Colossians 3:1-2 Riased With Christ

How easily we take our eyes and our minds off of the things of God and put them on the things our flesh covets. We are so easily preoccupied with the details of this life that we are distracted from the really important things. The passage gives us a key to consistent godly living.

"Since, then, you have been raised with Christ…". Have you a sincere, personal awareness that you have been raised with Christ? This is really a two-fold event according to Romans 6:1-ff.

1. The first is dying with Christ who was raised upon the cross to die. Are we confident that we have died with Christ? It is not a matter of feelings or experience, but of KNOWING that Christ has unified me with Himself in his death. When we, by faith, are united with Him in the waters of baptism, a real transaction takes place. Just as Christ died, so his death is worked in us that we might also die to the flesh.
2. Romans 6 goes on to indicate that we are buried with Christ and then that we are "united with Him in His resurrection.". Again, this is not a matter of feeling. It is based on Christ's own work and promise. Just as surely as He is resurrected from the dead, so also we have been identified with him so that a real transaction has taken place. We are raised to newness of life.

This is one of the problems with the idea of symbolism in baptism. If you believe that baptism is merely a symbol of these things you miss His work and promise in baptism. Paul indicates that we have been so identified with Christ's death, burial and resurrection in water baptism that they are also ours.

In the same way, if you have no confidence that you have been "raised with Christ", it is virtually impossible to "set your mind on things that are above". Notice that the verse starts with "Since, then, ….". It is because of the reality of being raised with Christ that we are able to set our minds on the things that are above.

Read Colossians 3 and ask the Lord to help you to turn away from the cares and details of daily concerns. It isn't that we don't' deal with life, but that we deal with it as people who have been resurrected to a new way of life.

"Lord Jesus, help us to fully comprehend our union with You. Teach us what it means to be raised with You. Grant that our lives reflect Your priorities that we might live as Your ambassadors and to Your glory. Amen."

Shalom

Bob

Devotions TOC
Goldsby Home Page
City Harvest Church Vancouver, WA