Paul now explains the reason believers should focus on heavenly things: their spiritual identity has fundamentally changed. When he says, “ye are dead,” he refers to the believer’s death to the old life of sin and worldly allegiance. Through union with Christ, the Christian has spiritually died to the dominion of the former life. The old identity, governed by sin and earthly desires, has been crucified with Christ. This does not mean the believer physically died, but rather that the controlling power of the old life has been broken.
At the same time, Paul adds that the believer’s “life is hid with Christ in God.” This statement expresses both security and transformation. First, it speaks of security: the believer’s true life is protected and preserved in union with Christ. Just as Christ Himself is secure in the presence of the Father, so the believer’s spiritual life is safe in Him. No earthly force can destroy what God has hidden in Christ. Second, it speaks of transformation: the believer now possesses a new life that is connected to Christ Himself. This life is not always visible to the world because its full glory has not yet been revealed. However, it is real and active, shaping the believer’s character and conduct.
Paul’s argument is therefore simple but powerful: since believers have died to the old life and now belong to Christ, their thoughts and affections should reflect their new heavenly identity. A Christian whose life is hidden with Christ should not live as though this present world were his ultimate home. Instead, he lives with the awareness that his true life, future glory, and eternal citizenship are bound up with Christ.
Source Coverage: Colossians 3:3-4
1. That we are dead; that is, to present things, and as our portion. We are so in profession and obligation; for we are buried with Christ, and planted into the likeness of his death. Every Christian is crucified unto the world, and the world is crucified unto him, Gal. 6:14. And if we are dead to the earth, and have renounced it as our happiness, it is absurd for us to set our affections upon it, and seek it. We should be like a dead thing to it, unmoved and unaffected towards it.
2. Our true life lies in the other world: You are dead, and your life is hid with Christ in God, v. 3. The new man has its livelihood thence. It is born and nourished from above; and the perfection of its life is reserved for that state. It is hid with Christ; not hid from us only, in point of secrecy, but hid for us, denoting security. The life of a Christian is hid with Christ. Because I live you shall live also, Jn. 14:19. Christ is at present a hidden Christ, or one whom we have not seen; but this is our comfort, that our life is hid with him, and laid up safely with him. As we have reason to love him whom we have not seen (1 Pt. 1:8), so we may take the comfort of a happiness out of sight, and reserved in heaven for us.
3. Because at the second coming of Christ we hope for the perfection of our happiness. If we live a life of Christian purity and devotion now, when Christ, who is our life, shall appear, we shall also appear with him in glory, v. 4. Observe, (1.) Christ is a believer's life. I live, yet not I, but Christ lives in me, Gal. 2:20. He is the principle and end of the Christian's life. He lives in us by his Spirit, and we live to him in all we do. To me to live is Christ, Phil. 1:21. (2.) Christ will appear again. He is now hid; and the heavens must contain him; but he will appear in all the pomp of the upper world, with his holy angels, and in his own glory and his Father's glory, Mk. 8:38; Lu. 9:26. (3.) We shall then appear with him in glory. It will be his glory to have his redeemed with him; he will come to be glorified in his saints (2 Th. 1:10); and it will be their glory to come with him, and be with him for ever. At the second coming of Christ there will be a general meeting of all the saints; and those whose life is now hid with Christ shall then appear with Christ in that glory which he himself enjoys, Jn. 17:24. Do we look for such a happiness, and should we not set our affections upon that world, and live above this? What is there here to make us fond of it? What is there not there to draw our hearts to it? Our head is there, our home is there, our treasure is there, and we hope to be there for ever.
Paul now explains the reason believers should focus on heavenly things: their spiritual identity has fundamentally changed. When he says, “ye are dead,” he refers to the believer’s death to the old life of sin and worldly allegiance. Through union with Christ, the Christian has spiritually died to the dominion of the former life. The old identity, governed by sin and earthly desires, has been crucified with Christ. This does not mean the believer physically died, but rather that the controlling power of the old life has been broken.
At the same time, Paul adds that the believer’s “life is hid with Christ in God.” This statement expresses both security and transformation. First, it speaks of security: the believer’s true life is protected and preserved in union with Christ. Just as Christ Himself is secure in the presence of the Father, so the believer’s spiritual life is safe in Him. No earthly force can destroy what God has hidden in Christ. Second, it speaks of transformation: the believer now possesses a new life that is connected to Christ Himself. This life is not always visible to the world because its full glory has not yet been revealed. However, it is real and active, shaping the believer’s character and conduct.
Paul’s argument is therefore simple but powerful: since believers have died to the old life and now belong to Christ, their thoughts and affections should reflect their new heavenly identity. A Christian whose life is hidden with Christ should not live as though this present world were his ultimate home. Instead, he lives with the awareness that his true life, future glory, and eternal citizenship are bound up with Christ.
1. That we are dead; that is, to present things, and as our portion. We are so in profession and obligation; for we are buried with Christ, and planted into the likeness of his death. Every Christian is crucified unto the world, and the world is crucified unto him, Gal. 6:14. And if we are dead to the earth, and have renounced it as our happiness, it is absurd for us to set our affections upon it, and seek it. We should be like a dead thing to it, unmoved and unaffected towards it.
2. Our true life lies in the other world: You are dead, and your life is hid with Christ in God, v. 3. The new man has its livelihood thence. It is born and nourished from above; and the perfection of its life is reserved for that state. It is hid with Christ; not hid from us only, in point of secrecy, but hid for us, denoting security. The life of a Christian is hid with Christ. Because I live you shall live also, Jn. 14:19. Christ is at present a hidden Christ, or one whom we have not seen; but this is our comfort, that our life is hid with him, and laid up safely with him. As we have reason to love him whom we have not seen (1 Pt. 1:8), so we may take the comfort of a happiness out of sight, and reserved in heaven for us.
3. Because at the second coming of Christ we hope for the perfection of our happiness. If we live a life of Christian purity and devotion now, when Christ, who is our life, shall appear, we shall also appear with him in glory, v. 4. Observe, (1.) Christ is a believer's life. I live, yet not I, but Christ lives in me, Gal. 2:20. He is the principle and end of the Christian's life. He lives in us by his Spirit, and we live to him in all we do. To me to live is Christ, Phil. 1:21. (2.) Christ will appear again. He is now hid; and the heavens must contain him; but he will appear in all the pomp of the upper world, with his holy angels, and in his own glory and his Father's glory, Mk. 8:38; Lu. 9:26. (3.) We shall then appear with him in glory. It will be his glory to have his redeemed with him; he will come to be glorified in his saints (2 Th. 1:10); and it will be their glory to come with him, and be with him for ever. At the second coming of Christ there will be a general meeting of all the saints; and those whose life is now hid with Christ shall then appear with Christ in that glory which he himself enjoys, Jn. 17:24. Do we look for such a happiness, and should we not set our affections upon that world, and live above this? What is there here to make us fond of it? What is there not there to draw our hearts to it? Our head is there, our home is there, our treasure is there, and we hope to be there for ever.