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<p>&quot;Since you have been raised to new life with Christ, set your <em>hearts </em>on things above! Set your <em>minds </em>on things above, not on earthly things!&quot; Colossians 3:1-2<br />
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Paul remind us that those who believe on Christ — should<em> live a risen life.</em><br />
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We live on the earth at present. We walk on earth's streets. We live in material houses, built of stones, bricks, or wood. We eat earth's fruits, gathering our food from earth's fields, orchards and gardens. We wear clothes woven of earthly fabrics. We adorn our homes with works of art that human hands make. We engage in the business of earth. We find our happiness in the things of this life.<br />
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But there will be a life after this! We call it heaven. We cannot see it. There is never a <em>rift in the sky</em>, through which we can get even a glimpse of it. We have in the Scriptures hints of its beauty, its happiness, its blessedness. We know it is a world without sorrow, without sin, without death. Paul's teaching is that the Christian, while living on the earth — ought to<em> begin to live this heavenly life.</em><br />
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One day a friend sent me a splendid butterfly, artistically mounted, known as the <em>Lima Moth</em>. This little creature is said to be the most beautiful of North American insects. Its colour is light green with variegated spots. In its caterpillar state, it was only a worm. It died and entered its other or higher state, as we would say — and <strong>then the worm became a splendid butterfly</strong>. <br />
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This illustrates the <em>two stages </em>of a Christian's life. Here we are in our <em>earthly </em>state. After this will come the <em>heavenly </em>condition. &quot;The things that are above&quot; belong to this higher, spiritual life. But the Christian is exhorted to seek these<em> higher things</em> — while living in this lower world. We belong to heaven, although we are not yet living in heaven. <br />
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Paul presents the same truth in another form, when he says, &quot;Our citizenship is in heaven.&quot; Though we are in this earthly world — but we do not <em>belong </em>here. We are only<em>strangers </em>and <em>pilgrims</em>.