…having been buried with him in baptism, in which you were also raised with him through your faith in the working of God, who raised him from the dead. (Colossians 2:12, NIV)
In Colossians 2 the key passage is v12 where Paul is talking about water baptism. To be baptised as an infant and so to be made a ‘member of the Church’ is not Scriptural. No. Scripture says, “Repent and be baptised.” Water baptism has to come AFTER repentance. Paul says that we are ‘buried in baptism’ – totally immersed in the water – just as Jesus was buried in the grave. And that ‘we are risen with Him’ – just as Jesus rose from the dead.
In Colossians 3:1ff, Paul carries on with this same thought, saying, “If you are then risen with Christ…” You can ONLY have this experience of being ‘risen with Christ’ – IF you have died with Him! Being dead to the old life is the theme that runs throughout the Gospels and the Letters! Water baptism is the symbol of this! Come on! We’ve got to die to the old life. It’s got to be finished.
Once we’ve had this experience of repenting of our sin and dying to the old, the devil can hold nothing against us. It’s gone! Dead! Buried! The past is gone, you are a new man, a new woman in Christ. I don’t think we emphasise this sufficiently. Working in the former Soviet Union as I have done for over 60 years, and especially in the 30 years since the collapse of communism, many of the new pastors I’ve known were former drug addicts, criminals – but their past is gone! Because, in Christ, you are dead to sin, dead to the past! That’s why in Col 3, Paul says, move on, “IF you are risen with Christ, then stop looking at the things of the past that affected your life, and begin to seek those spiritual things which are above, where Christ sits at the right hand of God!”
You see, when you believed, you were born into a new life, a spiritual life, an eternal life. Scripture says your body is a house or a temple – and YOU are the person within it. The NEW YOU will live into eternity, and will rule and reign with Christ! With a Resurrection body! Our whole focus, our whole concentration should be on this future. Paul says in v2, “Set your affection on things above, not on things on the earth.” This should be our desire, our motivation. Too many Christians, even in leadership, are more concerned about the earthly things…
But Paul is saying you’re dead! It’s a strange thing to get across to you. I’m dead. I had to die. I was only 8, but still, the old flesh had to die! Because a new life had to be born! Your life and mine is hid with Christ in God, Col 3:3. And, in Paul’s words, when Christ who is our life shall appear, then we shall also appear with Him in Glory, v4! If we have experienced this death, Christ is our life, our hope. It’s like marriage – when a man and a woman come together, they become one flesh, one person – and we become one in Christ! Marriage is a picture of our relationship with Him. Our life is in Him. So when Christ appears, we shall appear with Him.
When a Christian dies, your body dies, but YOU are not dead! And when the Day of Resurrection comes, we shall rise with Christ with new Resurrection bodies! Where Christ is, there we shall be. With Him!
Christ in you, the hope of glory. (Colossians 1:27, NIV)
The new life that we have in Christ is a renewed one, in a new image – the Image of Christ. Christ should be in us! That’s what Paul often says, “Christ in you, the hope of Glory!” The Life, the very essence of Christ – in us! When a child is born, that new life comes from father and mother – in their image! By faith, you are born of God. It’s the Life of Christ in you that now makes you who you now are! Paul says in Galatians 4:19, “I travail until Christ be formed in you.” You are in Christ!
Therefore, as God’s chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience… Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, since as members of one body you were called to peace. And be thankful. (Colossians 3:12, 15, NIV)
Therefore, Paul says in v12ff, as the elect, the chosen of God, holy and beloved, put on mercy, kindness, humbleness of mind, meekness, longsuffering; being forbearing and longsuffering with one another and forgiving one another. If anyone has a quarrel against any [even against another Christian], we have to forgive as Christ has forgiven us. Paul says, v14, put on love which is the bond of perfection. It is the love between us that is the bond that unites us. We have a common love because we are one family.
It’s the same with Christ. We have to realise, with our brothers and sisters in Christ, that we are born in the same Image, and we are one Flesh, one Blood.