“We are buried with Him by baptism into death: 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
The Christian life begins with the words of Christ on the cross: “It is finished.” Everything in true Christianity not only has as its basis the finished work of Christ, but every living expression of it has its beginning and ending in the very life of Christ. God did not send His Son to this world to offer us a salvation from sin that is built upon the philosophies, speculations, even the reasonings of sinful men. From beginning to the end, this salvation to which we are called to know, embrace, and live, has its perfect essence in the person of Christ. This is why a true minister of the Gospel will always begin with Christ, and leave his hearer with Christ. If Christ is not the goal, to know and serve by the Spirit, then are we living the true experience of Christ-centered, and Christ empowered, Christianity? What then is the key for the Christian if he would truly know Christ, and live this life to which he has been called?
In Paul’s letter to the Colossians, he brings before his readers the elevated, and glorious picture of who Christ is, and the extent of His work on the cross. Not only do we see Christ revealed here as God, but also, the perfectly victorious Savior and Lord of all, as having conquered all the power of the enemy, all “principality and power.” He is also revealed as the One who is a contradiction to all that is of sinful man, especially with regard to man’s concepts of how he should approach God. Paul’s presentation of Christ and His word dispels the falsehoods of the traditions and philosophies of men, which have their basis in the base nature of man, but not in God. He then brings the believer to begin to see in detail the finished work of Christ alone, the perfect miraculous work of God, whereby the believer has been crucified with Christ and buried. The old life, all that is outside of, and lacking any rapport with Christ, cannot be accepted by God. It is worthy of one thing, and that is crucifixion and the grave, out of sight, and hopefully out of mind to the believer. The Christian is called to believe God concerning His way of dealing with sin, Satan, the sinner, and the sinful nature. Nothing of natural man can deal with any of these four issues. So, what method does Paul employ to bring us to see and understand God’s way? He simply elaborates on the great truths of the believer’s union with Christ.
The first and great truth is revealed to us in Paul’s first epistle to the Corinthians where he writes: “But of Him (the Father) are ye IN Christ Jesus, who of God is made unto us wisdom and righteousness, and sanctification and redemption.” (1 Cor. 1:30) The first thing that the believer needs to see, beyond the matter of sins forgiven, and being born of the Spirit, is that God the Father has taken him, and placed him in living union with His Son, the Lord Jesus Christ. That which is true of Christ is also now true of the believer. For example, Christ was crucified, died, and was buried. Paul declares to the Galatian believers that he “…is crucified with Christ.” (Gal. 2:20) What does this mean? When Christ died He did so to sin, as He dealt with it in its entirety. He also died to all that was in the world system that was anti-God. He died to all that was selfishly revealed in the world, the result of sin and Satan. In other words, Christ died to all that was not of heaven and eternity. The Christian is called upon to believe God according to the revealed work of Christ. Why? So that he may appropriate Christ as his victorious life.
Dear Father, Strengthen us to believe. In Jesus’ name, Amen.