Our Life is Hidden with Christ in God

“If then you were raised with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ is, sitting at the right hand of God. Set your mind on things above, not on things on the earth. For you died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God. When Christ who is our life appears, then you also will appear with Him in glory.” (Colossians 3:1-4 NKJV)

What’s really happened when we have been born again in Christ? Spiritual regeneration is only possible through the faith in the blood of Christ. The moment we responded to the love of God, exercising the gift of faith, we died to sin, being liberated from the bondage of sin and death. What’s happened was that the dead human spirit was made alive through the purification of Christ’s blood. When Christ died we died together with Him. When Christ was buried we were buried together with Him. When Christ rose again from the dead we rose again from the dead together with Him.

Since we are raised with Christ, we shall seek the things above in heaven where Christ reigns, sitting at the right hand of God. Matthews echoes what our Lord Jesus said, “Seek first His kingdom and His righteousness!” Seeking things above is setting our mind on things in heaven, not on things on the earth. The heavenly things are righteousness, love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, gentleness, meekness. The earthly things are self-centeredness, self-righteousness, and self-glory. We died to those things on the earth.

Since we died, our life is hidden with Christ in God. The beauty of life never lies on the external things but rather inner ones. Young men and women are beautiful outside, but not necessarily inside unless they have Christ within. The inner beauty is what our God is after. The true beauty lies solely on the exchanged life of Christ in God. The mystery of God which was hidden for generations and ages has been revealed, that is, Christ in you, the hope of glory (Colossians 1:29).

The old man has been died with Christ crucified but the new man has been made alive. The old man was in Adam and the new man is in Christ. The new life has been given to those who believed in the Christ of God and Him crucified (John 20:29). Thus, we live to God now and forevermore. It was impossible to live a life worthy of God in the past. But now the way is open for us to live His life through the faith in the Christ of God.

When the hidden life of Christ in us appears, then we also will appear with Him in glory. This is one of the most remarkable statements in the scripture. How can His life appear? It is through the death of our old self. For example, the moment we got caught in anger or humiliation for some reasons, we immediately submit ourselves to Christ, ceasing any actions in our part being prompted by the old nature. By then, Christ in us can start working mightily and beautifully, dissolving and melting away all the complicated problems. It’s just like the mighty fortress of Jericho crumbled from within by the hand of God.

When His life is manifested, we also will appear with Christ in glory. It means when Christ is glorified we also are glorified. What Christ has done lasts forever. Whatever we do in the flesh will be burned by the consuming fire. “If anyone serves Me, let him follow Me; and where I am, there My servant will be also. If anyone serves Me, him My Father will honor.” (John 12:26 NKJV)

“Now if anyone builds on this foundation with gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, straw, each one’s work will become clear; for the Day will declare it, because it will be revealed by fire; and the fire will test each one’s work, of what sort it is” (1 Corinthians 3:12-13 NKJV)