This past week, believers around the world took time to remember the crucifixion, burial, and resurrection of our Lord, Jesus Christ. These events were the outward manifestation of God’s amazing love, put on full display for all the world to see.
Yet, there is a deeper meaning that makes these events even more incredible. The Bible reveals that we were there as well—hidden within Christ!
Romans 6:6 – “For we know that our old self [our human nature without the Holy Spirit] was nailed to the cross with Him, in order that our body of sin might be done away with, so that we would no longer be slaves to sin.”
Colossians 2:11-12 – “Through our union with him we have experienced circumcision of heart. All the guilt and power of sin has been cut away and is now extinct because of what Christ, the Anointed One, has accomplished for us. For we’ve been buried with him into his death.”
Ephesians 2:6 – “He raised us up with Christ the exalted One, and we ascended with him into the glorious perfection and authority of the heavenly realm, for we are now co-seated as one with Christ!”
Romans 6:4 – Therefore we have been buried with Him through baptism into death, so that as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, so we too might walk in newness of life.”
These verses reveal our true identity as believers…we are in Christ. The corrupt nature we were born with was crucified and buried and then raised up with Jesus as a totally righteous creation in perfect standing with our Father God.
This means our recreated spirit is now joined with Christ and seated with Him at the right hand of our Father, FAR ABOVE everything we are facing in this earthly realm. As we become consistent in aligning our focus with this reality, we will begin to walk in the life we now share with Him—God’s kind of life!
Moment by moment we choose where to place our mind’s focus. We can either magnify (make bigger) the workings of our flesh and the circumstances of this earthly realm, or we can fix our attention on the reality of our new nature—seated with Christ and immersed in the life of God in the heavenly realms.
The results are diametrically opposed. What we choose to dwell on will bring forth either death or life! Our choice is laid out in the eighth chapter of Romans and Deuteronomy 30.
Romans 8:5-6 – “For those who live according to the flesh set their minds on the things of the flesh, but those who live according to the Spirit, the things of the Spirit. For to set the mind on the flesh is death, but to set the mind on the Spirit is life and peace.
Deuteronomy 30:19 – “I call heaven and earth as witnesses today against you, that I have set before you life and death, blessing and cursing; therefore choose life, that both you and your descendants may live.”
Let’s choose life today by focusing on our union with Jesus, our life-giving Spirit. As you listen to this song, see yourself in Christ—crucified, buried, ascended, and now forever seated with Him at the right hand of our Father!