YE ARE DEAD
Colossians 3:1 If ye then be risen with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ sitteth on the right hand of God. 2 Set your affection on things above, not on things on the earth. 3 For ye are dead, and your life is hid with Christ in God. 4 When Christ, who is our life, shall appear, then shall ye also appear with him in glory.
How can the born again believer be said to be dead? We realize that before he was given spiritual life by God’s sovereign grace that he was “dead in trespasses and sins.” But now he has the life by the faith of the Son of God. Ephesians 2:1 And you hath he quickened, who were dead in trespasses and sins; 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.
But there is more than one type of death. We realize that early on in the scriptures God’s words are recorded to Adam and Eve concerning their disobedience in partaking of the forbidden tree in the garden. And there the Hebrew reads, “In the day thou eatest thereof, in dying thou shalt die.” Therefore we must realize that they walked out of that garden in some way as dead people!
So we must come to realize that the death they experienced was a spiritual death on that very day. And spiritual death brings on physical death. Genesis 5:5 And all the days that Adam lived were nine hundred and thirty years: and he died. And unless grace is granted, physical death brings on eternal death; which is called the second death. Revelation 2:11 He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches; He that overcometh shall not be hurt of the second death. 20:14 And death and hell were cast into the lake of fire. This is the second death.
It is only the new, spiritual birth given by God’s Sovereign grace alone which causes a soul to overcome the world and escape from the eternal, second death. Revelation 20:6 Blessed and holy is he that hath part in the first resurrection: on such the second death hath no power, but they shall be priests of God and of Christ, and shall reign with him a thousand years.
Let us go back up to the previous chapter in Colossians and read verse twenty. Colossians 2:20 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, This causes us to realize just what death the true believer is said to have. He is dead to the “rudiments of the world.” And that word, “rudiments” means “the elements or principles” of the world. So he is much alive in Christ’s eternal life and can never perish, therefore he no longer lives to satisfy fleshly appetites, but is said to be dead to them.
And that was the inditement that was exacted against the world of Noah before the world-wide flood. They were said to be only alive to satisfy their worldly appetites. They had not the slightest bit of God-consciousness. Therefore now being no difference in this condition as the beasts of the field, and having not the slightest ability to reflect the image of God for which they were created, the Lord God destroyed them all. Luke 17:27 They did eat, they drank, they married wives, they were given in marriage, until the day that Noe entered into the ark, and the flood came, and destroyed them all.
Consider our Colossians 3:3 verse as listed in the Amplified Bible: “For [as far as this world is concerned] you have died, and your [new, real] life is hid with Christ in God.” Therefore, as far as the influences of the worldly appetites are concerned, the true believer lives a death-life!
We shall have far more light on this as we also read the portion of the Apostle Paul’s letter to the Roman believers concerning this matter. Romans 6:3 Know ye not, that so many of us as were baptized into Jesus Christ were baptized into his death? 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. 5 For if we have been planted together in the likeness of his death, we shall be also in the likeness of his resurrection: 6 Knowing this, that our old man is crucified with him, that the body of sin might be destroyed, that henceforth we should not serve sin.
Today’s average church member has not the slightest clue as to the true believer’s spiritual identity in Christ Jesus. He has no concept of being related to both Christ’s death, burial and resurrection. Therefore this whole thought or idea of being dead and buried with Christ has no meaning to them. So such scripture as this passage in Romans is entirely ignored. And therefore the discipline to promote their personal sanctification is ignored and eliminated from its benefit.
Take a second notice of this as expressed in verse four of the above Romans six passage. …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. The Apostle Paul explained how the consciousness of this death-life worked in his relationship to the Corinthian believers. 2 Corinthians 4:10 Always bearing about in the body the dying of the Lord Jesus, that the life also of Jesus might be made manifest in our body. 11 For we which live are alway delivered unto death for Jesus’ sake, that the life also of Jesus might be made manifest in our mortal flesh. 12 So then death worketh in us, but life in you.
And until the Holy Spirit raises up the two witnesses again (the church and the Holy Spirit are the two witnesses. Acts 5:32 And we are his witnesses of these things; and so is also the Holy Ghost, whom God hath given to them that obey him.); these glorious, beneficial spiritual matters shall neither come to mind, nor have benefit for the present true church on earth. Revelation 11:3 And I will give power unto my two witnesses, and they shall prophesy a thousand two hundred and threescore days, clothed in sackcloth. 11 And after three days and an half the Spirit of life from God entered into them, and they stood upon their feet; and great fear fell upon them which saw them.
The apostle’s writing to the Romans also clearly expresses this in the sixth verse of our above listed passage. Knowing this, that our old man is crucified with him, that the body of sin might be destroyed, that henceforth we should not serve sin. For it is only in the benefit of “Knowing this,” from which comes the determination that henceforth we should not serve sin.
And, of course in verse five of this Roman passage the strong assurance of our physical resurrection from the grave is instilled in the experience of our present spiritual resurrection, of being born again! For it is in the present spiritual experience of being already seated in heavenly places in Christ Jesus which grants strong confidence that so shall we literally be throughout eternity! Ephesians 2:6 And hath raised us up together, and made us sit together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus: 7 That in the ages to come he might shew the exceeding riches of his grace in his kindness toward us through Christ Jesus.
This was also clearly set forth by our Lord Himself. For he used the new birth to establish the physical resurrection. John 5:25 Verily, verily, I say unto you, The hour is coming, and now is, when the dead shall hear the voice of the Son of God: and they that hear shall live. (Speaking of the resurrection of the new birth) 28 Marvel not at this: for the hour is coming, in the which all that are in the graves shall hear his voice, 29 And shall come forth; they that have done good, unto the resurrection of life; and they that have done evil, unto the resurrection of damnation.
The Apostle Paul prayed for the understanding of the believers to become enlightened in order to come to the knowledge of this glorious provision given to all who are born again. Ephesians 1:16 Cease not to give thanks for you, making mention of you in my prayers; 17 That the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give unto you the spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of him: 18 The eyes of your understanding being enlightened; that ye may know what is the hope of his calling, and what the riches of the glory of his inheritance in the saints, 19 And what is the exceeding greatness of his power to us-ward who believe, according to the working of his mighty power,20 Which he wrought in Christ, when he raised him from the dead, and set him at his own right hand in the heavenly places,
Stay dead, dear Believer, while remaining alive spiritually in Christ Jesus!
Your soul’s servant,
Pastor Gene Breed
June 29, 2023
