Hidden in Christ

Hidden in Christ

Colossians 3:3–4 “For you died, and your life is now hidden with Christ in God. When Christ, who is your life, appears, then you also will appear with him in glory.” (NIV)

These two verses are fascinating.
Verse 3 speaks of something hidden.
Verse 4 speaks of something appearing.

As believers it is crucial to understand that the old sinful us died with Christ. (see Romans 6:6, Galatians 2:20, and verse 3 above) If we do not understand this, we live a roller-coaster life of ups and downs. We work hard trying to fight against ourselves and kill off something that no longer exists.

We are indeed dead, and the life we now live on this earth we live by faith in Jesus Christ. (see Galatians 2:20)

Here in Colossians, Paul presents the fact that we are in Christ in a somewhat different way. He says that our life is hidden with Christ in God.

The word used in the original language here has some nuance. In early writings it is used for concealing something protectively, to keep something laid up.

(It can also carry the idea of keeping a thing secret, though this is generally signified using a prefix we do not find in this passage. An example can be found in the parable of the Kingdom in Matthew 25:18 where the man hides or conceals the money given to him, and that is not in view here.)

Our lives are hidden protectively with Christ in God. He is holding on to us, He is keeping us laid up in heaven. Like Noah was protectively hidden from the flood in the ark, we are protectively hidden with Christ in God. As Noah was sealed in the ark by God, so we are sealed in God by the Holy Spirit as we read in Ephesians 1:13–14 “And you also were included in Christ when you heard the message of truth, the gospel of your salvation. When you believed, you were marked in him with a seal, the promised Holy Spirit, who is a deposit guaranteeing our inheritance until the redemption of those who are God’s possession—to the praise of his glory.” (NIV)

But we will not always be concealed. As Colossians 3:4 tells us, He will reveal us in glory when He appears again. Romans 8:19 also notes this when it says that “the creation waits in eager expectation for the children of God to be revealed.”

Our lives are protectively hidden.
Our lives are kept laid up by God in heaven.
We are sealed there by the Holy Spirit.
Christ is our life, and He will appear in glory.
We will appear with Him on that great day.

This is good news indeed.