In Christ

2023-10-07

His death is our death.

I am crucified with Christ... (Galatians 2:20)

Know ye not, that so many of us as were baptized into Jesus Christ were baptized into his death? (Romans 6:3)

Knowing this, that our old man is crucified with him, that the body of sin might be destroyed, that henceforth we should not serve sin. (Romans 6:6)

For ye are dead... (Colossians 3:3)

His burial is our burial.

Therefore we are buried with him by baptism into death... (Romans 6:4)

Buried with him in baptism... (Colossians 2:12)

His resurrection is our resurrection.

The physical resurrection may be yet future, just like our death, but the resurrection life is ours now.

...nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me... (Galatians 2:20)

...ye are risen with him through the faith of the operation of God, who hath raised him from the dead. (Colossians 2:12)

If ye then be risen with Christ... (Colossians 3:1)

...that like as Christ was raised up from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life. (Romans 6:4)

...alive unto God through Jesus Christ our Lord. (Romans 6:11)

...hath quickened us together with Christ, (by grace ye are saved;) (Ephesians 2:5)

His ascension is our ascension.

And hath raised us up together, and made us sit together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus (Ephesians 2:6)

...your life is hid with Christ in God (Colossians 3:3)

He is our life.

...and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me. (Galatians 2:20)

When Christ, who is our life, shall appear, then shall ye also appear with him in glory. (Colossians 3:4)

Jesus of Nazareth died for our sins, but we died with Him. We were buried with Him. We were risen with Him. We ascended and are seated with Him. What “me” is there that is apart from Christ? It is a vestige of the old “me” that was nailed to the cross with Jesus. What is all that the old man entails? I “count them but dung.” It’s gone. The self that I hate is nailed to the cross with Christ.

To be “in Christ” is to no longer be of the world. It is not of the former things that are passing away. The Christian death and life are the sharpest division and distinction that could ever be considered.

For endless years it “felt” like there was no victory over sin. For ages it “felt” like there was never any change. If we keep looking inward to ourselves, that self-life is overwhelming. But that’s the problem. We keep looking inward. Don’t look at the stuff that was already nailed to the cross and expect to find life and meaning there. We look to Christ our life. That is where the real life is. The other “life” is impostor, and it has been destroyed. Don’t try to resurrect it; it abides in death. Our real life now is only found in Jesus Christ.

What does it mean to be “in Christ”? It means what we said before: His death, our death. His burial, our burial. His resurrection, our resurrection. His ascension, our ascension. His life, our life. Better yet, He is our life. Know these historical and scriptural facts. Not only know them but believe them. Consider it true not only for every Christian, but for you specifically. Feelings are deceiving. Your eyes tell lies. Jesus tells us that He is our life. Who are you going to believe? Your fallen Adamic resources found in the five senses and ethereal feelings? Or the Lord of glory?

As we believe Jesus and His Word, the Spirit applies these facts to our experience and situations. Everything is appropriated by faith. This is how we allow Him to work.

Let us consider it further.

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