Believers are to prioritize the things above—Christ Himself and eternal realities—over earthly things.
Scripture plainly commands believers to seek those things which are above, where Christ is seated at God's right hand, and to set their affection on things above rather than on earthly things (Colossians 3:1-2). Les Feldick explains that this means heavenly priorities should control the believer's life, not a rejection of all earthly enjoyment. Because the believer has died and is hidden with Christ in God, the old earthly appetites and the world's concern with the temporary no longer dominate.
Colossians 3:1 — Directly commands believers to seek what is above because they are risen with Christ.
Colossians 3:2 — Directly commands believers to set their affection on things above, not on earthly things.
Colossians 3:3 — Explains the reason: believers are dead, and their life is hid with Christ in God.
God's Word, in Colossians 3:1-3, makes the believer's priority unmistakable: 'If ye then be risen with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ sitteth on the right hand of God. Set your affection on things above, not on things on the earth. For ye are dead, and your life is hid with Christ in God.' The commands are to seek and to set affection, and they are rooted in the believer's union with Christ in His death, burial, and resurrection. Second Corinthians 4:18 adds the eternal perspective: 'While we look not at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen: for the things which are seen are temporal; but the things which are not seen are eternal.' The visible, material world is temporary, while the unseen realities connected with Christ are eternal.
Les Feldick teaches that when Christ died, believers died; when He was buried, they were buried; and when He rose, they were raised to new life in God's reckoning. This is the foundation for what he calls practical Christianity: 'Seek those things which are above... Set your affection on things above.' He is careful to say this does not mean believers must live Spartan lives or refuse to enjoy anything—they can enjoy material blessings, but things must not take priority. Les also stresses the eternal over the temporal. The world is set only on the temporal and on what it can get out of life, but the believer who gets hung up on things loses sight of the eternal. Even a full 70 years of enjoyment cannot compare with the billions of years of eternity. Because believers are dead to the old Adamic nature and their life is hid with Christ in God, their affection should be directed to Christ, who is seated at the right hand of God, rather than to the things of this earth.
The passage opens with the statement 'If ye then be risen with Christ' and then commands, 'seek those things which are above, where Christ sitteth on the right hand of God.' Verse 2 strengthens this: 'Set your affection on things above, not on things on the earth.' Verse 3 gives the reason: 'For ye are dead, and your life is hid with Christ in God.' These verses clearly place the believer's priority on the heavenly realm, on Christ, and on the life that is hidden with Him.
Les Feldick insists the Colossians 3 command is practical Christianity. It does not mean a believer has to live Spartan or be frugal and unable to enjoy anything. Material things are not condemned; Les says 'there's nothing wrong with things,' provided the believer has priorities straight. The problem is when a believer gets hung up on things and becomes more concerned about the temporal than the eternal.
Les explains that when Christ died, believers died in the mind of God; when He was buried, they were buried; and when He rose, they were given new life. Thus, verse 3 says believers are dead and their life is hid with Christ in God. Because Christ is presently seated at the right hand of God, the believer's affection is to be directed to that heavenly position. Les also describes this as deadness to the old Adamic nature, the sinful, rebellious nature inherited from Adam, which no longer has to control the believer.
Les contrasts the world's focus on the temporal—thinking about 'what's in it for me' and how to enjoy life to the full—with the believer's focus on the eternal. The things which are seen are temporal, but the things which are not seen are eternal. Les asks what even 70 years of full enjoyment is compared to the billions of years of eternity. That perspective is why the believer sets affection on things above.
Risen with Christ
Les explains that when Christ died, believers died; when He was buried, they were buried; and when He rose, they were raised to new life in God's sight, which is the foundation for seeking things above.
Heavenward Priorities
Les reads Colossians 3:1-3 and says believers' priorities should be set heavenward, where Christ is; this is practical Christianity and does not require a Spartan lifestyle.
Christ at God's Right Hand
Les points out that Christ is presently seated at the right hand of God, not on a throne, which is why believers are to set their affection on things above rather than on the earth.
Dead and Hid with Christ
Les answers why affection should be above: believers are dead to the old Adam and the world, and their life is hidden with Christ in God.
Temporal vs. Eternal
Les contrasts the world's focus on the temporal with the believer's call to seek first heavenly things, noting that things themselves are not wrong if priorities are straight.
Grace vs. Mercy: What's the Real Difference? (Bible Explained)
The same thing the world throws at us today. Why do you give up the good time? Why get out of the fast lane just for the sake of being a Christian? Why don't you live it up? Why don't you enjoy the flesh? Because after all, when you're dead, it's all over. And Paul says if that's true, there's probably merit in what they're saying. Go ahead.
Dead to the Old Adam
Les explains that believers are dead to the old Adamic nature—the sinful nature inherited from birth—and so no longer need to live dominated by earthly appetites.
Eternity Perspective
Les compares even a full 70 years of worldly enjoyment to the billions of years of eternity to show why heavenly priorities matter.
Colossians 3:1: If ye then be risen with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ sitteth on the right hand of God.
This is the foundational command for the believer's priority: because of their union with Christ, they are to seek what is above.
Colossians 3:2: Set your affection on things above, not on things on the earth.
This verse directly answers the question by telling believers where their affection should be placed.
Colossians 3:3: For ye are dead, and your life is hid with Christ in God.
This is the reason for the command: believers are dead to the old life and their true life is hidden with Christ.
2 Corinthians 4:18: While we look not at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen: for the things which are seen are temporal; but the things which are not seen are eternal.
This reinforces the eternal perspective that makes heavenly priorities essential.
No. Les Feldick teaches that setting affection on things above is practical Christianity and does not mean being frugal or trying to live Spartan. Believers can enjoy material things, but those things must not take priority over heavenly priorities.
In God's reckoning, the believer died with Christ and was raised to new life. This means the old Adamic nature is dead and the believer's life is hidden with Christ in God, so eternal life now characterizes the believer.
The things seen are temporal, while the unseen things are eternal. Les compares even a full lifetime of 70 years with the billions of years of eternity, showing that eternal priorities are the only ones that truly matter.
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