"...Christ who is our Life..."

"If ye then be risen with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ sitteth on the right hand of God.
Set your affection on things above, not on things on the earth.
For ye are dead, and your life is hid with Christ in God.
When Christ, who is our life, shall appear, then shall ye also appear with him in glory."
(Col.3:1-4)

GOOD NEWS! GLAD TIDINGS! THE GOSPEL!

Because He lives, I live also!

In the beginning....

"And the LORD God formed man of the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living soul."
(Gen.2:7)

But then....

"Wherefore, as by one man sin entered into the world, and death by sin; and so death passed upon all men, for that all have sinned:" (Rom.5:12)

Mankind was plunged into darkness and alienation from the life of God! (Eph.4:18)

"In him was life; and the life was the light of men. And the light shineth in darkness; and the darkness comprehended it not.
He was in the world, and the world was made by him, and the world knew him not."
(John 1:4-5,10)

Therefore, is there any hope of life?

Jesus says: "It is written, man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God." (Mat.4:4)

and when questioned concerning the requirements to attain unto eternal life He responds: "....but if thou wilt enter into life, keep the commandments." (Mat.19:17)

But we know, for the children of Adam, these words serve to dash our hopes!

"And the commandment, which was ordained to life, I found to be unto death."
(Rom.7:10)
"Therefore by the deeds of the law there shall no flesh be justified in his sight: for by the law is the knowledge of sin." (Rom.3:20)

But God, who is rich in mercy..... HOPE RESTORED!

by... the "promise of life which is in Christ Jesus," and the bringing to light life and immortality through the gospel.
(2Tim.1:1,10)

by the revelation of another law.... "For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus hath made me free from the law of sin and death." (Rom.8:2)

we have been.... "begotten again unto a lively hope by the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead," (1Pet.1:3)

Our gaze is now drawn and directed to Christ, who is the fulfillment of the law and the prophets, by our "schoolmaster".

"For with thee is the fountain of life: in thy light shall we see light." (Psa.36:9)

The "life" has come...."I am the resurrection and the life:.../"I am the way, the truth, and the life:..../Yet a little while, and the world seeth me no more; but ye see me: because I live, ye shall live also." (John 11:25,14:6,19)

"For the life was manifested, and we have seen it, and bear witness, and shew unto you that eternal life, which was with the Father, and was manifested unto us;"(1John1:2)

We no longer abide in death--we abide in the life and light of the Son and He abides in us!

"For whether we live, we live unto the Lord; and whether we die, we die unto the Lord: whether we live therefore, or die, we are the Lord's." (Rom.14:8)

We are His Holy dwelling place...."....for ye are the temple of the living God;..."(2Cor.6:16)

and..."He that hath the Son hath life;" (1John 5:12)

Behold, old things have passed away: Self- preservation has passed away: "He that loveth his life shall lose it; and he that hateth his life in this world shall keep it unto life eternal." (John 12:25)
"But none of these things move me, neither count I my life dear unto myself,...." (Acts 20:24)
"...and they loved not heir lives unto the death."
(Rev. 12:11)

So then we must confess with Paul...."I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me."(Gal.2:20)

We are a "new creation", a people who live by the Spirit..."But he that is joined unto the Lord is one Spirit." (1Cor.6:17)
"If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit." (Gal.5:25)

and we can say with confidence..."For to me to live is Christ, and to die is gain."
(Phil.1:21)

We have been given boldness to enter into the Holiest of all! How?

"By a new and living way,..." (Heb.10:20)

and also, we have been given the glorious privilege of testifying to this "Life".

"Go, stand and speak in the temple to the people all the words of this life."
(Acts 5:20)
"Holding forth the word of life;...." (Phil.2:16)

Truly, God has spoken to us and made plain that: "In him we live, and move, and have our being;"!