Why does Paul tell believers to set their affection on things above and not on the earth?
Believers are to set their affection on things above because they have experienced Christ's death, burial, and resurrection by faith and are now dead, so seeking heavenly things—where Christ sits at God's right hand—takes priority. Earthly things are not wrong if kept in proper order under spiritual priorities.
Les explains that Colossians 3:1-2 addresses believers who have been risen with Christ by faith—those who have experienced His death, burial, and resurrection. Because that is true, seeking the things above becomes far more important, where Christ sits at God's right hand. The command is to set affection on things above, not on earth. Les ties this to Jesus' words to seek first the Kingdom of Heaven, and then all these things can be added. He says there is nothing wrong with things if priorities are right; things are wrong only when they are more important than spiritual things. God is not tight, but believers cannot demand things from Him; if He blesses in grace, that is fine as long as they stay in the right order. The stated reason is that believers are dead, prompting the exclamation, "I thought I was living."
For ye are dead, and your life is hid with Christ in God.
More Questions
Why should believers set their affection on things above rather than on things on the earth?
Believers should set their affection on things above because they are dead—a state that seems contradictory because people think they are living.