Your life is hidden with Christ in God.

 

Your life is hidden with Christ in God.

 

Colossians 3:1–2: "If then you have been raised with Christ, seek the things that are above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. Set your minds on things that are above, not on things that are on earth."

The word *synegerthēte* (συνηγέρθητε) signifies having been raised together with Jesus Christ; it refers to a life lived constantly in union with Christ. "Things that are above" refers to the throne of the Kingdom of God and the arrival of that Kingdom within the believer's heart. Thus, the believer is enabled to approach God—who sits upon the throne—within their own heart.

"Things that are above" signify the Kingdom of God (the Most Holy Place) originating from the Spirit, whereas "things on the earth" signify worldly matters originating from the flesh. For those who live by the Spirit, the Kingdom of God is established within their hearts; for those who live by the flesh, Satan holds dominion over their hearts. Therefore, believers must plant the Gospel of the Cross within the hearts of those ruled by Satan.

Colossians 3:3–4: "For you have died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God. When Christ who is your life appears (*phanerōthē*), then you also will appear with him in glory."

You once lived for earthly things, but now that "body of the flesh" has died. The Greek word for this body of the flesh is *sarx*. This *sarx* refers to the greed stemming from the flesh—fundamentally, the desire to become like God. While the physical body naturally dies with the passage of time, *sarx* signifies a transformation of identity. 2 Corinthians 4:16–18: "Therefore we do not lose heart. Though outwardly we are wasting away, yet inwardly we are being renewed day by day. For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all. So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen, since what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal."

The "outer self" refers to the "old self" contaminated by *sarx* (flesh); this stands in contrast to the "new self"—a spiritual body that has risen again after dying with Christ on the cross. Thus, in Romans 6, this *sarx* is also described as the "body of sin."

Romans 6:6: "For we know that our old self was crucified with him so that the body ruled by sin might be done away with, that we should no longer be slaves to sin."

Born-again believers are those whose spirits have been made alive and who, as the new self, are clothed in a spiritual body. Consequently, while they live, the mind of the spirit engages in a battle against the *sarx*. The *sarx* can manifest as fleshly nature, blood ties, experiences and knowledge, ideologies and beliefs, religious sentiment, self-righteousness, and the desire to dominate.

For instance, when God appeared to Abram—who was ninety-nine years old—and promised to give him the child of the covenant the following year, Abram laughed inwardly. Genesis 17:1–2 records: "When Abram was ninety-nine years old, the Lord appeared to him and said, 'I am God Almighty; walk before me faithfully and be blameless. Then I will make my covenant between me and you and will greatly increase your numbers.'" For Abram, the idea of ​​having a child at the age of one hundred was something—even coming from God—that defied all human knowledge and experience. The "death of the flesh" (*sarx*) signifies that such worldly knowledge and experience no longer dictate one's response to God's word.

Many believers are driven by mere religious sentiment. When a sudden crisis strikes and prayers to God go unanswered, they might seek out a skilled fortune teller or a person claiming supernatural powers for a solution; if they receive an answer and the problem is resolved, they mistake it for an answer from God.

However, such religious sentiment ultimately leads to idolatry. They believe in a version of God that suits their own desires. When God does not immediately answer the prayers of the earnest, He is often granting an opportunity for repentance. Sometimes, God allows a "thorn" to afflict a believer because of their wrongdoing, intending for them to realize their error, repent, and turn back to Him.

Blood ties can also take precedence over God. In extended families comprising both believers and non-believers, conflicts often arise regarding ancestral rites: the believer refuses to participate, while the non-believer insists on performing the rituals to honor the ancestors' benevolence. Consequently, some believers end up participating in these rites simply to avoid conflict with their non-believing relatives.

True worship belongs to God alone; since Jesus Christ has already brought an end to the sacrificial system through His death, such rituals are no longer necessary in this world. Yet, if one persists in performing these rites—trapped by the notion of honoring ancestral benevolence—one fails to grasp the true significance of Jesus Christ’s death on the cross. While a family gathering to reflect on the grace of one's ancestors—without performing the actual ancestral rites—might be acceptable, the very concept of performing such rites is unbiblical.

Regardless of how people live in this world, as they age, they inevitably contemplate death. Consequently, most people desire to leave something behind; believers are no different in this regard. Yet, one's own righteousness acts as a hindrance to the Kingdom of God.

Saints are those who are no longer bound by the *sarx* (flesh); their spirits have been quickened and clothed in a spiritual body—united with Christ—and are hidden at the right hand of God the Father. This is precisely what resurrection life is. Resurrection has nothing to do with the physical body; it signifies solely the revival of a dead spirit through the reception of resurrection life.

The word *phanerōthē* (φανερωθῇ) means "to shine" or "to be revealed." When Christ is revealed within the heart of a saint, that saint, in turn, manifests Christ’s glory before others. Thus, the saint shines forth alongside Christ’s glory. This moment of shining with glory marks the proclamation of resurrection life. By proclaiming spiritual resurrection—rather than physical resurrection—the saint reveals the glory of Christ.

If one insists on or attempts to demonstrate a physical resurrection, it indicates an absence of resurrection life. Without resurrection life, there is no present reality of being seated in the heavenly realms. It is the spirit, not the flesh, that is seated in heaven; the spirit is clothed in a spiritual body and seated there. This, too, is taught in the Book of Ephesians.

Ephesians 2:5–6: "made us alive with Christ even when we were dead in transgressions—it is by grace you have been saved—and raised us up with him and seated us with him in the heavenly realms in Christ Jesus."