Spreading Gods Word To Everyone

WE HAVE A NEW POSITION WITH CHRIST

The apostle Paul stresses the fact that we have a new position before the LORD God through Jesus Christ.

You have died with Christ.

The apostle Paul had already told the Christians in Colossians 2:20, “If you have died with Christ . . .” or better “Since you have died with Christ.” You could translate it, “In view of the fact that you have died with Christ.” The word “if” in our English translations is not intended to express doubt or uncertainty, but a reality. Since or because you died with Christ is the reality of every born again believer in Christ Jesus. This is a fact in the life of the believer. A break with the past has taken place. Christians are dead to sin in Christ. Paul is pointing to a moment in time when the individual turns from his unbelief and puts his trust in Christ. It is referring to his conversion.

 The death of the believer with Christ is a death to the law, sin, and guilt. "For the death that He died, He died to sin once for all; but the life that He lives, He lives to God" (Romans 6:10  

The Bible tells us we have all come short of the glory of God and “the wages of sin is death” (Rom. 3:23; 6:23). “The soul that sins will surely die.” However, Jesus Christ went to the cross and died in our place as our substitute. He paid the debt in full on our behalf (Rom. 5:6, 8). We receive eternal benefits of that death on our behalf when we put our faith in Jesus Christ as our Savior. Not only has a break with the past taken place, but Paul says a change has taken place, and there is also newness of life.

Dying with Christ describes one characteristic of what God does for us at conversion. To become a Christian is to die with Christ. Just as physical death marks the end of a person’s earthly life, so dying with Christ is the passing on spiritually to a new existence in which the power of sin and death are broken. It is the end of death in trespasses and sins and the beginning of eternal life in Christ Jesus.

Paul is not teaching annihilation of our old nature. He is not saying it has ceased to exist.

The evil nature is not eradiated; it will be with us until we die physically (1 John 1:8). He declares that the believer has a new principle operating in him. He has a new mindset and new spiritual power operating in him. His attitude toward the flesh and his old nature has changed. The power of our old nature is broken. The believer no longer has to yield to these desires. He has a choice of yielding to the old nature or the new man.

The power of indwelling sin is broken by the believer’s identification with Christ in His death and resurrection. As a result, he has received a new nature produced within him by the work of the Holy Spirit. 

 You are raised with Christ.

Paul uses the same expression in Colossians 3:1. “If then you have been raised up with Christ . . .” (v. 1). Paul is boldly walking around on the other side of the grave with Christ! “Since you have been raised up with Christ” pictures the positive side of our vital union with Christ. The condition “if” in English in this verse should not imply uncertainty here. It is a fulfilled condition. The idea is “since” you are a believer. Since you were raised together with Christ makes plain our vital union with Christ.

The Christian baptism by immersion is a beautiful reminder of the reality that when Christ was raised from the dead we were raised with Him.

Alexander Maclaren said, “There is only one thing that will put the collar on the neck of the animal within us, and that is the power of the indwelling Christ.”

The Christian is dead to sin and alive to God in Christ Jesus.

We have the resurrection power dwelling in us. The Christian is raised with Christ and shares Christ’s new life. He shares the triumphant victories of the resurrection life.

These words remind us of Ephesians 2:5-6. "Even when we were dead in our transgressions, [God] made us alive together with Christ (by grace you have been saved), and raised us up with Him, and seated us with Him in the heavenly places inChrist Jesus." 

Thank You Four Your Support!