Faith in Christ leads to major changes in the believer’s state and life which the bible conveys in very radical terminology – “new creation” (2 Cor 5:17, Gal 6:15 ), “rebirth” (Joh 3:3 & 5, 1 Pet 1:3, 1:23), “regeneration and renewal” (Tit 3:5), “transition from death to life” (John 5:24), “darkness and light” (Eph 5:7 – 8). These are all designed to convey the extent and depth of the radical shift that occurs.  Such is the extent of this change and transformation that it would be unjust to describe it in anything less.

This profound change and radical shift is possible for all precisely because it was secured by the historical death of Jesus  “once for all” – Rom 6:10 – 11
For the death he died he died to sin, once for all, but the life he lives he lives to God. So you also must consider yourselves dead to sin and alive to God in Christ Jesus.

On account of His death – but for all – we are now all in with an equal chance of experiencing rebirth in Him. It is only through faith in Christ and His completed works on the cross that we all have access to this radical change the Bible terms rebirth. The death of one man counted for everyone’s death leading to everyone benefiting from His death in equal measure to Himself. Christ died everyone’s death – the death of all those who trust in and commit their lives to Him.   2 Corinthians 5:14 …. we have concluded this: that one has died for all, therefore all have died; Therefore, all who are “in Christ” – as a result of their faith and commitment to Him – have died with Him – there is no way that we who have believed in Him could have escaped His death.

The cross of Christ on which we all were equally crucified with Him is the major gamechanger for the disciple of Christ. Getting your death is absolutely key and vital to living the normal Christian life. The criticality of understanding one’s death with Christ cannot be overstated for You cannot be in Christ and not have died with Him.

Hence the matter-of-fact statement Paul makes in Colossians 3:3 “…for you have died…”. The believer’s death is neither up for debate nor negotiation. This matter-of-fact statement by Paul is absolutely key and central to the driving force for everything else he’s calling them to act on and abide by. It represents Paul’s effort to get them to get their death and its ramifications on how they are to now live.

In Colossians 3:1 – 4 Paul is exhorting the Colossian Christians to two clear action points:

1. “seek the things that are above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God.“
2. “Set your minds on things that are above, not on things that are on earth.”

The entire premise for his argument and exhortation to specific action points is predicated on the fact of Christ’s death on the cross – and consequently, ours too.  The given in this passage that justifies Paul’s call to these action points (and more) are five, interconnected realities that have Christ’s death and His resurrection at their core. These realities form the foundation and bedrock of the practical Christian life and are all results of the believer’s union with Christ:

• “you have been raised with Christ”
• “seated at the right hand of God” (with Christ)
• “you have died” (with Christ)
• “your life is hidden with Christ”
• “Christ… is your life”

Not only does the believer’s union with Christ result in their death and resurrection but extends to being seated with Him at the right hand of God and sharing His very life. These are realities or truths that not only form the basis and foundation but represent the rationale and competency for a life of holiness and purity here on earth. The believer’s union with Christ that the scriptures speak about is an organic and indivisible union.

The call to purity and holiness in the believer’s life makes no sense and is impossible outside these realities.  Paul expands on the most central of these realities and its present-day implications for all believers in Romans 6:1-11. You cannot do Romans 6:11 (“So you also must consider yourselves dead to sin and alive to God in Christ Jesus”) or even remotely understand how it is even possible if you don’t get the truths of verses 1 – 10 or they’ve not been taken in and owned by you.

The practical Christian life is totally impractical and wholly unthinkable without the present-day implications and daily, real-life application of the cross in the believer’s life.

“For you have died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God” is the premise or rationale for the practical Christian life. It is the solid foundation and truth that everything that comes after is established on. Once you’ve died with Him then Christ becomes your life. You do not have a life outside Him. Christ is not an accessory or adjunct to your life, but He is your life. Christ is now your identity and the heart of who you are. Of course the reality of being raised with Christ is logically only possible if one has died with Christ (Col 3:1) which for those who’ve believed in Him is definite.

Because they have died and have been raised with Christ, their life now is Christ. So Paul is very naturally directing them heavenward where Christ their life is. It is now simply a matter of aligning your life with your new reality that’s based on the truth of Christ’s crucifixion and resurrection. As a result of being raised with Christ, one needs to now re-train one’s mind and redirect one’s efforts. According to Paul, a daily conscious effort is now required –

• to seek and set one’s mind on the things above, i.e. to shift one’s pattern of thinking in the direction of the spiritual and heavenward and,
• to put off the old and put on the new self

There is an imperative tone in the commands to “seek” and “to set minds” on things above for without them Christ’s victory over sin will remain null and void in the believer’s life here and now. It is the diligent and consistent seeking of the things above and setting minds on them that conveys Christ’s victory on the cross into the experiential realm of the believer here and now. Without the believer’s active involvement by way of daily seeking the things above where Christ their life is, seated at the right hand of God, and setting minds on them, they’ll always fall short of living in Christ’s victory on the cross. The link between Christ’s victory on the cross and the believer’s lived experience of the same is none other than a daily, conscious effort and exercise in seeking the things above and setting one’s mind on them. This is a daily, proactive and intentional exercise.

Conversely, the lack of this intentional and daily seeking of things above and directing one’s mind towards them robs the believer from the experience of Christ’s victory over sin on the cross.

What do you have in place in your life to daily direct your heart and mind on to things above?

Understanding that you have died is pivotal for the drive and strength to set your minds and invest your energy on the things above and your ability to put to death earthly things. This is very basic to the Christian life. Regular training of one’s mind towards things above and redirecting one’s heart to spiritual matters is now possible precisely because one has been raised with Christ.

How much effort do you make to seek and set your mind on the things above? And how often? Is it a daily practice?

Do you have a daily rhythm of reading, reflection and meditation on God’s Word to seek and set your mind on the things above?

This daily, conscious exercise of intentionally seeking the things above and setting one’s mind on them, is an irreplaceable Christian discipline for a truly victorious Christian life.