Many churches throughout the world use a Bible reading schedule called a "lectionary." It's just a fancy word meaning "selected readings." Posts like this reflect on the readings for an upcoming Sunday or other Church holiday, as found in the three-year lectionary.
We boldly proclaim salvation by grace through faith. What’s the role of works, then? Are we supposed to ignoregood works? After all, if all our life is lived in submission to the Holy Spirit, if we don’t change, maybe it’s not our fault?
The apostle Paul answers this in Colossians 3:1-4. Those who have been called by the name of Christ are to set their minds on him, on things above. If our life is wrapped up in Christ it should have a strong influence on our goals. We self-consciously try to take our minds off of earthly things.
Does this mean we are to become “so heavenly minded that we are no earthly good?” Not at all. Rather, we look to Christ as the one who sustains us and who uses us as his messengers for good in this world. We don’t set our minds on the things of this world for our own benefit. We set our minds on what Jesus has done for the world. We show mercy as He has shown mercy. We feed the poor and hungry because He is the bread of life. By setting our minds on things above we have a new care and compassion for those things below. We try to bring them into accord with Christ’s mercy as well.
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