Colossians 3:2

Paul is continuing to promote his positive vision for the Colossians. While the negative vision tells us what to avoid, the positive vision tells us what to pursue. Realizing the danger of the negative can fuel our motivation for the positive, and realizing the joy of the positive can fuel our resolve against the negative.

Look at Jesus. The Bible says that for the joy set before him, he endured the cross, despising the shame (Hebrews 12:2). He had a positive vision that kept him on track for the will of God to give his life for the sins of the world.

But he was also driven by a negative vision: the death and destruction on the earth that would continue if he did not do something about it by taking the cup of the wrath of God. The position and negative visions were summarized in one word: love. He gave himself for us because he loves us (John 15:13); he feels our pain.

Some people may want to relegate thinking about things above to the time they read the bible in the morning and pray or when they attend the Christian meeting called church. But Paul says to keep thinking about the things above. Paul did not say it is the job of pastors, those who are in full-time ministry, to always be thinking about things of heaven rather than every one of us.

When we think about things of heaven, we can sharpen our spiritual judgment and be more ready to reject the wrong pull of the earthly, which may even be masquerading as spiritual.

The verse also tells us that we need to assume agency over our thoughts and choose them. If we are not deliberate about directing our thoughts in the right direction, we will be pulled in the wrong.

I believe that starts with who you choose to spend time with and spend time listening to. If you love gossip (Romans 1:29-30), you are already on a slippery slope. We need to be self-conscious about the choice of people we have around us. Do not tolerate gossip or people who are in the habit of comparing themselves with others. Paul said such people are not wise (2 Corinthians 10:12). And if you are a companion of fools, you will suffer (Proverbs 13:20).

But the biggest influence you will subject yourself to is the church you go to. If you go to a church and all they do is program you to think about earthly things, you are in trouble.

That means you have spent hours and hours and years on years of your life sowing to the flesh, and you will reap corruption (Galatians 6:8), and I am not cursing you; it is the law of nature.

This is because God would not be made a fool, a person who reap what he sows (Galatians 6:7-8).

You are in trouble if you go to a church,

• that always points your attention to how you can make a name for yourself, make more money,

• how you can put yourself at the top of the natural social ladder,

• how to climb the social ladder, and not how you should carry your cross and follow Jesus [Matthew 16:24-27] and look for rewards when Jesus comes [Revelation 22:12]), but

• always wants you to labor for the food that perishes, and

• they want you to channel your time and focus on growing your bank account on earth, where Jesus said there are risks and not having treasure in heaven (Matthew 6:19-21).

What then should you do? You have to save your own soul. Come out from their midst (2 Corinthians 6:17). Deliver your soul.

In the book of Revelation, Jesus said he was angry with the church that tolerated wrong teaching (Revelation 2:20-23, 2:14-15).

The least you can do to show that you are against false teaching is not to be present when it is being taught. And as a minister, to not take invitations to preach in those places, so that you don't sow among thorns (Jeremiah 4:3), so that your labor will not be in vain. Be smart.

But you say, but Jesus was in the house of sinners.

There is a difference; Jesus said it is the sinner that he has come for, not the righteous (Matthew 9:12-13).

Those who have set up a system of false teachings and lies already see themselves as the righteous.

But you say that is the only kind of church near me.

Really?

While I would not encourage you to not go to church, I need to ask you, what price are you willing to pay to make sure you regularly go to the church where it is about setting your eyes on Jesus, thinking of things of heaven, where Christ is?

Thinking of things of heaven is also thinking of things beyond the realm of this world, beyond time and space.

Don't go to a church where you will sit in the seat of the scornful (Psalm 1:1), criticizing everything they are doing there.

Don't.

So, if there is no heavenly-minded church around you, what do you do? Cry to God, and I believe that he will do for you what he did for Hagar, opening her eyes to see water in the wilderness (Genesis 21:17-19). And if not, the decision is still yours.

But be clear: attending a church that focuses your mind on earthly things is always a recipe for suffering.