“If ye then be risen with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ sitteth on the right hand of God.” Colossians 3:1
Dear Ones:
Christianity begins with Christ’s cry of finality: “It is finished.” The work is done, cannot be added to or altered in any form or fashion. It is as final as God’s existence, and just as complete, perfect. It is in every way the reflection of His love, power, and authority to do, accomplish, and complete all that He has intended. Rising to he heights of our privilege as believers begins with understanding what the finished work of Christ means.
Paul writes to the Colossians beginning with a short phrase: “IF ye then be risen with Christ…” Why does he begin with the word “If?” It is because that from God’s perspective, with regard to what Christ accomplished on the Cross, the believer WAS crucified with Him, buried with Him, raised up with Him, and NOW is seated IN Him in heavenly places. (Eph. 2:6) What does this mean? First of all, the knowledge of Christ’s work reveals to us that we have been delivered, by cleansing, forgiveness, and the breaking of the pattern and law of sin, from all that pertained to the “OLD MAN,” that which we were when not IN Christ. But this is only the beginning. Just as real as the fact that Christ has dealt with the “OLD MAN” in Adam, He has created a “NEW MAN” in Christ, where we are called to live by the very life of Christ…indeed, HE IS OUR LIFE. In the eyes of God, the believer has been placed IN CHRIST, and made to sit “…in heavenly places in Christ Jesus.” This means that our lives are now IN Him, where He is, and that, though our feet are on this earth, we are to live from heaven’s perspective, by heaven’s power, by Christ, our power and authority.
Continuing in his letter to the Colossians, Paul brings us back to earth, and the “working out of our salvation,” that life of living by faith in Christ. This life of faith is a walk, work, and warfare, in a context of unbelief. Paul tells us in this context to “…seek those things which are above, where Christ sitteth on the right hand of God.” Why? Because as long as we live on this earth, we are called to appropriate that which is true of us IN Christ. The believer has “all in Christ,” and the most extraordinary opportunity to seek and receive all that he needs, to do the will of God, and glorify Him. We have been given the privilege to go directly and instantly to Christ for everything in heaven. The bottom line is this: “…our lives are hid with Christ in God, …(He) IS our life.” Will we truly believe the work of Christ, and will we believe Him for all that is needful?
Dear Father, Open our eyes to see the enormity and completeness of Christ’s FINISHED work on Calvary. Give us to enter into the reality of our union with Him, seated at the Father’s right hand. Enable us to see and to grasp that, though our feet are upon this earth, we are called as new creations in Christ, to live lives of receiving from Christ all that is needful to honor and glorify Thee. In Jesus’ name, Amen.
Love, Dad