Resurrected with Christ
And you, being dead in your sins and the uncircumcision of your flesh, He has resurrected together with Him, having forgiven you all sins.
- Colossians 2:13
In the beginning, God gave Adam dominion over all the earth (Genesis 1:28). Adam was a powerful being, created in the image of God and given all authority under God to rule and reign in the earth. God walked with Adam as a friend. What was strong enough to separate them? What was powerful enough to change this perfect state of affairs?
You know the story. God gave Adam the power of choice, and told him he could eat from any tree in the Garden of Eden, except one. Adam had to choose whether to obey God or to go his own way. Adam chose to go his own way, and sin—a wrong choice— separated man from God. Death came through the door that sin had opened. Spiritual death affected Adam immediately. No longer could he fellowship with God as he did before. In order to even approach God, he would now have to do it over a bleeding sacrifice. But sin not only brought separation from God, it also brought physical death to Adam and all his descendants. Instead of living forever as God intended, man was destined to dig holes in the red clay of earth to bury his children. Instead of Adam reigning on the earth under God’s authority, now death lorded over men.
But God did not leave man in that pitiable condition. He had a plan of redemption, formed before the foundation of the world, that culminated in the ultimate sacrifice—Jesus Christ, the Lamb of God, crucified, buried and resurrected on the third day to pay the penalty for the sins of the whole world. Jesus died, not for His sins, because He had no sin, but for your sins and mine. He was buried in the borrowed tomb of Joseph of Arimathea. But on the third day, God vetoed the crucifixion with a glorious resurrection. Jesus arose triumphant over death, hell and the grave!
But that is not the end of the story of redemption. According to Colossians 2:13, Jesus was not the only one who arose from the dead on that glorious resurrection morning. The Bible says that you, who were dead in trespasses and sins, were resurrected, too. God’s plan of redemption included you, and me, and everyone who has been separated from Him by sin. God’s plan, as Paul says, is for us to be “…resurrected together with Him….” Jesus paid the price for the sin of humanity, even when humanity didn’t realize it needed a Savior. The bill is settled, and all we must do is walk in the freedom Jesus already purchased. Man’s rightful place of dominion has been restored through Christ’s completed work on Calvary.
Lord God, You loved this world so much that you gave Your one and only Son, that we might be called your children too. Let us have hearts of thankfulness for your sacrifice. Let us have eyes that look upon your grace and rejoice in our salvation. Help us to walk in that mighty grace and tell Your good news to the world. All for your glory do we pray, Amen.
Further Reading
- Colossians 2:13
- Genesis 1:28
- 1 Corinthians 15
