The Lord is awe-inspiring, fearsome, fascinating, intriguing, majestic, and full of splendor: breathtaking! Here is what I saw of him and what came to my mind and heart in Colossians 3:1,
"Since, then, you have been raised with Christ, set your hearts on things above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God."
What does it mean "you have been raised with Christ"? It seems like I am still here!
I am reminded of another passage of Scripture, Romans 6:3,5, "Don't you know that all of us who were baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death?"... "If we have been united with him in a death like his, we will certainly also be united with him in a resurrection like his." In this passage Paul speaks to those who had been enslaved to sin (that would be all of us) and are now free from that enslavement (all who have embraced Jesus Christ). He points to a figurative death our old selves experienced when we were baptized in Jesus Christ, thus freeing us. Where our old selves were enslaved to sin we now experience freedom from the domination of sin over our lives. In this passage, Paul points back to a figurative death we have experienced and points to a future resurrection we will share in with Jesus Christ.
While we have not yet experienced our physical resurrection (and resurrection is all about the physical), we have been figuratively raised with Jesus Christ together with him in his resurrection. The instant we embraced Jesus Christ in faith, we were raised with him from God's perspective. In Colossians 3:3, Paul goes on to say, "For you died, and your life is now hidden with Christ in God." This speaks to me of the reality that our position with Jesus Christ is a done deal, and, being as good as done, we need to consider it an accomplished fact. We are already saved and already occupy our position with Jesus Christ in heaven, though we are still here on planet earth. This is Paul's reasoning as to why we should set our hearts and minds on things above.
One day the resurrection will take place and all believers will be there to celebrate. For now, those of us who remain need to be reminded that we have been raised with Jesus Christ who is seated at God's right hand. What a great place to be!
Anything of the Lord capture your heart from Scripture today? Share what moved you abouthim from your Bible reading today. I'd love to hear from you!
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