Fully Alive

Aug 01, 2014

Fully Alive

Read | 1 Corinthians 15:22

Because the apostle Paul recognized the limitations of human understanding, he used word pictures to illustrate spiritual concepts. In several letters, Paul wrote about being “alive in Christ.” He pointed out that before the Lord rescued us, we were spiritually dead. But once we received Jesus as our Savior, we became alive in Him (Rom. 6:11).

Paul wanted us to realize that we have a new freedom, a new nature, and a new standard of conduct. To show this, he chose the word pictures of circumcision and baptism (Col. 2:9-17). While neither one represents the complete picture, together they provide a starting point for us to grasp the glorious foundational truth of being alive in the Lord.

If we use human reasoning to help us grasp a spiritual truth like this one, we often become confused. Only through the teaching of the Holy Spirit can we begin to comprehend its full meaning. Besides, God’s living Word is meant to be experienced. We can know the fact that Jesus has given us a new nature, but only when we experience this new nature and the freedom it brings do we truly discover the scriptural meaning of “made alive.”

Think about the examples Paul chose: baptism and circumcision. Set aside your human logic, and depend on the Holy Spirit for understanding. Believe that you are a new creation—that the old nature is gone and has been replaced by the new one (2 Cor. 5:17). Practice what you learn. Spiritual joy will fill your being as you experience the truth of the revealed mystery of being fully alive in Christ. -Stanley