Colossians
By Peter Marshall McLewin
Left: View of the Honaz Mountain Range from Laodicea,
Colossae is at the base of the distant range
Chapter Links
Chapter 1
Chapter 2
Chapter 3
Chapter 4
Verse Three
“For you have died and your life is hidden with Christ in God.”
When a Greek person died, his or her life was said to be “hidden in the earth.”
The Greeks had books of private wisdom were called (apokruphoi). These books contained hidden wisdom having to do with the afterlife. Paul used a word very close to this to describe our life in Christ. He said we are (apokruptein) in Christ. Paul might have been making a play on words. Barclay suggests, “For you the treasures of wisdom are hidden in your secret books, for us Christ is the treasure of wisdom and we are hidden in him.”
Our lives as Christians are hidden in Christ. Kids use the expression, “I’ve got your back” or “I’ve got you covered.” That is what Christ has done for us. Our faults that still need fixing are covered by Christ. He is still perfecting me and, while He is doing that, He has got me covered.
Verse Four
“When Christ, who is our life, is revealed, then you also will be revealed with Him in glory.”
For the Christian, Christ is our life. This is the same message that Paul gave to the Philippians, “For me to live is Christ.” (Philippians 1:21) There is a dimension to life that only Christ can bring. Countless people have been set free from emptiness, despair, depression and even suicide when Christ became the focus of their lives. Others have embraced Christ not out of a crisis and have still said that He has added a new dimension to life.
Clearly Paul wanted the Colossians to know that Christ is coming back. The Colossians were willing to face opposition and even persecution because they believed that Christ would return to earth. Christ’s second coming will not be like His humble first coming as a child. He is coming in Glory. Christ will return with all the resources of His divine power and of heaven at His disposal. All the saints of all time, whose lives have been totally transformed, will be with Him. What a glorious day that will be. Live your life as though Christ’s coming were today.
But until that glorious day comes, Christians must continue to deal with life on a day by day basis. That is exactly why Paul wants us to set our sights higher. One of the joys of climbing a mountain is the thrill of those last few steps and taking in the magnificent view of all that lies below you. Once, I climbed Mount Washington with my kids on an exceptionally clear day. From the top we could see for eighty miles around us, from Canada to the New Hampshire coast. The view was breathtaking. Paul knew that the view from our seat in Heaven is even more spectacular. From our seat in heaven we are able to take a longer view of life; we can look beyond the valleys of life and see the next peak. If you are in a valley of shadows today, set your mind on things above, where Christ is seated at the right hand of God, and take a longer view of life.
Study Links
First Missionary Journey
Second Missionary Journey
Third Missionary Journey
This site was written and produced by Peter McLewin, all rights reserved, 2001