November 20, 2024
Praying Friends,
Being a believer has both a present and future reality. At the opening of Colossians 3, Paul provides these two striking perspectives regarding our faith in Christ. One that is present, and the other future. Both are stirring and thrilling.
He says, “For you died, and your life is now hidden with Christ in God. When Christ, who is your life, appears, then you also will appear with him in glory” (Colossians 3:3-4 NIV).
Notice the two words “now” and “then,” which identify two separate time periods. Firstly, he says, “your life is NOW hidden with Christ.” Secondly, he says, “When Christ…appears, THEN you will also appear with him in glory.”
What does it mean to be hidden with Christ in God? There is something about the believer that is concealed from the world. They cannot see it.
The world will witness the effects of our life with Christ. The world will see the reality of our faith in God. The world will notice how the Spirit enables and guides our behavior, but there is a private, inward, spiritual connection that no one can see but God alone.
Paul says that we have died and our lives are hidden with Christ. This is not something that is visible to the physical eye. We are still alive physically with no noticeable physical changes, but spiritually, we have died. We have died to the world. We have died to sin. We have died with Christ. It is a spiritual truth, but no less real. It happened at the moment of salvation.
Since this is true in the eyes of God, our lives are secretly yet undeniably and inseparably linked with Him through our Lord Jesus Christ.
Our hidden life in Christ brings many present blessings. Being hidden means ownership. We belong to God, not to the world. Since you have died to the world, it no longer has authority over you. You are now under a new head, and that head is Christ.
Being hidden means security. No one can separate us from life in Christ. Unkind people can rob you of a lot of things: your possessions, your wealth, and even your peace of mind, but your life in Christ is something that cannot be taken away — “your life is hidden with Christ in God.”
Think of believers who have endured extreme torture. Some have spent years in prison. Everything taken — home, family, clothes, belongings, Bibles — everything. They were stripped of everything valuable, but not this, not their life with Christ in God.
Being hidden means being different. The world does not understand your life. Your thoughts, actions, reactions will not make sense to them. You have a different perspective, a divine viewpoint that is counter to the thinking of this world. John said, “The reason the world does not know us is that it did not know him” (1 John 3:1).
Thankfully, there is coming a day when we will be publicly and gloriously associated with our reigning Lord Jesus Christ. Paul says, “When Christ, who is your life, appears, then you also will appear with him in glory.”
The day is fast approaching when the King will rise to claim what is rightfully His. When sin will be eradicated and He will reign in righteousness and peace (Isaiah 9:7). When He, our Savior, reveals Himself to the world, we will be with Him. We will share in His glory.
The word “appear” is found twice in verse 4. It means to show, to make known, to be displayed. He will be displayed, and so will we. All the wrongs will be corrected. All the injustices will be vindicated. All the hatred, rejection, and unkindness you have received because of your faith in Christ will all be made right.
It will be a glorious day both for our King Jesus and us who are now bound to Him in love. The present may be difficult, but keep the end in mind. We will be glorified with Him.
Thanks for praying for our prodigals and for revival.
Love in Christ,
Bryan and Rachel