Integrity- People of God

We spend so much time on things that are temporary, things that are passing away and will not last, as opposed to those things which are eternal. We are told to set our mind and affections on the things above, the things that are eternal and not just the things on this earth that will soon pass away. 

Colossians 3:2 Set your affection on the things above, not on things on the earth. KJV

Affections are produced in our emotions, our feelings and the disposition of our mind and they are the things we give our attention, thought and passions to. We are to work at placing our energy, time and thoughts on those things that will impact the eternal souls of mankind and where we will spend our eternity. 

Colossians 3:2-4 Set your mind on things above, not on things on the earth. For you died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God. When Christ who is our life appears, then you also will appear with Him in glory. NKJ

To set our mind and affections on things above will take a conscious effort on our part.  To set; is to take time to establish a thing and to be determined with resolve that a thing will take place. Therefore, we must make the decision to take action, to set our affections, thoughts and emotions on the things above, God the Father, Jesus Christ and the eternal souls of humanity.   

We are to set our minds daily on the things that are important,which are the things that will last eternally.  Often time we go through the day and through life without putting much effort or time into where we will place our thoughts. Our thought patterns and the way we think becomes a habit and we keepthinking the same things the same way.  We can become so occupied with a thing that our thinking about it becomes an automatic response. We will ponder and meditate on those things without realizing how much of our time, thought and life is consumed on trivial things. 

Life is both temporary or seasonal and eternal, unending at the same time. If we are to live according to our purpose, we must engage both aspect of life in the natural body and with our soulwhich will live forever. The natural body is in a process of continuous change with passing moments which are finite that came from the earth and will come to an end. But the souls of mankind and our spirit are a never-ending, perpetual and an infinite part of our existence which comes from the eternal God, our creator which will never cease to exist.

A life submitted to God is not just about doing a service, though service may be a by-product of a submitted life. The goal and the ultimate accomplishment of a life submitted to God is to be the love of God by reflecting His love through personal relationships. We are to display the love of God the Father and Jesus Christ whom He sent. It is through our relationship with God that we understand the love God has for us and as we experience this love from God we can share it with others. 

Christ showed us how to live this earthly life through the love of God and we too should express God’s love to those around us. So that people may see and come to know the eternal God, receive and experience His salvation and His abundant love in our daily lives. The souls of mankind are eternal and will live forever but the question is where? We should be an example that people may see God and choose to spend their eternity withthe Father and Jesus Christ whom He sent to seek and to save humanity.

Life as we know it in the natural may change from season to season with fleeting interests and short-term focuses but the soul and spirit are eternal and will live forever.  Our spirit was created in the image of the eternal and everlasting God and our spirit was given an eternal purpose, to reflect the image of God. 

John 17:3 And this is eternal life, that they may know You, and the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom You sent.