Heavenly Identity and Heavenly Thoughts

Baptisms are beautiful. This last Sunday, our church had the privilege of baptizing three believers in Christ. Three people publicly declared how they were brought from the kingdom of darkness into the kingdom of light because of the sacrifice of Christ and the sovereign plan of our God. Three people testified in front of a crowd that they were made new—given a new identity, a new love, and a new purpose in Christ. This was done by the transforming work of the Spirit in their hearts, allowing them to believe.

One person in particular was remembering the way they used to think, so focused only on the self. Were they funny, cool, pretty, athletic, lovable, and good enough for others in order to prove their worth? But when they realized what Christ had done for them and who they were in Christ, they were able to let go of those things. They could let go of the scoreboard in their mind and focus on what Christ had already done. You see, this new believer realized something: a heavenly identity leads to heavenly thoughts.

Baptisms are beautiful not only because we get to witness someone’s testimony of Christ’s work in their lives, but we get to remember our own as well. It is a heavenly thought to remember when we ourselves were given a new identity in Christ. As biblical counselors we need to remind our counselees that even though they are new creations in Christ, thoughts can easily go back to those fleshly, earthly, selfish ones. This is why Colossians 3:1–4 should be a go-to for us to encourage our counselees and ourselves about who we are and how we are to think.

Colossians 3 begins with a conditional statement: “If you have been raised with Christ . . .” This is a conditional statement regarding your identity. It is not referring to some gnostic way of raising above things or gaining some secret knowledge, but refers to the fact that when you believe in Christ you have been raised with him to new life; you are in Christ (Colossians 2:9–15; Romans 6:1–11)! This is such a helpful reminder—I am not what I do, I am in Christ. I have been raised with him.

And if you are in Christ, then Paul gives us two imperatives, or commands to follow. We are to seek the things that are above, and set our minds on those things (and not things that are on earth). Remember, these two things only happen after a new heavenly identity has been given to a believer. To seek means to look for, investigate, examine, consider. And specifically in this context it means, “to devote serious effort to realize one’s desire or objective.”¹

Paul is telling believers to devote serious effort into setting our minds on, or thinking about, the things that are above, or heavenly things. Paul immediately qualifies these heavenly things with devoting serious effort into thinking about Christ in heaven seated at the right hand of God. What an incredible thing to think about and consider! This seems to be a clear reference to Psalm 110:1. The fact is that Christ is seated in heaven, having conquered sin and the grave. He’s a king seated on his heavenly throne. In fact, thinking about Christ is exactly what Paul does in Colossians 1:15–23. It is a movement away from selfish thinking and toward exalting Christ.

If “seeking” was the first imperative for us to devote serious effort to investigating the things above, then “setting” is an emphatic reminder to think about those heavenly things and contrasts them against earthly things. To “set your minds” is the biblical idea of mind renewal. We are to think about Christ and not earthly things. This should remind us of Paul’s warning to the Philippians, that many have their thoughts on earthly things but we have a citizenship that is in heaven (identity) and from it we await our Savior who will transform us by his kingly powers to have a glorified body (thoughts) (Philippians 3:17–21). In the context of Colossians, Paul is trying to get them to stop being influenced by false teachers who are having them focus their thoughts and worship on man-made religion that looks very religious but is focused on empty philosophies, worship of angels, and a form of self-denial that lacks the ability to keep from indulging in the flesh.

Paul moves back again to our heavenly identity when he tells the Colossians that they have died. This means that they have died to the old man and have been made a new creation in Christ. This identity then leads into a most glorious thought—that our life is hidden with Christ in God. Hidden refers to the fact that we kept safe and concealed from what we deserve for our sin. Christ is our ultimate refuge as he hides us in himself from the condemnation of sin because of his righteousness. Consider for a moment how you could meditate on being hidden in Christ. Consider how that could help those who struggle with intrusive thoughts. Counselees should be reminded to think Philippians 4:8 type thoughts about the heavenly things of being hidden in Christ. We should all be reminded that no matter how much we fail and fall, we are hidden in Christ and have died to our old man.

Paul then completes the idea of heavenly identity and heavenly thoughts with verse 4: “When Christ who is your life appears, then you also will appear with him in glory.” Our whole life has changed. Christ is now our entire identity and life. Everything we do now is to the glory of Christ. The heavenly thought that corresponds with this is that when Christ returns in his second coming, we will appear with him in glory. What a heavenly thought to meditate on through the sufferings and circumstances of everyday life. Paul helps us see that our new identity in Christ should lead us to a different type of thinking. Not a thinking focused on our flesh, on our own selfish desires, on man-made religions, or asceticism, but on our Savior King Christ and the promises he has for us as His new creation. This will give us plenty to meditate on and think about.

So, remember your baptism. Remember your new identity and think about the heavenly things where Christ is!

¹ William Arndt et al., A Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament and Other Early Christian Literature (Chicago: University of Chicago Press, 2000), 428.