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New Life!
But God, being rich in mercy, because of the great love with which he loved us, even when we were dead in our trespasses, made us alive together with Christ—by grace you have been saved—and raised us up with him and seated us with him in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus (Ephesians 2:4-6, ESV).
Today we are faced with a wonderful change of scenery. Previously, we saw how desperate and hopeless was our situation. But now everything is different. Instead of being locked into the bleak and empty darkness of the prince of the power of the air where we were dead in our trespasses and sins, we are made alive in Christ.
Death is usually permanent. But not so here. Even when we are dead, there is still hope. We can be brought back to life.
From verses four to ten we find the phrase ‘with Christ’ or similar used five times. While we live in sin on our own, it is through Christ that we experience new life.
Paul uses three powerful expressions to illustrate our union with Christ. In the original language, each of them includes the prefix ‘together’. We are made alive together with Christ; we are raised together with him; we are seated in the heavenlies together with him. We share in his triumph!
Made alive. To receive new life. Like a sick person who has been saved from dying but is still bedfast.
Raised. Not only to be alive but to be up and about. To use a biblical analogy, there is a difference between breathing while still lying in the cold, gloomy darkness of a tomb and stepping out of the grave into the shining brightness of a new day.
Jesus did not give his life just so that we could keep breathing; he gave it to raise us out of gloomy morbidity into glorious freedom and light. Not just new life, but resurrection life.
Seated. To be seated in heavenly realms together with Christ. But more of that tomorrow.
What next?
1. In your own walk with the Lord, what would correspond to new life and resurrection life? For example, new life might mean knowing you are free from sin while resurrection life might mean actually overcoming sin.
What do you think it means in practical terms to be in union with Christ?
Scripture
About this Plan
Amazing Grace. Almost everyone knows the phrase. But what does it mean? What is grace and why is it so amazing? In this Bible Plan, Australian author and teacher Dr Barry Chant opens up what the Bible says about it in the letter to the Ephesians. This Plan follows on from The Unsearchable Riches of Christ and See the Invisible: Do the Impossible. Read on and be amazed.
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