Scripture Reading: Col. 3:1-4; 13, 1 John 4:15; 1 Cor. 6:17
Colossians 3:1-4 implies that with Christ we have one position, one life, one living, one destiny, and one glory. Because we and Christ have one position, we are where He is. We and Christ also have one life, even the same life. The life He has we have also. Moreover, we have one living with Christ. Our living is His living. When we live, He lives, for He lives in our living. If we have one living with Christ in a practical way day by day, then whatever we do, He does also. This means that when we talk, He talks. If we do something different from what Christ is doing, we do not have one living with Him. For example, if we become angry and Christ is not angry, we do not have one living with Him at that particular time. In such a case, our living is not His living. We should refrain from losing our temper not because we are trying to obey a biblical command, but because we sense that the Christ who lives in us is not losing His temper. If we simply try to control our temper, we are religious. But if we do not lose our temper because we are living with Christ, then we are one with Him in life and in living. Praise the Lord that we have one position, life, and living with Christ!
We also have one glory and destiny with Christ. Glory is our future and our destination. The Lord Jesus is now in glory. However, He is in glory in a way that is hidden from mankind. If you ask the people in the world where Jesus is, they will reply that they do not know. But we know where He is — He is in glory. One day Christ will be in glory no longer in a hidden way, but in an open way, in the way of manifestation. Then everyone on earth will know that the Lord Jesus is in glory. Christ’s destiny is to be openly in glory. This is our destiny as well. We can say, “Glory is our destination. We are heading for glory. Our destiny is not simply heaven — it is to be in glory.” Since glory is our destination, we shall eventually have one glory with Christ. It is not possible for us to describe this glory now because we have not yet entered into it. I believe, however, that when we are in glory, we shall be beside ourselves with joy and ecstasy. We may want to dance, shout, and praise the Lord. In glory we shall realize how exciting our God is. When we are in glory with Christ, we shall be excited also.
Our position is that we are in Christ. Because we are in Him, we are where He is — at the right hand of God (3:1). In John 17:24 the Lord Jesus prayed, “Father, I desire that those whom You have given Me may also be with Me where I am.” To be where the Lord Jesus is, is not a matter of geography. The Lord is in the Father, and He prayed that the disciples, who were not yet in the Father, would be brought into Him. The Lord prayed, therefore, that they would be where He is.
It is crucial for us to realize that our position is not only in Christ, but also in the Father. In the Gospel of John we are told clearly that the Son is in the Father (10:38; 14:10). This means that the Son’s position is in the Father. Since our position today is that we are in the Son, in Christ, we also are in the Father. The Father, of course, is in heaven. Hence, our position also is that we are in heaven. In saying this, however, we have a different understanding from that held by many Christians. Often when Christians say that we shall be in heaven, they mean that we shall be in heaven outside the Father. But when we say that we shall be in heaven, we mean that we shall be in heaven in the Father. There is a great difference here. We are in Christ, in the Father, and therefore in heaven.
If we stop here, we shall have nothing more than a mere doctrinal understanding of our one position with Christ. We shall only know the fact that we are in Christ, in the Father, and in heaven. What makes this real is that we are one spirit with the Lord (1 Cor. 6:17). It is when we are in the spirit that we are in Christ, in the Father, and in heaven practically and experientially.
Consider as an illustration how the lights in the meeting hall are connected to the power plant by the flow of electricity. Apart from this electrical flow, the lights are related only to the meeting hall, not to the power plant. But by the flow of electrical current, they are connected to the power plant. Likewise, by the transmission we experience in our spirit, we are connected to the heavenly power plant. Praise the Lord that a transmission is going on from heaven to our spirit! When we experience this transmission, we are truly in Christ, in the Father, and in heaven. Our spirit is directly related to heaven. The heavenly transmission begins in heaven and ends in our spirit. Because we may experience and enjoy this unique transmission, there is no need for us to go to heaven in order to be in heaven. Simply by being in our spirit where we experience the transmission from heaven, we are in heaven. Just as the lights in the meeting hall are connected to the power plant by the flow of electricity, so we are connected to heaven by the divine transmission which flows from the throne of God in heaven into our spirit.
When I was a young believer, I tried my best to understand, according to the Bible, how I could be in heaven. To my realization, I was on earth and was by no means in heaven, no matter how happy I may have been in the Lord. Now I realize that, because of the transmission from the throne of God in heaven into my spirit, when I enjoy the Lord here on earth, I am simultaneously in heaven.
In 3:1 Paul says that since we were raised together with Christ, we should seek the things which are above. This verse indicates clearly that we have one position with Christ. How could we seek the things which are above if we were not above also? To seek the things above we must be in heaven where these things are.
We need to ask ourselves, then, whether we are in heaven or on earth. In answering this question we need to be careful. The proper way to answer is to say that when we are in spirit we are also in heaven, but when we are not in spirit we are on earth and, experientially, even under the earth. According to our experience, we know that in spirit we may be in heaven one minute and then, because we do not remain in our spirit, we may immediately plunge down to the earth. For example, during your time with the Lord in the morning, you may be in the heavenlies, having prayed yourself into the Spirit. But at the breakfast table your wife or husband may say something to bother you, and immediately you are drawn out of the spirit into the flesh. No longer are you in heaven; you are now on earth. This indicates that only when we are in spirit are we in heaven. Whenever we are outside the spirit, we are earthly.
In 3:1 Paul charges us to seek the things which are above. The way to seek these things is to turn to the spirit and call on the name of the Lord. Our experience tells us clearly that we touch the heavens by turning to our spirit, for our spirit is the receiving end of the divine transmission, whereas the throne of God in heaven is the transmitting end. Thus, by turning to our spirit, we are lifted into heaven. Then in our experience we are in Christ, in the Father, and in heaven. Then in the spirit we are one in position with Christ, seeking the things which are above.
In 3:3 and 4 Paul twice speaks of life, indicating thereby that we have one life with Christ. In verse 3 he says that our life “has been hidden with Christ in God.” In verse 4 he goes on to speak of when “Christ our life is manifested.” To understand what kind of life this is, we need to first read the verses, then check with our experience, and also compare these verses with others.
According to our experience and according to the Word, life here is Christ’s life becoming our life. If it were merely Christ’s life, it could not be called “our life.” The very fact that it is “our life” indicates that it refers to something which has become ours. However, the life here is not our natural life, the life inherited from Adam. Such a life could never be that which is hidden with Christ in God. God would never allow the natural life inherited from Adam to be hidden in Him. The only life that can be hidden with Christ in God is the divine life, the very life of Christ. It is this life which has become our life. Paul’s use of the expression “our life” indicates that we and Christ, and also God Himself, have one life. We should not think that God has one life, that Christ has another life, and that we who believe in Christ have yet another life. Rather, God, Christ, and the believers have one life. The life of God is the life of Christ, and the life of Christ has become our life. We can declare that we have the very life Christ has, the life hidden within God. What a wonderful life this is!
It is very easy for us to understand the matter of the Christian life in a natural way. We see a sister who is gentle, quiet, and kind, and we think that because she has such characteristics she is full of life. Seeing a brother who is an eloquent and powerful speaker, we may take his power and eloquence as signs of life. However, in both cases what we see may be the natural life, not the life that Christ has, the life hidden with Christ in God.
Perhaps you are wondering how to discern between the natural life and the life Christ has, the life hidden in God. First, Christ’s life is a crucified life; second, it is a resurrected life; and third, it is a life hidden in God. These three characteristics distinguish the life Christ has from our natural life.
A certain sister may be nice, gentle, and kind; however, all this may be in the natural life, a life that has not been crucified. This is proved by the fact that when she is insulted or mistreated, she breaks down and cries. Her tears indicate that she is living in the natural life. Her life is not a crucified life.
When the Lord Jesus was on earth, He always lived a crucified life. Although He was severely criticized and insulted, He did not weep for Himself. Instead, He could say, “Father, I thank You that this is according to Your will.” His life was a crucified life.
Referring to the example of the eloquent brother, we see that such a brother may also be in the natural life. He may exhibit his eloquence according to the natural life, a life that has not been crucified.
If a person is truly one in life with Christ, his life will be a crucified life. The life we have received of the Lord Jesus is not a raw, unprocessed life; it is a crucified life, a life that has been processed and thoroughly dealt with. If we truly know this life, we shall not weep when we are insulted. Instead, we shall thank the Lord and even praise Him in a genuine way.
Sometimes when we are in the flesh and others insult us, we may say “Amen” or “Hallelujah!” However, our “Amen” and “Hallelujah!” is fleshly. If we are truly living a crucified life when others insult us, we shall not say anything. Those who are on the cross say neither “Amen” nor “Hallelujah!” They do not say anything at all. The life we should live today should be such a crucified life.
The one life we share with Christ is also a resurrected life. Nothing, including death, can suppress it. Furthermore, in resurrection there are no tears. Suppose a sister begins to cry when she is criticized for the way she cleaned a room in the meeting hall. Is this the resurrected life? Certainly not! In the resurrected life there is no place for weeping. But if this sister lives a resurrected life while she is cleaning in the meeting hall, she will not be troubled if someone criticizes her work. This is another difference between the resurrected life and the natural life.
If our natural life has not been dealt with, our service in the church will not last long. If we serve in the natural life, we shall be easily offended, and eventually we shall stop serving. But if our life in serving is a life that is crucified and resurrected, nothing will be able to defeat it.
Furthermore, the life Christ has is a life hidden in God. As we have pointed out, only the divine life can be hidden in God. I appreciate this word hidden (3:3). The life Christ has is not a showy life; it is a hidden life. If you serve by this life, you will not want to be seen by others. On the contrary, you will prefer to serve in secret. Our natural life is the very opposite of this, for it is fond of making a show. Today’s religion appeals to this element in the natural life. For example, it is a common practice in raising funds to give public credit to those who donate large amounts, whereas little or no mention is made of those who donate a small amount. Religion nourishes the natural life, but in the church the natural life is put to death.
Whatever we do in the church should be done by a life hidden in God. In Matthew 6 the Lord Jesus speaks of doing things in secret, not before men (vv. 1-6, 16-18). Even in presenting our offering to the Lord, we should be hidden. In all that we do we should live a hidden life, a life hidden with Christ in God.
Let us now consider the matter of having one living with Christ. It seems that there is no indication of this in 3:1-4. The word living is not even used. But Paul does tell us to seek the things which are above and to set our mind on them. This refers to our living. Seeking the things above and setting our mind on them are matters of our living. We are not to live in an earthly way or in a worldly way. Instead, we should live in a heavenly way, seek the things which are above, and set our mind on them.
At this point we need to see that the Lord Jesus has two types of ministries, His ministry on earth before His resurrection and His ministry in heaven. When the Lord Jesus was on earth, He carried on a tremendous ministry and did a great deal. In the course of this ministry, He accomplished redemption for us. According to Hebrews 1:3, having finished His ministry on earth, the Lord sat down at the right hand of the Majesty on high. Although His earthly ministry has been completed, His ministry in heaven is still going on.
Christ today is ministering in a higher and more extensive way. As the High Priest, He intercedes for us and cares for all the churches, transmitting into them the heavenly supply. Christ is more busy now than when He was on earth. On earth He cared mainly for His disciples. But in heaven He is caring for a great many churches and for millions of saints. Not only does He intercede for us as the High Priest, but He ministers on our behalf as the heavenly Minister. Furthermore, according to Revelation 5, He as the heavenly Administrator is executing God’s universal government. He is the Lamb with seven eyes carrying out God’s administration. As the High Priest He intercedes; as the heavenly Minister, He ministers; as the Redeemer with the seven eyes of God, He administers the government of God for the accomplishment of God’s purpose. These are the things above on which we are to set our mind.
To seek the things which are above and to set our mind on them is to join ourselves to the Lord in His ministry in heaven. We need to join ourselves to the very One who is interceding, ministering, and executing God’s administration. Our living should be a kind of living in which we seek these heavenly things and set our mind on them. This means that we live in such a way as to join our heavenly Christ in His priesthood, ministry, and administration. If we all live in this way, the church life will be greatly uplifted.
Paul’s concept in the book of Colossians is that we should turn from everything earthly — from Judaism, Gnosticism, and asceticism — to the things above. We need to join ourselves to these things by setting our mind on them. Let us cooperate with Christ in His ministry in heaven. In our living our concern should be Christ’s heavenly priesthood, ministry, and administration. We should be concerned that the churches are supplied with the transmission from heaven. If this is our concern, we are seeking the things above and setting our mind on them.
Because Christ is interceding for a particular church, we also may become burdened to pray for that church. We then ask the Lord to transmit His heavenly supply into the saints in that locality. Whenever we receive news of a need in a certain place, we should immediately pray, joining ourselves to Christ in His intercession for that need. If we do this, we shall be setting our mind on the things above.
We are here on earth not for our employment, education, family life, or health. We are living for God’s economy, purpose, and administration. We are one with Christ in His heavenly priesthood and thus we have one living with Him. If we all have one living with Christ in a practical way, all negative things will be under our feet. Hallelujah, we have one living with Christ!
Our standard needs to be uplifted. We are not here to seek earthly things, but to have a living that is one with Christ’s living. Christ today is living as the High Priest, the heavenly Minister, and the universal Administrator. We need to join Him in His living and have one living with Him.
We also have one destiny and one glory with Christ. We are not aimless; we are people with a destiny and a goal. We are running the race with a definite goal in view.
Our destiny is glory. Today we are hidden in God, but when Christ is manifested, we shall be manifested with Him in glory (3:4). When we are manifested with Christ, we shall be on display to the whole universe. Even the demons will see us glorified. However, today we should not make a show, but should remain hidden in God, waiting for the time when we shall arrive at our destination and enter into glory with Christ. Then, at the appointed time, the time for a divinely-ordained display, there will be the manifestation of the sons of God in glory.
We can have one position, life, living, destiny, and glory with Christ only because we are one spirit with Him. As Paul says in 1 Corinthians 6:17, “He that is joined unto the Lord is one spirit.” Because we are one spirit with Him, we surely have one position, life, living, destiny, and glory with Him.
Our life is the Christ who dwells within us, and this life is hidden with Christ in God. On the one hand, this life is Christ in us; on the other hand, it is with Christ in God. Here we see a mingling involving God, Christ, and us. We are one with the Triune God and mingled with Him. Where He is, we are also. Furthermore, the life, living, destiny, and the glory of the Triune God all are ours.
Our opposers will say that this is heresy. However, it is altogether according to the Scriptures. With the Word of God as my basis, I can testify that we who believe in Christ have one position with the Triune God, one life with Him, one living with Him, and one destiny and glory with Him.
First John 4:15 says, “Whosoever shall confess that Jesus is the Son of God, God dwelleth in him, and he in God.” What is this if not the mingling of God and man? God abides in us, and we abide in Him. Certainly, this refers to the mingling of the believers with the Triune God. Furthermore, 1 John 4:13 says, “Hereby know we that we dwell in him, and he in us, because he hath given us of his Spirit.” Praise the Lord that we are one with the Triune God and mingled with Him! With Him we have one position, one life, one living, one destiny, and one glory.
