Introduction
Children of God are citizens of the Kingdom of God (in this case, Heaven) because of their adoption by God through Jesus Christ, the Lord. Though they are in the World, they are not of the World (Joh 17:16) because their habitation is with Christ Jesus in Heaven as discussed in this edition of our Newsletter.
Believers´ Place in Christ
You have died with Christ and have been buried with Him in baptism (Col 2:12). You were also raised with Him through faith in the working of God (Col 2:12). God has (quickened) made you alive together with Him (Col 2:13) and you have been raised with Christ. If you have risen with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ sits on the right hand of God. Set your affection on things above, not on things on the earth because you are dead and your life is hidden with Christ in God (Col 3:1-3).
Thus, as Christ died for man´s sins, Christians are being exhorted to die unto sin: dying to sin means sin has no power or control over one´s life (Rom 6:13-14). One must die for herself/himself by constantly resisting lust and its desires. A believer is not supposed to die to some sins and keep the rest in their bosoms and claim to be dead. Christ Jesus came to suffer physically so that we might be pardoned for our sins and receive power over sin and death.
As evidenced in the Gospel of John, in the 19th chapter, Christ Jesus was completely dead before he was buried. If believers are buried with him in baptism (Rom 6:4), then they should be dead to their sins to be buried in baptism. Again, when Christ Jesus rose from the dead, He put on a glorified body, so if Christians are raised with Him as they come out of the baptismal water, then they should walk in newness of life (Rom 6:4).
Dead to the rudimentary elements of this world
Christ Jesus did not only die to redeem us from the Mosaic laws and their demands, but also from the rudimentary elements of this world. Salvation is not about what to eat or what not to eat Peter was informed by God in a vision repeatedly for him to accept this truth” (Acts 10: 9-28). This does not only refer to the inclusion of the Gentiles in the plan of God but it literally means that what people eat is irrelevant to their salvation.
This is supported by the teachings of Paul that: ”For meat destroy not the work of God. All things indeed are pure, but it is evil for that man who eateth with offence. It is good neither to eat flesh, nor to drink wine, nor any thing whereby thy brother stumbleth, or is offended or is made weak. Hast thou faith? have it to thyself before God. Happy is he that condemneth not himself in that thing which he alloweth” (Rom 14:20-22 KJV). However, for the sake of Christ Jesus and His Gospel, let not your eating of those things offend your neighbor.
Paul reiterates that “Wherefore if ye be dead with Christ from the rudiments of the world, why, as though living in the world, are ye subject to ordinances, Touch not; taste not; handle not; Which all are to perish with the using;) after the commandments and doctrines of men? Which things have indeed, a shew of wisdom in will worship, and humility, and neglecting of the body; not in any honor to the satisfying of the flesh” (Col 2:20-23).
Paul wants his audience to understand that their salvation is not based on fulfilling the requirements
of the Law but solely on the gracious work of Christ, the Son of the Living God. He, therefore, contends that the “law of the Spirit” which is the Gospel of Christ Jesus, overcomes the “law of sin and death” (that is the Old Testament (2Co 3:6-7) and it brings the life which is in Christ Jesus (Rom 8:2). So then, the Gospel of Christ is not merely to give rules, but mainly to give life and motives to holiness and that makes one a new creation for being in Christ Jesus (2Co 5:17).
The Heavenly Home
Believers, being a new creation, live in heaven with Christ as recorded in Col 3:1-3. For it is written: the old (sinful) nature is earthly and the new nature is heavenly. Sinners are of the first Adam (living soul and earthly) but the new nature is of the second Adam (quickening spirit and heavenly) (1Co 15:45-49)). Because Christ lives, believers shall live also (Joh 14:19). Christ is the life of believers. In other words, He supplies them with life and that their lives depend on Him. Paul, therefore, writes: “I live, yet not I, but Christ lives in me” (Gal 2:20). Christ Jesus, the head of all believers, is in heaven and that is where their home is.
Conclusion
Christians, upon their regeneration, become new creatures. Their baptism in water is an indication of their burial with Christ Jesus, and as they come out of their baptismal water, they resurrect with the Messiah with a newness of life just as He also rose from the dead with glorified body. The lives of these glorified believers are hidden with Christ in God in heaven. They should, therefore, not take their faith and lives lightly.
Prayer: Our eternal Father, we pray that you might help us to know and understand our place and position in you. May we die always to sin so that we might live for you in absolute purity. In Jesus´ name, we pray. AMEN!