“The New Creation” Day 4: It’s all about where we’re seated.
Last time, we discussed the fact that we were all once slaves to sin. Indeed, we had fallen and we couldn’t get up. But God, in His fathomless love for us, did for us what we could not do for ourselves: Through Jesus Christ, He has broken the power of sin over us.
“We know that our old sinful selves were crucified with Christ so that sin might lose its power in our lives. We are no longer slaves to sin. For when we died with Christ we were set free from the power of sin. And since we died with Christ, we know we will also live with him. We are sure of this because Christ was raised from the dead, and he will never die again. Death no longer has any power over him. When he died, he died once to break the power of sin. But now that he lives, he lives for the glory of God.”
Romans 6:6-10 NLT
Not only did God break the power of sin through Jesus Christ, but has—through uniting us with Christ—adopted us into His own family.
“All praise to God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly realms because we are united with Christ. Even before he made the world, God loved us and chose us in Christ to be holy and without fault in his eyes. God decided in advance to adopt us into his own family by bringing us to himself through Jesus Christ. This is what he wanted to do, and it gave him great pleasure. So we praise God for the glorious grace he has poured out on us who belong to his dear Son.”
Ephesians 1:3-6 NLT
Further, by uniting us with Christ so that we could be called His children, He has given us access to His Spirit Who affirms that we are His children. No longer the enemies of God, we are His heirs, and joint heirs with Jesus Christ.
“For his Spirit joins with our spirit to affirm that we are God’s children. And since we are his children, we are his heirs. In fact, together with Christ we are heirs of God’s glory. But if we are to share his glory, we must also share his suffering.”
Romans 8:16-17 NLT
As well, being adopted as His children and united with Jesus Christ, He has seated us with Christ in heavenly places.
“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
Now, as God’s children, as those who are seated with Christ in heavenly places, our true life is hidden in Christ. And we know, when Christ is fully revealed and made all in all, we will appear with Him in His glory.
“Since you have been raised to new life with Christ, set your sights on the realities of heaven, where Christ sits in the place of honor at God’s right hand. Think about the things of heaven, not the things of earth. For you died to this life, and your real life is hidden with Christ in God. And when Christ, who is your life, is revealed to the whole world, you will share in all his glory.”
Colossians 3:1-4 NLT
Yes, being a new creation through Jesus Christ, changes everything for us. Now, instead of being ruled by sin, we can be guided by the Holy Spirit. And, where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty.
“For the Lord is the Spirit, and wherever the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom.”
2 Corinthians 3:17 NLT
Next time we’ll talk more about our glorious new life in Jesus Christ, and what this means for how we now can live.