Framing your Mind

In Colossian 3:1, 2, Paul instructs us to set our reflective thinking, or frame of mind, on things above. “Therefore, since you have been raised with Christ, seek the things above, where the Christ is seated at the right hand of God. Set your reflective thinking on things above, not on the things of the earth.”

Reflective thinking, in Colossians 3, is the type of thinking that we do every day while we go about our daily duties. We frame our minds in different ways depending upon how we perceive ourselves; how you identify who you are in your own mind. Our reflective thinking directly affects how we perceive ourselves. Our reflective thinking needs to be focused on things above so that our frame of mind, how we perceive ourselves, is affect in such a way that it lines up with how God identifies us in His mind.

Remember, old things have passed away, all things are new, 1 Corinthians 5:17. The way we recognize ourselves needs to change to match who we really are now in Christ.

What are the things above? Things are not persons; they are your position and possessions. You do not focus your mind on an imaginary Jesus – you have not seen Jesus so you cannot truly imagine what He looks like. Use your renewed mind, Romans 12:2, and focus on the things that relate to who you are in Christ now.

There are two area in which you can frame your mind: the flesh and the Spirit. Romans 8:4, 5 “The righteousness of the principle of the Spirit is made full in us, the one not governing their manner of life according to the flesh, but according to the Spirit, for the ones walking according to the flesh, set their reflective thinking on the things of the flesh, but the ones walking according to the Spirit, they set their reflective thinking on the things of the Spirit.”

I used the word “principle” rather than “law” because within the English language we have four words to explain one Greek word: laws, regulations, principles, and standards. Each one of these has a distinctly different aspect. There are manmade laws and regulations; however, we also use the word “law” for things that happen because of the nature of something; principles. The laws of nature are those things that happen because it is natural for them to happen. The Greek word is expressing this meaning in Romans 8. Christians are not under any quality of law – rules regulating your life and status before God, Romans 6:14 “for the sin nature will not lord it over you. For you are not under any quality of law, but under grace.”

The law of the Spirit is not referring to a set of regulations for the Christian but rather the natural result that comes from walking by the Spirit. When you frame your mind on who you are in Christ, you are relating to the Spirit. As you begin to feel more and more at ease in your position in Christ, the Holy Spirit will begin to produce the fruit of the Spirit in your life. When you frame your mind on the things of the flesh you are relating to the flesh and naturally produce the works of the flesh.