a claim to be alive to God is not enough when thoughts remain fixed on the world, and those turned earthward must repent or perish. A right view of Jesus turns the heart from earthly things to heaven, and a soul-purifying response to the solemn message of His coming turns affections from worldly things to deeper consecration, for the world's standards count for nothing on God's day and will not win Christ's commendation. Keeping living connection with Christ is incompatible with wholehearted participation in exciting sports and scenes that distract from God and encourage forgetfulness of Him, and looking to heaven and God leads to walking safely in light while keeping eyes on earthly things leads to darkness and stumbling.
It looks to Jesus as pattern, not magnifying self, following His self-denying love and prayer, bearing reproach, and drawing the mind from earth to survey Him interceding at God's right hand. Christian character is a reproduction of Christ's character, with the same love, grace and unselfish benevolence that marked the Redeemer's life marking followers, grounded in being dead with life hid in God and the promise of appearing with Christ in glory. Mind and desires fixed on heavenly things rather than earthly pursuits, pleasures, trivial things and self-pleasing show by life that one is dead to the world, for dwelling on self instead of Christ and His self-sacrificing love falls short of what is required of those risen with Christ.
Promise and Blessing
Those who have risen with Christ are called to fix desire, thought, love and mind on heaven where Christ sits at the right hand of God, because the old life has ended and the new life is hidden with Christ in God. Attachment to earthly things taints and corrupts the life, while this heavenly focus belongs with baptism in the name of the Father, Son and Holy Spirit, going down into the water pledging death to the world and service to God with pledged heavenly power and grace to resist temptation, and rising to represent Christ's resurrection in new obedience. Being dead means the old sinful self-indulgent life is dead, and having life hidden with Christ in God means entering a new life pledged to represent His life, which requires mortifying fornication, uncleanness, inordinate affection, evil concupiscence, covetousness which is idolatry, anger, wrath, malice, blasphemy, filthy communication and lying, and putting off the old man. Its lived result is transformation after the divine similitude by beholding Christ, by which the Holy Spirit removes hereditary and cultivated evil, renews in knowledge after the image of the Creator, and brings high intellectual culture and refinement, practiced as mercy, kindness, humbleness of mind, meekness, longsuffering, forbearance and forgiveness as Christ forgave, and above all charity which is the bond of perfectness, with the peace of God ruling, thankfulness, the word dwelling richly in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, and doing all in the name of the Lord Jesus. When Christ who is the life shall appear, those with affection above shall also appear with Him in glory and share His glory, and this promise is an inducement to faithful service that uses every talent from largest to smallest as a sacred trust for God's glory.
Keeping this instruction as a guiding principle brings even now greater happiness, peace, gladness, calm temper, trusting spirit, strength in conflict, light to the world, and growth in grace, and daily cherishing heaven's joys prepares for future immortal life. Seeking what is above brings the Holy Spirit, who equips with the mind of Christ for a life sanctified through His grace and merits and shown by works of righteousness as fruitful trees bearing good fruit that testifies to Bible truth and its power to purify the whole person, deepened by remembering God's gift of salvation and continually praising Him for blessings and understanding His goodness and mercy. In household life this heavenly focus brings peace, joy and rest in the Lord instead of faultfinding and harshness, and in outward life it is expressed in mercy, kindness, humility, meekness, patience, forgiveness, love, peace and thankfulness, which leaves unbelievers a favorable impression of the truth. It is hope cast like an anchor within the veil that holds in sickness, trial, bereavement and darkest hours by seeing matchless charms in Jesus, resulting in a life hid with Christ in God now and appearing with Christ in glory when He appears, while affliction itself can turn the heart heavenward.
Things above far exceed the anticipation and appreciation of fallen man, and the most costly treasures of the world do not compare with their worth. They include the riches and pure glories of heaven, pure contentment, peace, exalted holiness, unalloyed joys, the full approval of God, and the glory enshrouding the Father whose power has no limit, fixed upon as the eternal heavenly home of the blessed beyond this brief and troubled life where sin and sorrow are absent, with lasting riches and righteousness that will not perish through use. In view of life's uncertainty and brevity this means reckoning with eternity, giving the self to God, glorifying God in body and spirit, recognizing dependence on God for every spiritual and temporal favor, using all God-given abilities and talents to lay up treasure in heaven where Christ intercedes instead of storing earthly treasure to be consumed in the fires of the last days, and recognizing how small earthly wealth is when gained at risk of losing the soul. As believers grow in grace and knowledge of the truth heaven's attractions become absorbing and shape conversation, and by contemplating Jesus and receiving the light of His presence by faith they have a foretaste of heavenly joy, with His righteousness and judgment evident as they follow on to know God. Satan knew their inestimable value by experience before his rebellion and loss, and having hoped by leading man to sin to make God's abhorrence of sin forever separate man from God and break the connecting link between heaven and earth, and fearing from the opened heavens and the voice of God to His Son that God would unite man more fully to Himself and give power to overcome his devices, he in revenge is determined to cause as many as he can to undervalue heaven and place affections upon earthly treasures.
Those who keep affection on earth walk in darkness and cannot love, enjoy, discern or know heavenly and divine things, being alienated from the life of Christ with darkened understandings to whom the things of the Spirit are foolishness, with pursuits, interests and prospects joined to the world according to the course of this world where Satan reigns. Strong attachment to earthly possessions, wealth, treasure and gain keeps people from valuing heavenly treasure rightly, so that those who should be preparing for glory and immortality show by action that they do not prize the heavenly inheritance enough to sacrifice earthly wealth for it, mistake gain for godliness, and pursue a divided service of God and mammon while satisfied to keep the Christian name. Pursuit of earthly riches can end in disappointment, an unhappy life and death, and cost the heavenly reward and eternal life, yet seeing this outcome in others does not keep people from repeating the same course. A claim to be alive to God is not enough when thoughts remain fixed on the world through vanity and pride, and those who drink up iniquity like water even with the Word open before them, read God's appeals in a perverted light and bend footsteps to certain ruin, must repent and receive salvation or perish and lose all, with times of trial revealing such hearts and separating conscientious followers from the self-deceived.