Listen to the Colossians (11): Rebirth After Death

¹If then you have been raised with Christ, seek the things that are above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. ²Set your minds on things that are above, not on things that are on earth. ³For you have died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God. ⁴When Christ who is your life appears, then you also will appear with him in glory. (Col. 3:1-4 ESV)


When Paul said to the Colossians, “If then you have been raised with Christ,” he did not say it out of doubt for their faith, rather it was to encourage and challenge them. Like a swimming coach taking a group of graduates to the bay, he told them while pointing to the other side of the shore, “If indeed you have learned how to swim, then jump into the water and swim to the other side.” He would not say that out of his doubt, but rather out of his confidence in their swimming skill. Of course, a true swimmer does not have to take this challenge, but a true Christian must take Paul’s challenge to the Colossians. Therefore, here is a better illustration. On a slowly sinking cruise ship, a swimming coach would tell the new graduates, “If indeed you have learned how to swim, then jump in the water and swim to the shore to save yourself.”


Our minds were all set on things that are on earth, this is what we were good at doing. When we believed in Christ, and have been raised with Him, suddenly it is as if we have acquired a new skill. This new skill we must practice diligently is to seek the things that are above. With this new skill under our belt, we would not automatically forget our old skills. In order to prevent our old self from choking the new life within, Paul reminded us to set our minds on things that are above, not on things that are on earth, which are all the pursuits under the sun. Whether we tried to help ourselves, or extend the care to others, the years of our life is but toil and trouble; they are soon gone, and we fly away. (Ps. 90:10 ESV) But now that we have been raised with Christ, tasted the powers of the age to come (Heb. 6:5 ESV) and knew that Christ is seated at the right hand of God far above the sun, let us forgetting what lies behind and straining forward to what lies ahead, and press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus. (Phil. 3:13-14 ESV)


Resurrection is only possible for those who have died. Therefore, before we were raised with Christ, we have already died. We were buried therefore with him by baptism into death. (Rom. 6:4 ESV) When Moses was forty years old and in his prime, with his Hebrew birthright and royal upbringing in Egypt, he recommended himself with zeal to free the Israelites, yet he was abandoned by both the Egyptians and the Israelites and fled for his life into the Midian desert. In his exiled life, he lived as a hired shepherd for forty years. The once young and ambitious Moses was dead, and only an oblivious old chap was waiting for his exit. Yet the LORD God chose this living dead man Moses. Leaving his sheep behind, with his shepherd staff he led the Israelite out of Egypt and into the land of Canaan. By knowing Christ Jesus, we were also dead and non-responsive to this world and all its pleasures of sin, but we are now very much alive to the love of Christ and His gospel, because it is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me, (Gal. 2:20 ESV) as He is our life. 


When Christ first came into this world, the Word of eternal life was wrapped up in an unattractive and lowly body. For all mortals who seek the eternal life, this is a once-in-a-lifetime hide-and-seek with an amazing reward. And the one who seeks finds. (Matt. 7:8 ESV) When they found Him, they are willingly emptying out their corrupting lives and let Christ move in, so that with Christ wrapping inside of them, they may lead other seekers to find the Word of eternal life. When our lives are thus hidden with Christ in God, in the last day, when the great hide-and-seek has been called off, it will be revealed by fire, (1 Cor. 3:13 ESV) and that all the packaging material will be burned up, and the eternal life of Christ will be unveiled. When Christ finally appears, because we have Christ in us, we also will appear with Him in glory.

Prayer: Our heavenly Father! When we were dead in the trespasses and sin, You made us alive together with Christ! You raised us up with Him and seated us with Him in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus!