What is the meaning of Colossians 3:3? For you died • The moment we trusted Jesus, God counted our old, sin-dominated self as having been nailed to the cross with Him (Galatians 2:20; Romans 6:6–7, 11). • This “death” is decisive and complete; believers are no longer under sin’s authority (Romans 6:14). • Death means separation. We are forever separated from the penalty of sin (John 5:24) and from the world’s value system (Galatians 6:14). your life • What was lost in Adam is restored—and more—in Christ (1 Corinthians 15:22). • Our real, lasting life is now spiritual, not merely biological (John 10:10; 2 Corinthians 5:17). • This life is characterized by righteousness, peace, and joy in the Holy Spirit (Romans 14:17). is now hidden • Hidden conveys security: our new life is safely tucked away where nothing can steal it (Psalm 27:5; John 10:28–29). • Hidden also suggests invisibility: the full glory of who we are in Christ isn’t yet obvious to the watching world (1 John 3:2). • Because it’s hidden, we seek heavenly things rather than earthly applause (Colossians 3:1–2; Matthew 6:1–4). with Christ • The believer’s identity is inseparable from Jesus—“united with Him” (Romans 6:5; Ephesians 2:5–6). • All that belongs to Christ—His righteousness, inheritance, and victory—belongs to us by grace (2 Corinthians 5:21; Romans 8:17). • This shared life produces fruitful living as we abide in Him (John 15:4–5). in God • Christ is in God, and we are in Christ; that layered union places us in the safest place in the universe (John 17:21, 23). • Nothing in creation can penetrate that divine shelter (Romans 8:38–39). • Our purpose, worth, and future are sourced in the eternal God, not in shifting cultural currents (Psalm 73:26; Hebrews 6:19). summary Colossians 3:3 reminds believers that because we have died with Christ, our old allegiance to sin is broken. Our true life is now spiritually secure, tucked away with Christ inside the very heart of God. This hidden, indestructible life frees us from worldly pressures and directs our focus upward, empowering us to live with confidence, holiness, and hope until the day our concealed glory is fully revealed. |
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