Order and Priority

Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things.

Colossians 3:2 NIV

Order speaks to priority. Understanding why someone chose to say something a particular way is important and can provide additional information.

For example, if a person went out for the evening, they might list the people they went out with in a specific order. There will be a reason for this. If they said they were with, 'Matt, Mark and Luke...' It could be that Matt was their friend, they know Mark through Matt and Luke could be Mark's friend who they'd not met before.

Subconsciously due to the free editing process (where people are free to say what they want) there will always be a reason for the order. It's the Free Editing Process which makes linguistic analysis reliable as the language isn't being directly influenced. A person is speaking from their own perspective.

Colossians 3:2 NIV provides the order of setting minds on things above, not on earthly things. This is consistent with yesterday's blog in so much that the verse could be shortened to read, 'set your minds on things above.' This is however bolstered by additional information which provides the contrast, 'not on earthly things.' That it's added makes its inclusion important. It is not enough just to set our minds on things above but to 'not' (the rule of the negative which increases the sensitivity of what is being said) focus on earthly things.

The reason and context for the order is noted in the previous verse Colossians 3:1 NIV 'Since then you have been raised with Christ, set your hearts on things above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God.'

The language is consistent and reliable.