A Biblical Vision, Part II: Mastering the New Testament Witness to Christ

Ses s i on 6: The Ep i s t l es : The I nterpretat i on and App l i cat i on of Chr i s t 189

hand of God. [2] Set your minds on things that are above, not on things that are on earth. [3] For you have died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God. [4] When Christ who is your life appears, then you also will appear with him in glory.

b. Surrender all lesser treasures and weaker foundations to our simplicity in Christ Jesus.

(1) Abandon all fleshly foundations and cling to the Son, Phil. 3.4-8 – . . . though I myself have reason for confidence in the flesh also. If anyone else thinks he has reason for confidence in the flesh, I have more: [5] circumcised on the eighth day, of the people of Israel, of the tribe of Benjamin, a Hebrew of Hebrews; as to the law, a Pharisee; [6] as to zeal, a persecutor of the Church; as to righteousness, under the law blameless. [7] But whatever gain I had, I counted as loss for the sake of Christ. [8] Indeed, I count everything as loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. For his sake I have suffered the loss of all things and count them as rubbish, in order that I may gain Christ. (2) Christ is to become our very life, Phil. 1.20-21 – as it is my eager expectation and hope that I will not be at all ashamed, but that with full courage now as always Christ will be honored in my body, whether by life or by death. [21] For to me to live is Christ, and to die is gain.

c. Every dimension of our life now is to be reflective of our understanding of the meaning of Christ

(1) Our understanding of parenting and the Christian household, Eph. 6.1-3; cf. 5.1-2; Col. 3.18-22

(2) Our understanding of marriage, Eph. 5.22-33 (including our view of romance, husband and wife responsibility)