New Life in Christ

The simplest definition of a Christian is this: someone who is united with Christ. The key to living as we should is therefore to have a new orientation–to fix our eyes on Christ. Paul speaks of our heart (1) and our mind (2): it is an all-embracing invitation. Everything is to be brought into line and submitted to Jesus Christ. Now that we are raised with him, we must be intent on fixing our thoughts on things above.

Then we must understand that we have a new nature (5-10). If we belong to Christ, we must lay aside our old way of life and put on the new life. We are to recognize that we are entirely new people, and we should behave that way. There are things that need to be dealt with decisively–desires and behaviors that need to be killed off. In the light of our new nature (10), and because of coming judgment (6), we are to live entirely new lives. Indeed, the purpose of Christ’s coming was to restore the image in us. Our new person is being “renewed in knowledge in the image of its Creator” (10). As we grow day by day to be more like Christ, as we submit our lives to his rule, so the image is restored. It is a wonderful description of God’s purposes of restoration, making us the person he intended. This happens as we fix our gaze on Jesus, the true image of God (1:15; Eph. 4:24).

There is one other aspect of this new life which Paul touches on. We are also part of a new humanity (11). Christ’s reconciling work breaks down the walls, and there is now one family, one new society. No wonder Paul says: “Christ is all!”

Today, resolve that there will be some further progress in the image being restored–some step forward in your life in becoming more like Jesus Christ.