LIVING WITH CHRIST

TUESDAY 11 APRIL 2023

Christ is risen, and as born again Christians, we can never quantify the full expression of what it shall be like, in relation to living with Him. More below!

Reference: Romans 6:8 New Living Translation (NLT) "And since we died with Christ, we know we will also live with Him."

How did we die with Christ? I asked this question because the only two people that died with Christ, according to Luke 23:32-33, were the criminals executed with Him. The Bible says, "Two others, both criminals, were led out to be executed with him. When they came to a place called The Skull, they nailed Him to the cross. And the criminals were also crucified—one on His right and one on His left" (Luke 23:32-33 NLT). Since none of us was mentioned, apart from the criminals, how then did we die with Him? Here Paul, the apostle, refers to spiritual death.

Saint Paul said, "But God is so rich in mercy, and He loved us so much, that even though we were dead because of our sins, He gave us life when He raised Christ from the dead. (It is only by God's grace that you have been saved!). For he raised us from the dead along with Christ and seated us with him in the heavenly realms because we are united with Christ Jesus" (Ephesians 2:4-6 NLT).

Although the expression of our referenced Scripture is indicative of our future existence with Christ, because Saint Paul put it in this manner: "Since we died with Christ, we know we will also live with Him", beloved, understand that we are already living with Christ (this present moment). Acts 17:28 reads, "For in Him we live and move and exist..." (NLT). Got it? However, let me explain to you exactly what Paul actually meant by saying, "We know we will also live with Him." Its a hint of further blessings of companionship given to us as a result of being united with Christ and being seated with Him in the heavenly realms. So the profound nature of this very truth is not expressly or fully mentioned here. The full reality of living with Him is still ahead of us.

Now watch this: At the cross, we were crucified with Him and then God raised us together with Him - all these are from the spiritual standpoint. But remember that spiritual realities control the reality of true existence of things with time or over time. So when Christ comes back for us and appears in His glory, further blessings will be bestowed upon us. Manifold wonder, Pauline constructive rendering in Colossians 3:4 (NIV) says, "When Christ, who is your life, appears, then you also will appear with Him in glory" Do you know what that means? Appearing with Him in His glory-cloud will happen in reality for all saints.

Now observe the low state of our outlook in this present world: We are clothed with human flesh, which is the earthen vessel, yet we live with Christ now, move in Him now, and exist in Him now. But when He shall appear in glory, we shall be converted from our earthly appearance to the heavenly appearance, perfectly ready to live with Christ and God.

Beloved, this is matter of great rejoicing to the body of Christ, because the bounds or limits of our earthly manifestation shall be removed. The Bible says in 1st Corinthians 15:47-49, "Adam, the first man, was made from the dust of the earth, while Christ, the second man, came from heaven. Earthly people are like the earthly man, and heavenly people are like the heavenly man. Just as we are now like the earthly man, we will someday be like the heavenly man" (NLT).

As was the earthly man, Adam, so are those who are of the earth; and as is the heavenly man, so also are those who are of heaven. Just as we are now like the earthly man in appearance, when Christ, the heavenly man, appears in His glory for our sake, we shall be like Him. Then we shall put on our resurrection body because flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God. In other words, our natural bodies would be transformed into bodies that will never die; that is, our mortal bodies would be transformed into immortal bodies.

Beloved, we shall live with Christ, and I thank God that the glory of our heavenly bodies is far different from that of the earthly (natural) bodies. Shalom!

Scripture Reference: John 1:4; 1 Corinthians 15:50-57; John 6:51; John 10:10; 1 John 5:11; Galatians 2:20.

Exuberant Declaration: In Christ is life and because He lives, I will live with Him in His glory as an abundant partaker of eternal life. Hallelujah!