What Does Colossians 3:3 Mean?

For you have died and your life is hidden with Christ in God.

Colossians 3:3(NASB)

Verse of the Day

This beautiful verse is in a section of Scripture where Paul deals with one of the basic aspects of the Christian life; believers are in union with Christ, we are one with Him.

Christ died on the Cross and because we are His children (His seed), we also died with Him. We were with Christ and we were in Him when He was nailed to the Cross, for we are His seed. We died at the same time that Christ died on Calvary. The deadly sin issue in our lives was a settled action at this point, for in Christ, our sins were forever forgiven and we were eternally redeemed. We were bought with a price – the precious blood of Christ.

As far as God is concerned, every sin you and I have ever committed, past, present, and future, was dealt with at this point on the Cross. Because the Lord Jesus died, we who are His seed also died and the sin issue in our lives was dealt with there and then. Because of Christ's finished work in the past, sin is no longer an issue in my life now or forever.

But it is even better... Because Christ was raised from the dead, we too share in the same life that He has. We are in union with His life and our life is now and forever hidden in Christ. The wonderful thing is, we not only live in the security of being in union with CHRIST and are hidden in HIM, but we have a double security, for we are ALSO hidden WITH Christ IN GOD.

This position of safety was secured in the past at the Cross of grace and the tomb or life and continues to be the case in our present life today. And because the gifts and calling of God are without repentance (because God is immutable and cannot change His mind), this is an unchangeable fact in each of our lives. And it is as if God has underlined this truth in His Word, for He has written this glorious truth in the past tense, to demonstrate that in His economy it is a done deal - a fait accompli – which literally translates into an accomplished FACT.

Being in union with Christ means that the past, present, and future aspects of our life are now and forever tied up and remain in union with Christ, and it began at the Cross when we died with Him. The condition of our lives may appear to contradict this truth, when difficulties rain down upon us, but no matter what life throws at us our union with Christ is 100% secure.

We are the possessors of eternal life because when the Lord Jesus was raised, we who are in Christ and are His seed were raised at the same time. And in God's economy - because Christ was raised from the dead, we were raised at the same time into newness of life. As far as God is concerned, our new life is already eternal because we are in union with Christ: "For you are dead, and your life is hid with Christ in God."

My Prayer

Heavenly Father, thank You that my life is hid with Christ in You. As I die to self and live for Christ, may my life reflect Your love, gentleness, compassion, and truth. In Jesus' name, AMEN.

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