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The saints of the great roll-call of faith sought "a better country" in which they found and laid hold of the very attributes of our Lord. He is our surety during our short pilgrimage in this world, and for our life in eternity to come.
If then you were raised with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ is, sitting at the right hand of God. Set your mind on things above, not on things on the earth. For you died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God. When Christ who is our life appears, then you also will appear with Him in glory. (Colossians 3:1-4)
As we face this great imperative, we must ask questions to understand exactly what God requires of us, that we may do it.
Why "Things Above"?
Why must we "seek those things which are above"? It is because they cannot, will not, be found on earth. It is impossible. We must seek those things which are above, where Christ is. We must seek and lay hold of the very attributes of our Lord, which are our only resource for life in our short time in this world, and for our life in eternity to come. We must seek those things which are, in Christ, "seated at the right hand of God." We must seek the heavenly altar on which we find His blood, offered once for all as the full and final atonement for our sins. We must seek the throne of grace. We must seek the One who intercedes for sinners at that throne.
Seeing then that we have a great High Priest who has passed through the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold fast our confession. For we do not have a High Priest who cannot sympathize with our weaknesses, but was in all points tempted as we are, yet without sin. Let us therefore come boldly to the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy and find grace to help in time of need. (Hebrews 4:414-16)
Where on earth, where in the things of earth, can we find such a Great High Priest? Where on earth, where in the things of earth, can we find "grace to help in time of need"? It is impossible to find those things on this earth. Seek them all you want. Seek them as long as you want. Seek them wherever and in whatever you want. But you will not find them. You will come to the end of that quest empty-handed. You will only find these things as you "seek those things which are above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God." You will only find those things as you "set your mind on things above, not on things on the earth."
A Better Country
Heaven is where we also find the place that is being prepared for us. Jesus told the disciples in John chapter fourteen, "I go to prepare a place for you; I will come again, and receive you to Myself." And on that great Last Day, Jesus tells us in Matthew 25:34, He will say to those on His right hand, "Come, you blessed of My Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world." And we shall rule and reign with Him forever.
The writer to the Hebrews tells us that those in the great roll-call of faith of chapter eleven demonstrated the fact that they desired a better country than any that can be found on this earth. They desired, he says, "a better, that is, a heavenly country. Therefore God is not ashamed to be called their God, for He has prepared a city for them" (Hebrews 11:16).
Is that what you are seeking, dear friend? Are you seeking the things that will prepare you for that life to come? The true Church of Jesus Christ, the truly blood-bought, Spirit-indwelled believer in the Lord Jesus Christ, must utterly reject the things of earth. We must despise these things. We must flee to the preeminent Christ. We must flee to the heavenly altar. We must flee to the heavenly throne of grace.
If then you were raised with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ is, sitting at the right hand of God. Set your mind on things above, not on things on the earth. For you died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God.
And then note well the great promise:
When Christ who is our life appears, then you also will appear with Him in glory.
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