Raised Up With Christ

Before we become too far removed from our celebration of Resurrection Sunday, let me encourage you by way of a reminder.  When you embraced the gospel message of Jesus Christ, you were literally – in a spiritual sense – raised with Christ.  Theologically speaking, we call it our co-resurrection with Christ.

“Since you have been raised up with Christ, keep seeking the things above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God.  Set your mind on the things above, not on the things that are on earth” (Col 3:1-2).  Since you were resurrected with Christ, set your mind on things in keeping with your new identity as a resurrected one; focused on things above, things of Christ.

“For when we were dead in our transgressions, God made us alive together with Christ (by grace you have been saved), and raised us up with Him, and seated us with Him in the heavenly places, in Christ Jesus” (Eph 2:5-6).  Our new station in life; raised up with Christ.

“Having been buried with Him in baptism, in which you were also raised up with Him through faith in the working of God, who raised Him from the dead” (Col 2:12).  Baptism is a picture of us being buried with Christ and raised with Christ.  Spiritually speaking, we were there; dying on the cross with Christ and bursting forth from the grave with Christ.

“Therefore we have been buried with Him through baptism into death, in order that as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, so we too might walk in newness of life.  For if we have become united with Him in the likeness of His death, certainly we shall be also in the likeness of His resurrection”  (Rom 6:4-5).

Look at all the phrases referring to “us with Christ” in these four short Scripture passages.  We have been…

• raised up with Christ   (Col 3:1)
• made alive with Christ   (Eph 2:5)
• raised up with Christ   (Eph 2:6)
• seated with Christ   (Eph 2:6)
• buried with Christ   (Col 2:12)
• raised up with Christ   (Col 2:12)
• buried with Christ   (Rom 6:4)
• united with Christ   (Rom 6:5)

The last phrase really sums up the others.  In Christ’s death and resurrection and ongoing life, we are UNITED with Him.  The Colossians passage goes on to say, “For you have died and your life is hidden with Christ in God” (Col 3:3).  I don’t think we can get much more united with Christ than to be “hidden with Christ in God”.

All the promises we have been writing about such as your spiritual sonship with the Father, the Spirit living in you, Christ in you, and Christ living his life through you (Gal 2:20) are all made possible by two incredible miracles.  The first is that God raised Christ Jesus from the dead.  And the second is that you and me were raised with Him; raised to walk in a new life.  A life we will continue to explore together in the days to come.