Risen with Christ?
I’ve I risen with Christ?
Have I been truly born of water and spirit?
Can I say I’m born-again?
These were the questions I kept asking myself after the sermon on that glorious Sunday.
The questions were so heavy in my heart that I couldn’t even eat when I got home. I just went straight to that Colossians 3:1-3 again. “I must see this for myself again!”, I said to myself.
I couldn’t even say the number of times I read it. It was as if I’ve never heard of it before. One thing I did not forget to do was to ask the Holy Spirit to open my eyes that I may understand His word.
Then I began to meditate…
I claimed to have been risen with Christ, yet sin easily entangles me… (Hebrews 12:1)
How then do I overcome this deadly sin? The answer is in the Bible verse: it says I should throw off everything that hinders me including the sin that easily ensnares me.
“Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles, and let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us.” (Heb 12:1 NIV)
Still on this, the Holy Spirit reveal another portion of the Scriptures unto me.
“No one born (begotten) of God [deliberately. knowingly, and habitually] practices sin, for God’s nature abides in him [His principle of life, the divine sperm, remains permanently within him]; and he cannot practice sinning because he is born (begotten) of God.” (1 John 3:9 AMP)
The reality sank into me. I have been born of God; the old life has gone, therefore, I must not be identified with sin any more.
How do I now forever abide?
How do I become perfect as my Father which is in heaven is perfect? Because Matthew 5:48 (AMP) says:
“You, therefore, must be perfect [growing into complete maturity of godliness in mind and character, having reached the proper height of virtue and integrity], as your heavenly Father is perfect”.
Then the Holy Spirit said , “the answer is right here where you’ve been reading and has brought you to learn more at my feet.” “Thank you, Holy Spirit”, I said with a grateful heart. I opened my Bible to Colossians chapter 3. I didn’t stop at verse 3 but went further to verse 10.
“Since you have been raised to new life with Christ, set your sights on the realities of heaven, where Christ sits at God’s right hand in the place of honour and power.
Let heaven fill your thoughts. Do not think only about things down here on earth.
For you died when Christ died, and your real life is hidden with Christ in God.
And when Christ, who is your real life, is revealed to the whole world, you will share in all his glory.
So put to death the sinful, earthly things lurking within you. Have nothing to do with sexual sin, impurity, lust, and shameful desires, don’t be greedy for the good things of this life, for that is idolatry.
God’s terrible anger will come upon those who do such things.
You used to do them when your life was still part of this world.
But now is the time to get rid of anger, rage, malicious behaviour, slander, and dirty language.
Don’t lie to each other, for you have stripped off your old evil nature and all its wicked deeds.
In its place you have clothed yourselves with a brand-new nature that is continually being renewed as you learn more and more about Christ, who created this new nature within you”.
Colossians 3:1-10 (NLT)
As I study, I began to behold and understand the wondrous word of God.
To abide forever, I have to forever fill my heart with the kingdom of God, for I am not of the world.
My worth is in Christ Jesus.
I have overcome sin, flesh, and the devil through the blood of the Lamb.
I do no stop at the above, but I continually renew my new nature by learning more about Christ in studying His word, in prayer, and in fellowship with Him.
With the revelation of the word of God, I couldn’t stop praying that I keep my eyes solely on Jesus!
“Keep your eyes on Jesus, who both began and finished this race we’re in. Study how he did it. Because he never lost sight of where he was headed–that exhilarating finish in and with God–he could put up with anything along the way: cross, shame, whatever. And now he’s there, in the place of honour, right alongside God.”
Hebrews 12:2 (MSB)
Another very important thing I learnt on that glorious day was that I don’t just let it end after the Grace is being said, rather I stay more on that which I have received from God in a particular gathering of believers.
Indeed! His laws are more desirable than gold, even the finest gold! They are sweeter than honey, even honey dripping from the comb! (Psalms 19:10NLT)