Affections on Things Above Colossians 3:2

Paul the apostle began his letter to the Colossians by commending them for their faith in Jesus Christ, and he went on to warn them of the false-teachings of the Gnostics and Judaizers who were among them. In chapter three of his letter, Paul turned the attention of the Colossians from the temporary things of the earth to seeking the things which are eternal and in heaven with Christ, and in verse two of chapter three Paul gives instructions to the church members as to where they should set their affections. We read:

Set your affection on things above, not on things on the earth.

The verse begins, “Set your affection on things above,” Paul employed the words“Set your affection” which is the Greek word “phroneo” and means “to have understanding, be wise, feel, think or direct one's mind to a thing; to seek or to strive for” “on things above” which is the word “ano” and means “up, upwards, above or on high”. The Colossians were to be focused upon the things in heaven which are eternal and everlasting, and their understanding, direction and striving was to be toward these eternal things.

The verse goes on to say, “not on things on the earth.” Conversely to having their “affection” toward the “things above”, the Colossians were not to have their “affection” “on things on the earth” or “temporary things of the ground”. In other words, the Colossians were not to be passionate and directed toward the temporary material things of the earth. They were rather to have their focus and passion toward the heavenly things.

Although this verse is very short in words, especially in the Greek, “Phroneo ano, me epi ge”, it is packed with decision making and direction. As we think about our own “affection”, where it it “set”? Do we focus our time, energy, money and efforts upon things that are “on the earth” and temporary, or do we “seek and strive for” the “things above”? A good measure for ourselves will be to examine where we spend our time and upon what we spend it? Therein lies the answer to what we really “love” or have affection for in our lives. If we can “love and have affection” for the right things, we have it made, and as one person said, “If we have our “love and affection” upon the wrong things, we have it “unmade”. The easy question to answer is, “What do we love?”, and when we discover that answer, we will know where our affection is set as well.

Next time we will see why Paul says to set our affection above, so read ahead, and we shall join together then.

Until tomorrow...there is more...

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