Easter Sunday:The Believer’s Union with his Risen Savior

Union with Christ in His Death and Resurrection

In His life, in His death, in His resurrection. And Lord, it is in Christ Jesus that we are found. We are one with Him. And Lord, we are thankful for our unity with Christ. And we're thankful for what this means.

And Lord, we pray that You would help us in our lives to focus on the things that are above. Not on the things that are here on earth. Not on our circumstances. Not on our difficulties. Not on our sufferings.

But on Jesus Christ, who is enthroned in heaven and is ruling over all. Lord, today on Resurrection Sunday, we ask that we would remember the resurrection of Jesus Christ and the hope that that gives us.

We pray that we would reflect upon these truths every day of our lives. Not just on Sundays. Not just once a year. But every day, Lord. We pray that we would repeat the gospel to ourselves. We pray that we would remember what You have done, the great work that You have done.

And Lord, we thank You. And as we work through this passage this morning, we pray that Pastor Lars would have clarity of thought and clarity of speech. We pray, Lord, that we would be able to be focused on what the Word of God says.

We pray that the Spirit would take these words from our ear to our heart. And that we would be changed. Help us, Lord, to live for Your glory and Your praise and Your honor. Thank You, Lord, in Jesus' name.

Amen.

Background on Colossae and the Church’s Situation

Well, for those of you who have a set of notes in your hand, I send them out every Sunday morning. And of course, you probably notice, well, there's 18 pages in today's notes. And obviously, we're not going to be able to work through them entirely.

But we send these notes out. I counted up this morning. We send them out now to about 270 addresses. And about 100 of those are pastors in Africa and India. And I received word that they actually use these notes, a number of them.

And so I thought that if I provided more information for them on this subject, it would be beneficial for them. And so obviously, again, we're not going to be able to deal with all of these notes. But we'll do the best we can in the time allotted.

Now, at the end of Colossians chapter 2 that Jason just read, beginning with verse 20, Paul had made a reference of the believer's union with Jesus Christ in his death. And so Colossians 2, 20 through 23 again read, therefore, if you died with Christ from the basic principles of the world, and I emboldened and italicized those words, and then he reasons, if this is the case, why, as though living in the world, do you subject yourselves to regulations?

Do not touch, do not taste, do not handle, which all concern things which perish with the using according to the commandments and doctrines of men. These things indeed have an appearance of wisdom and self-imposed religion, false humility, and neglect of the Bible, but are of no value against the indulgence of the flesh.

False religion does not give victory over sin. But he calls upon the believer to recognize his union with Jesus Christ when Christ died upon his cross. Therefore, if you died with Christ from the basic principles of the world.

And then in verse 1 of Colossians 3, it's unfortunate that there's a chapter division there. But in chapter 3, verse 1, the apostle expressed the believer's union with Christ in his resurrection. And so chapter 2, verse 20, it's the believer's union with Christ in his death.

And now with verse 1, it's the believer's union with Christ in his resurrection. And it's based on this reality that Paul gave instruction to these Christians in the Church of Colossae. And so he declared, if then you were raised with Christ.

Again, in verse 20 of chapter 2, if you died with Christ, and now here, if you were raised with Christ, and then Paul proceeded to give the proper action and the proper response to that truth. Seek those things which are above where Christ is, sitting at the right hand of God.

And so Paul wrote of the true believer's union with Jesus Christ in his resurrection, which was then to direct the manner in which the Christian was to live. The apostle was quite clear that due to the believer's union with Christ in his death and his resurrection, they were by their union instructed and directed to order their lives as Christians.

There were beliefs and behaviors that were not to characterize them because of their union with Jesus Christ in his death. And there were beliefs and behaviors that were to characterize them because of their union with Jesus Christ in his resurrection.

Now, we emphasize the responsibility that we have as Christians to order our lives according to the standard of God's unchanging moral law. And we emphasize that theme quite often because it is so abused and neglected in today's evangelical world.

Of course, although the law of God cannot condemn us, it continues to be the rule of life that we are to follow as we live before God, God's moral law. And yet we always emphasize that the abiding authority of the moral law for Christians is that they are under law toward Christ.

Paul expressed that in 1 Corinthians 9, 21. And so the law of God has been subsumed or incorporated in Christ. We're under the law of God toward Christ. And this is certainly what the Lord has set before us in this passage.

Each of the sins listed and each of the acts of righteousness identified may be read elsewhere as addressed by God's law. But here we see that it is our union in the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ that should move us to think and live according to righteousness, that is law keeping.

We see before us that our spiritual union with Christ informs us on how we are to live before him and how we are not to live before him. His cross and his resurrection from the dead is the primary and central source of instruction and motivation on how to live for him in this world.

And so we don't just look to the law of God, we look to the law of God in Christ. Extremely important. And so we do not look to the law of God, but to the person of Jesus Christ who was crucified and who rose for us, who thereby moves us and enables us to live according to that law through the grace that is in him.

And so let's consider this passage. Again, it's a lengthy passage, but I want us to understand the entire thrust of it and the theme of it that the Apostle Paul sets forth. But first we'll give some attention to the background regarding this church at Colossae.

The city of Colossae was located about 100 miles east of Ephesus. And Ephesus, of course, was on the coast of the Aegean Sea, which is now Western Turkey. The city of Colossae was in the valley of the Lycus River, which is a tributary of the Meander River, a fruitful, fertile valley.

It's at the foot of a very high range of mountains, actually, upwards to 10 ,000 feet, snow-gapped. And so where Colossae was situated, it was a well-watered, temperate region. Colossae was not a large city in the first century, however, significant, quite prominent, but its size and influence had diminished due to the rise and influence of two cities to the west, about 10 to 15 miles to the west, and that would be the cities of Laodicea and about five miles north of Laodicea, the city of Hierapolis, which is mentioned, by the way, at the end of the Epistle to the Colossians.

At the time of writing this epistle, Paul had not yet visited this church. This is understood by Paul's comments in Colossians 1, verses three and four, which read, we always thank God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, when we pray for you, since we heard of your faith in Christ Jesus and of the love that you have for all the saints.

And then in Colossians 2, verse one, Paul wrote, for I want you to know what a great conflict I have for you and those in Laodicea, and for as many as have not seen my face in the flesh. Paul had never visited.

How, then, did this church begin? Well, the church was probably founded by a man named St. Vincent of the Apostle Paul, who may have been converted to Christ through Paul's ministry in Ephesus. Epaphras then returned to his hometown of Colossae, evangelizing and forming the church of new disciples of Jesus Christ.

Paul mentioned Epaphras back in chapter one of Colossians. Of this you have heard before in the word, the truth, the gospel, which has come to you, as indeed in the whole world, that's the Gentile world, it is bearing fruit and increasing, as it also does among you, since the day you heard it and understood the grace of God and truth, just as you learned it from Epaphras, our beloved fellow servant.

He is a faithful minister of Christ on your behalf and has made known to us your love in the spirit. Epaphras founded this church after he'd been converted probably under Paul's ministry. And later in the epistle, Paul refers to Epaphras as one of them, that is a citizen of Colossae and a member of the church located there.

And so in Colossians four, we read, Epaphras, who is one of you, a bondservant of Christ greets you, always laboring fervently for you in prayers, that you may stand perfect and complete in all the will of God, for I bear him witness that he has great zeal for you and those who are in Laodicea and those in Hierapolis.

Again, both Laodicea and Hierapolis were not far from Colossae. The church may have met in the house of Philemon, the same man to whom Paul addressed his short epistle, the shortest letter that we have of the Apostle Paul.

And we read these words in the opening of that letter, Paul, a prisoner of Christ Jesus, Timothy, our brother, to Philemon, our beloved friend and fellow laborer, to the beloved Apphia, probably Philemon's wife, Archippus, our fellow soldier, perhaps the son of Philemon and Apphia, and to the church in your house.

And so the church at Colossae probably met in the house of Philemon. It's clear that the Apostle Paul was the author of this epistle to the Colossians. And although he had not visited the church prior to his writing this epistle, he wrote with the authority of his apostleship.

And Paul was confident that the church had been well-instructed in the faith. Colossians 2, verses six and seven read, as you have therefore received Christ Jesus, the Lord, so walk in him, rooted and built up in him, establish in the faith as you have been taught, abounding in it with thanksgiving.

Apparently Epaphras had learned well from Paul, and then the church had learned well from Epaphras. Again, Paul described Epaphras as having been a faithful minister of the church. There was a terrible heresy that was threatening the well-being of the church.

And Paul wrote this letter, he wrote this epistle to address and correct this errant teaching and to affirm these believers in Jesus Christ. Now, although it was certain, it is certain, there was heresy, the specific identity of this heresy.

And I can remember back in the 80s in seminary reading a journal article that outlined 33 different proposals by scholars as to the identity of this heresy. It just cannot be known with complete accuracy.

However, when we consider some of the apostles' clear instruction in this epistle, the general nature of the heresy may be somewhat reconstructed. So what are some of these doctrinal emphases of this epistle that suggested the nature of the doctrinal aberrations that were troubling the church?

Well, first, Paul gave great detail and emphasis to the person of Christ, particularly in the first chapter of this epistle. And the manner in which Paul depicts Christ seems to suggest that he was correcting some of the teachings, perhaps of Gnosticism, the incipient Gnosticism that had its beginnings in the first century but became a great challenge to the Christian churches in the second century.

Not only did he emphasize the identity and nature of the person of Christ, but secondly, Paul warned the church of false philosophical thinking and reasoning. And so Paul warned the church, beware lest anyone cheat you through philosophy and empty deceit according to the tradition of men, according to the basic principles of the world, and not according to Christ.

Colossians 2a, and some of the Greek words that Paul used in that portion of the epistle, for example, the Greek word translated as fullness, the Greek word for knowledge, gnosis, and the neglect of the body, were words that were commonly used by the Gnostic heretics of the second century.

And then third, the apostle references and allusions Jewish traditions and practices. And this complicates the identification of the heresy. Paul addressed the matter of Jewish circumcision. We read in Colossians 2, 11, him, that is Christ, you were also circumcised with the circumcision made without hands.

He seems to be repudiating those that were advocating the Jewish circumcision with hands. And then in chapter three, verses nine through 11, we read, do not lie to one another since you have put off the old man with its deeds, that's talking about your former life before becoming a Christian, and have put on the new man who is renewed in knowledge according to the image of him who created him, where there is neither Greek nor Jew, circumcised nor uncircumcised, barbarian, Scythian, slave or free, but Christ is all in all.

And then where Paul warned the church against emphasizing matters of food or drink, festival or a new moon or Sabbath, he was alluding to Jewish traditions. It's apparent that the heresy that Paul was correcting contained Jewish elements.

Jewish elements, errant philosophical ideas, corruptions about the identity and person of Jesus Christ. And then fourthly, interestingly, the heresy probably involves some aspects of the worship of angels.

We read in Colossians 2, 18 and 19 of Paul's exhortation, taking delight in false humility and worship of angels. Now this too probably suggests a Jewish background. However, the later Gnostics had developed a very elaborate angeology, believing that angels were intermediaries who could bridge the gap between fallen physical man and God who is regarded as holy and spiritual.

Seeking the Things That Are Above

Paul taught them that Jesus Christ is the only true mediator between God and mankind. Now with that little bit of background, let's consider the passage with particular view to our union with Christ in his resurrection.

Although again, Paul emphasizes union with Christ in his crucifixion, his death, but also his resurrection. This is Easter Sunday. Let's give focus and attention on our union with Christ in his resurrection.

And so we read in Colossians 3, verses one through four, since you as a Christian rose with Christ when Christ rose, ascended into heaven and was enthroned, therefore, and he begins to draw some implications and conclusions.

Since this is a reality, therefore do this. And so verses one through four of Colossians 3 constitute one paragraph in the ESV, English Standard Version that Jason read earlier. And here we read instruction to Christians whose relationship with God and with God's world has been radically and forever changed because of their union with Jesus Christ.

Verse one is a conditional sentence that opens with a conditional clause. If then you have been raised with Christ, comma, and then there is the understood, it's not expressed, but the understood word then.

If this is the case, then seek the things that are above where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. It's a conditional sentence. A conditional sentence will often begin the first clause with the word if.

And the first clause of a conditional sentence is commonly referred to as a protasis. The second clause commonly begins with the word then, but sometimes the word is understood like it is here. And this clause, the second clause is known as if then.

If this is true, then this is what you should think, this is how you should live. Now we might look at that verse in our English translations and wonder if the matter is in doubt. If you have been raised, we might ask ourselves, is it possible that we have not been raised with Christ?

If you've been raised with Christ. But in the Greek language of the New Testament, there were different ways in which one could express very precisely the degree of certainty in a conditional sentence.

So depending upon the Greek words used, particularly in the protasis, and the tense of the verb used, various degrees of certainty are conveyed. And so sometimes the conditional sentence is worded, which implies the statement is contrary to fact.

In other words, the implied answer is no, or it's not true. An example of this would be when Martha said to our Lord regarding the death of her brother Lazarus, in John 11, 21 we read, then Martha said to Jesus, Lord, if you had been here, my brother would not have died.

The wording of this conditional sentence, the protasis, if you had been here, implies he wasn't here. It's as if she said, Lord, if you had been here and you were not here, my brother would not have died.

Another form, however, of the conditional sentence assumes that the statement is true to fact. An example of this would be when Satan challenged our Lord in his wilderness temptation. Matthew 4, 6 reads, if you are the son of God, throw yourself down.

For it's written, he shall give his angels charge over you, and in their hands, they shall bear you up, lest you dash your foot against a stone. Now, the devil was not challenging Jesus whether or not he was truly the son of God, for the manner in which the condition is set forth assumes a true condition.

In other words, it's as if the devil said to him, if you are the son of God, and indeed you are, throw yourself down. It was not a challenge questioning the identity of the son of God. It was a challenge to our Lord to show forth that he was the son of God by performing a miracle in order to impress observers as to his true identity.

And so when a conditional sentence is expressed in this form, one could even use the word since rather than the word if. Since you are the son of God, cast yourself down. There was no doubt suggested by the devil as to his identity.

Now, the conditional clause of Colossians 3, verse one is an example of this form. The matter is not in doubt, but rather it's assumed to be true. It's as if Paul wrote, if then you have been raised with Christ, and indeed you have been raised with him, seek the things that are above.

See, the matter is not in doubt. The matter of our having been raised with Christ is not in doubt whatsoever. It is a true fact. And so if this is true, and it is, therefore you ought to do what follows from that.

Seek the things that are above. Of course, this union with Christ and his death and resurrection is only true of Christians. Actually, all of the elect, and Paul mentions that, you being chosen once, this truth or reality cannot be applied to non-Christians unless they're elect and they're gonna become Christians, because only true Christians, those redeemed, were in union with Christ in his death and resurrection.

Those that never become Christians are not in union with Christ in his death and resurrection. They're on their own, sadly. And so the non-Christian did not die and rise in union with Jesus Christ. None of Paul's instructions here in Colossians 3 is to be applied to the unbeliever.

The instructions are to be applied to every true Christian. And if we knew who the elect were, even if they were unsaved, we could say it would apply to them too, in time, in God's dealings. Now, what is meant by the expression, seek the things that are above?

Well, first recognize it's worded in the form of a command. If you have new life in Christ, if you've been raised with him, then you're commanded, seek the things that are above. Paul had set forth from the spiritual reality, you're raised with him.

He then set forth the spiritual duty that flows from that spiritual reality. Live in conformity to your high calling. If you've been raised with Christ and you have, then seek a command. Seek the things that are above.

Appreciate it, F .F. Bruce and his comments on this matter. The Colossians knew that, like their fellow Christians throughout the world, they had been raised with Christ through faith in the power of God who raised him from the dead, and that they had been quickened or made alive with Christ when they were spiritually dead.

Every time that they recalled their baptism and its meaning, they ought to be impressed afresh with the reality of their participation in Christ's death and resurrection, and draw the logical and practical conclusions.

If their death with Christ severed the links that bound them to the old world order, which was trying to impose its dominion on them again, their resurrection with Christ established new links, links with a new and heavenly order, with the spiritual kingdom in which Christ their Lord was sovereign, ruling from the place of supremacy to which he had been raised at God's right hand.

And so Paul wrote, seek the things that are above. Where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. This speaks of Christ as the enthroned king, the Lord of heaven and earth, the Lord of lords and king of kings.

He is the one with whom we have to do. Let us seek to learn what he would have us do. Let us seek to be conformed to his will. And so we see from this passage, what God has done for us in Jesus Christ is both the incentive and the argument for authentic Christian living.

We are citizens of a realm that is open before us. And we should live as citizens, even while we're in this fallen world. The idea being conveyed is that we become participants of a new world order. We live in the promised age foretold in the Old Testament that has been realized through Jesus Christ.

God has raised his people in Christ Jesus. They possess the life of the resurrection in themselves. And therefore they need not wait until the second coming of Christ in order to experience life in the eternal state.

They may live by the power of the resurrection now. Christians have the ability and therefore the responsibility to experience in increasing degree the life now that they will one day experience fully when they will be raised from the dead unto eternal life.

And so for Christians, as one expressed, let their union with the exalted Christ transform their entire life, mind, heart, and will. Again, F .F. Bruce stated it well. But what are the implications of being raised with Christ?

This, that believers have now no life of their own. You died to that. Their life is the life of Christ, maintained and being by him at God's right hand and shared by him with all his people. Their interests must therefore be his interests.

Instead of waiting until the last day to receive the resurrection life, those who have been raised with Christ possess it here and now. The new creation, the regeneration has already begun in them. Spiritually, that is to say in Christ, they belong already to the age to come and they enjoy its life.

So how do we obey this command? Seek the things that are above where Christ is seated at the right hand of God. And the answer is in verse two, which reads, set your minds on things that are above and not on things that are on the earth.

And so our way of life as Christians should be characterized by setting our minds upon what the will of God is in Jesus Christ. Our risen Lord and Savior. We're to set our minds to view ourselves and the world from the perspective of Jesus Christ enthroned in heaven.

We are to ponder upon those things that we have in Christ. This knowledge of who we are in Christ should inform our way of assessing ourselves and the world in which we live. Now, this view of ourselves, of having our minds fixed on the things that we have in Jesus Christ above may be contrasted with those who are Christian in name only.

They thought they were Christians, but they weren't true Christians. We're actually strangers to Jesus Christ. And the apostle Paul wrote of these that were in the church at Philippi. And so he wrote, and I'm gonna drop down to verse 17 of that block passage.

Brethren, join in following my example and note those who so walk as you have us for a pattern. Why? Why did Paul say, follow me in my walk, don't follow them. For many walk of whom I have told you often and now tell you even weeping that they are the enemies of the cross of Christ.

He's not talking about people who denied Christ. These are people who profess to be Christians, but they were enemies of the cross of Christ because they refused to deny themselves and take up their cross daily and follow him.

They were enemies of the cross of Christ. And then he describes their outcome, whose end is destruction, whose God is their belly. Jesus Christ is not their God, their own lust, their own desires is what governs them, whose glory is in their shame.

And then Paul describes them who set their mind on earthly things. In contrast, Paul wrote in Colossians 3, verse 2, Christians are to set their mind on things in Christ, in heaven. These false Christians did not live that way.

They set their mind on earthly things. And then Paul contrasts true Christians with them, for our citizenship is in heaven, from which we also eagerly wait for the Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ, who will transform our lowly body, that it may be conformed to his glorious body, according to the working by which he's able even to subdue all things to himself.

And so what is implied in this activity of setting our minds on things above, is that the result, sin, will lose their appeal and their power over our lives. And so to the degree that we are successful in seeing life in this way, the sin that characterizes us will weaken in its power within us.

It's like the hymn we commonly sing, turn your eyes upon Jesus, look full in his wonderful face, and the things of earth will grow strangely dim in the light of his glory and grace. That reflects exactly what Paul was talking about.

Hidden with Christ in God

Now in Colossians 3, verse 3, Paul gives a further explanation of the spiritual reality. For you have died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God. Here, Paul was referring to their lives before they became Christians.

You died with respect to that former way of living. And since that time, their new life is hidden with Christ in God. As a Christian, your life is hidden with Christ in God. In what sense is our new life in Christ hidden?

I have the works of Richard Sibbes on my shelf at home. And he gave a message on this subject, the hidden life, based on this verse, these few words. And he addressed Paul's words, for you have died. You see the first proposition, you're dead.

With a Christian is dead in many ways. Moral law, he looks not to have comfort and salvation by it, by the law. He is dead to the law, so he flies to Christ. And a Christian is dead to the ceremonial law.

Now, in the glorious luster of the gospel, what have we to do with those poor elements that were for children, referring to the Old Testament ceremonies? The ceremonious disposition is opposite to the glory and luster of the gospel, as the apostle speaks of in the former chapter.

He is dead likewise to sin. Having communion with Christ when he died for sin, he's dead to sin. He that hath communion in the death of Christ hath the same affection to sin, affection of sin that Christ had.

In other words, he hates it. Christ hated it infinitely when he suffered for it. So every Christian thinks that Christ died for my sins, and by union with Christ, he hath the same affection to it. He is dead to it.

Now, every true Christian is plagued by sin, but every true Christian doesn't want to live in sin. And because this is but an incocation, Sibbes wrote, and what he meant by that was this deadness to sin is just kind of the beginning when we became Christians.

A Christian is not perfectly dead to sin. He stands in need of afflictions. And in regard to afflictions, he is dead. They must help in the work of mortification that is put into death sin. And because no affliction can sufficiently work mortification but death itself, which is the accomplishment of mortification, we are dead in respect to death itself, which is the accomplishment of all.

That not only is the Christian in one sense dead, yet in another sense, he is alive. And so Sibbes wrote, we are dead, and yet we have life. A Christian is a strange person. He is both dead and alive.

He is miserable and glorious. He consists of contraries. He is dead in regard to corruption and misery and such like, but he's alive in regard of his better part, and he grows in two ways at once. It's a strange thing, the Christian doth.

He grows downwards and upwards at the same time. For as he dies in sin and misery and natural death approaching, so he lives the life of grace and grows more and more till he end in glory. Sibbes then went on to write upon Paul's second statement, and your life is hidden with Christ in God.

In what ways is our life, spiritual life, eternal life, hidden with Christ? And Sibbes proposed two ways. First, it is hid to the world, that is to worldly men, because a Christian man is unknown to them.

Because they know not the father that begets, that is gives spiritual life, therefore they know not them that are begotten. They know not the advancement of the Christian. He is raised into a higher rank than they.

A worldly man sees not this life in regard to its excellency. He passes scorns and contempts of it, of folly and the like. A Christian, in respect of his happy life, is a stranger here, and therefore he's willing to pass through the world and to be used as a stranger.

And then he says, not only does the idea of your life hidden with Christ in God, because the world doesn't know anything about it, secondly, it's a hidden life because oft times, not only to worldlings, but in regard to the children of God themselves.

Because by reason of some infirmities, that is sin, that are in the best of God's children, they are apt to judge amiss. In other words, they have doubts and struggles and troubles. Harshly, they judge themselves harshly and rashly one another.

It is hid likewise from themselves, for often God's children know not themselves in temptation, in their nunnage, talking about when they were unbelievers, in the beginning of their conversion, in the time of their desertion, talking about when God withdraws himself at times in the Christian life, and spiritual slumber and sleep.

Grace seems to be dead in them, and then they know not that they have this spiritual life, partly through distemper of body, partly distemper of spirit. There are clouds raised between them and their happiness that they cannot see their spiritual life.

Our life is hidden in Christ before God. But the idea of your life hidden with Christ in God is not so much that your Christian life is not obvious to others about you, and perhaps even to yourself. Rather, your new life in Christ that is presently hidden with Christ in God speaks of its certainty and security.

No one is able to take it from you. It's hidden in Christ in God. The emphasis here is on the assertion that our new life in Christ is secure for us. Our new life is a spiritual reality, and it is secure for us.

It's as Peter wrote in 1 Peter 1 that our salvation inheritance is reserved in heaven for us being kept or secure by the power of God. Our life is hidden in Christ where no one can tarnish it, damage it, or remove it from us.

It's a blessing to have our life hidden in Christ in God. And then in verse four, Paul directs the Christian's attention toward the day when our new life in Christ will be finally and fully experienced and enjoyed by us.

When Christ, who is our life, appears, then you also will appear with him in glory. Jesus Christ himself is our life. Probably few of us see the full reality and significance that this has for us. Christ is our life.

But this is a spiritual reality for every true Christian. The Holy Spirit is the only one who can make that reality evident to us. Here's a testimony of this very thing. A man, he was a Methodist bishop, pastor, named Bishop Moule, tells of a friend of his to whom early in his course that is in his Christian life, those five words, Christ, who is our life, were made a new world.

As he walked back to his home over the dark fields from a mission service he had been conducting, these simple, these familiar words passed through his soul in one of those moments of insight which God alone can explain.

Within 10 paces, as I walked, life was transformed for me. He said, so wonderful was the discovery that the Lord Jesus Christ is not merely rescuer, friend, king, but life itself, life central, inexhaustible, springing up within my heart, rising to eternity.

Christ is our life. And we are to see Jesus Christ as the center and meaning of all we are as Christians. Scriptures use this kind of, this language in various places. Our Lord told his disciples, a little while longer and the world will see me no more, but you will see me because I live, you will live also.

Paul wrote in 2 Corinthians 4, eight and following, we are hard pressed on every side, yet not crushed. We're perplexed, but not in despair. Persecuted, but not forsaken. Struck down, but not destroyed.

Always carrying about in the body the dying of the Lord Jesus.

Why?

Purpose clause. So that life, the life of Jesus may also be manifested in our body. See, the life of Christ. The life of Jesus. Galatians 4, my little children from whom I labor and birth again until Christ is formed in you.