Hidden With Christ
I'd like to take a look at one of the great mysteries of the gospel, the concept of one's life being "hidden in Christ." The main scriptural basis for this study is found in Colossians 3:1-3, where we read..."If ye then be risen with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ sitteth on the right hand of God. Set your affections on things above, not on things on the earth. For ye are dead, and your life is hid with Christ in God."
In order for our life to be hidden with Christ, we must consider ourselves to be dead to this world. Paul tells us in Galatians 2:20..."I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me." He also goes on to write in Galatians 6:14..."But God forbid that I should glory, save in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, by whom the world is crucified unto me, and I unto the world."
We must be buried in the waters of baptism in order for our life to be hidden with Christ, as we read in Romans 6:4..."Therefore we are buried with him by baptism into death: that like as Christ was raised up from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life." We also read in Galatians 3:27..."For as many of you as have been baptized into Christ have put on Christ." Only then is our sin debt paid in full, and only then can we consider ourselves to be dead to this world, and dead to sin, as we read in Romans 6:11..."Likewise reckon ye also yourselves to be dead indeed unto sin, but alive unto God through Jesus Christ our Lord." However, this does not mean that we will no longer be tempted to sin, just that we have a Higher Power operating within us, which will guide us in the right way, leading us in the path of righteousness. We read further in Romans 6:12-14..."Let not sin therefore reign in your mortal body, that ye should obey it in the lusts thereof. Neither yield ye your members as instruments of unrighteousness unto sin; but yield yourselves unto God, as those that are alive from the dead, and your members as instruments of righteousness unto God. For sin shall not have dominion over you; for ye are not under the law, but under grace." Though Satan will still do all within his power to tempt us, and to pull us away from God, we are endowed with the Holy Spirit, and with His strength and guidance we are able to overcome these temptations. We are promised in 1 Corinthians 10:13..."There hath no temptation taken you but such as is common to man: but God is faithful, who will not suffer you to be tempted above that ye are able; but will with the temptation also make a way to escape, that ye may be able to bear it."
If one's life is hidden with Christ, their priorities are no longer worldly matters, but are naturally shifted to spiritual matters and concerns. No longer should we be influenced or controlled by lusts or desires for the things of this world. Jesus tells us in Matthew 6:19-21..."Lay not up for yourselves treasures upon earth, where moth and rust doth corrupt, and where thieves break through and steal: but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust doth corrupt, and where thieves do not break through nor steal: for where your treasure is, there will your heart be also."
There is a line from a beautiful old hymn entitled "A Wonderful Savior Is Jesus My Lord", which reads..."He hideth my soul in the cleft of the Rock, that shadows a dry, thirsty land. He hideth my life in the depths of His love, and covers me there with His hand." This is the general idea behind a person's life being hidden in Christ. When we belong to Him, He hides us in the cleft of the Rock, far away from the cares and concerns of this present world. His love is so powerful that it supersedes any troubles that we may encounter, and we are hidden in the palm of His almighty hand. No greater safety exists than the security that we experience as children of God, sheltered in His hand. Jesus tells us in John 10:27-30..."My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me: and I give unto them eternal life; and they shall never perish, neither shall any man pluck them out of my hand. My Father, which gave them me, is greater than all; and no man is able to pluck them out of my Father's hand. I and my Father are one."
Paul expounds upon this concept in Ephesians 2:4-7..."But God, who is rich in mercy, for his great love wherewith he loved us, even when we were dead in sins, hath quickened us together with Christ (by grace are ye saved;) and hath raised us up together, and made us sit together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus: that in the ages to come he might shew the exceeding riches of his grace in his kindness toward us through Christ Jesus." Our obedience, in conjunction with God's rich mercy, affords us the opportunity to be transformed from a state of being dead in sin, to a state of being dead to sin, when our life is hidden with Christ. Furthermore, our eternal destiny is secured, that is, it has become our "treasure laid up in heaven", and as Paul asserts in 2 Timothy 1:12..."For the which cause I also suffer these things: nevertheless I am not ashamed: for I know whom I have believed, and am persuaded that he is able to keep that which I have committed unto him against that day." Paul is telling us here that we can have the assurance of eternal life, because it is not within our grasp to keep or to lose, to hold onto or to let slip away. Our eternal destiny has been secured by our faith in the all-encompassing sacrifice made by Jesus on the cross. Paul reaffirms this in Romans 8:38-39..."For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come, nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord."
Finally, we have a beautiful promise which immediately follows our original reading. In Colossians 3, verse 3, we are told that we are dead, and that our life is hidden with Christ in God. Then we read in verse 4..."When Christ, who is our life, shall appear, then shall ye also appear with him in glory." Jesus is our life, as we read in Phillipians 1:21..."For me to live is Christ, and to die is gain." At the second coming of Christ, all those whose lives are now hidden with Him will appear with Him in glory, as Jesus Himself prayed in John 17:24..."Father, I will that they also, whom thou hast given me, be with me where I am; that they may behold my glory, which thou hast given me: for thou lovedst me before the foundation of the world." Heaven is the treasure that we seek, and that is where our heart is, where we hope to behold His glory forever more.
May we find rest and reassurance in the knowledge that our sins are nailed to His cross, and that our souls are safely anchored, secured by our faith in His blood sacrifice. We are covered by His Hand, and saved by His grace. This is the true meaning behind one's life being hidden in Christ.
In order for our life to be hidden with Christ, we must consider ourselves to be dead to this world. Paul tells us in Galatians 2:20..."I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me." He also goes on to write in Galatians 6:14..."But God forbid that I should glory, save in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, by whom the world is crucified unto me, and I unto the world."
We must be buried in the waters of baptism in order for our life to be hidden with Christ, as we read in Romans 6:4..."Therefore we are buried with him by baptism into death: that like as Christ was raised up from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life." We also read in Galatians 3:27..."For as many of you as have been baptized into Christ have put on Christ." Only then is our sin debt paid in full, and only then can we consider ourselves to be dead to this world, and dead to sin, as we read in Romans 6:11..."Likewise reckon ye also yourselves to be dead indeed unto sin, but alive unto God through Jesus Christ our Lord." However, this does not mean that we will no longer be tempted to sin, just that we have a Higher Power operating within us, which will guide us in the right way, leading us in the path of righteousness. We read further in Romans 6:12-14..."Let not sin therefore reign in your mortal body, that ye should obey it in the lusts thereof. Neither yield ye your members as instruments of unrighteousness unto sin; but yield yourselves unto God, as those that are alive from the dead, and your members as instruments of righteousness unto God. For sin shall not have dominion over you; for ye are not under the law, but under grace." Though Satan will still do all within his power to tempt us, and to pull us away from God, we are endowed with the Holy Spirit, and with His strength and guidance we are able to overcome these temptations. We are promised in 1 Corinthians 10:13..."There hath no temptation taken you but such as is common to man: but God is faithful, who will not suffer you to be tempted above that ye are able; but will with the temptation also make a way to escape, that ye may be able to bear it."
There is a line from a beautiful old hymn entitled "A Wonderful Savior Is Jesus My Lord", which reads..."He hideth my soul in the cleft of the Rock, that shadows a dry, thirsty land. He hideth my life in the depths of His love, and covers me there with His hand." This is the general idea behind a person's life being hidden in Christ. When we belong to Him, He hides us in the cleft of the Rock, far away from the cares and concerns of this present world. His love is so powerful that it supersedes any troubles that we may encounter, and we are hidden in the palm of His almighty hand. No greater safety exists than the security that we experience as children of God, sheltered in His hand. Jesus tells us in John 10:27-30..."My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me: and I give unto them eternal life; and they shall never perish, neither shall any man pluck them out of my hand. My Father, which gave them me, is greater than all; and no man is able to pluck them out of my Father's hand. I and my Father are one."
Paul expounds upon this concept in Ephesians 2:4-7..."But God, who is rich in mercy, for his great love wherewith he loved us, even when we were dead in sins, hath quickened us together with Christ (by grace are ye saved;) and hath raised us up together, and made us sit together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus: that in the ages to come he might shew the exceeding riches of his grace in his kindness toward us through Christ Jesus." Our obedience, in conjunction with God's rich mercy, affords us the opportunity to be transformed from a state of being dead in sin, to a state of being dead to sin, when our life is hidden with Christ. Furthermore, our eternal destiny is secured, that is, it has become our "treasure laid up in heaven", and as Paul asserts in 2 Timothy 1:12..."For the which cause I also suffer these things: nevertheless I am not ashamed: for I know whom I have believed, and am persuaded that he is able to keep that which I have committed unto him against that day." Paul is telling us here that we can have the assurance of eternal life, because it is not within our grasp to keep or to lose, to hold onto or to let slip away. Our eternal destiny has been secured by our faith in the all-encompassing sacrifice made by Jesus on the cross. Paul reaffirms this in Romans 8:38-39..."For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come, nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord."
Finally, we have a beautiful promise which immediately follows our original reading. In Colossians 3, verse 3, we are told that we are dead, and that our life is hidden with Christ in God. Then we read in verse 4..."When Christ, who is our life, shall appear, then shall ye also appear with him in glory." Jesus is our life, as we read in Phillipians 1:21..."For me to live is Christ, and to die is gain." At the second coming of Christ, all those whose lives are now hidden with Him will appear with Him in glory, as Jesus Himself prayed in John 17:24..."Father, I will that they also, whom thou hast given me, be with me where I am; that they may behold my glory, which thou hast given me: for thou lovedst me before the foundation of the world." Heaven is the treasure that we seek, and that is where our heart is, where we hope to behold His glory forever more.
May we find rest and reassurance in the knowledge that our sins are nailed to His cross, and that our souls are safely anchored, secured by our faith in His blood sacrifice. We are covered by His Hand, and saved by His grace. This is the true meaning behind one's life being hidden in Christ.
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