by David Scott Robertson
Col. 3:3-4 (New Living Translation - NLT)
For you died when Christ died, and your real life is hidden with Christ in God. [4] And when Christ, who is your real life, is revealed to the whole world, you will share in all his glory.
I was reading the Bible in my usual morning devotions the other day and stumbled across this verse. The words “real life” reached out and grabbed my attention and it’s been days since I’ve read this passage and still I can’t seem to let it go.
The God’s honest truth is plainly stated right there in the text: “…when Christ, who is your real life, is revealed…
To be “in Christ”, then, is to be in “real life.” If that’s the case, then the opposite is also true: To not be in Christ is to live a counterfeit life, a cheap copy of the real thing.
Many people I know “compartmentalize” their lives. That is to say, they divide their whole person up into multiple compartments that make up their life. They have their work life, their family life, their social life, their recreational life, their church life, and so on. That’s fine but we can’t allow one aspect of our lives to be dominate to the point that we imagine that’s who we are.
When asked "who are you?", some respond with phrases like:
“I'm a plumber.”
“I'm a mother of three.”
“I'm a golfer."
“I'm a leader in my church.”
This may be something they do but it isn’t necessarily who they are.
Luke 12:15 (NLT)
Then he said, "Beware! Don't be greedy for what you don't have. Real life is not measured by how much we own."
We can “possess” or enjoy a great work life, family life, social life, recreational life, and church life but still miss entirely experiencing the real life that God has made available to believers through His Son Jesus.
Our real identity is found in Christ. Our real life is found and maintained through
”feeding on Jesus”.
Deut. 8:3 (NLT)
Yes, he humbled you by letting you go hungry and then feeding you with manna, a food previously unknown to you and your ancestors. He did it to teach you that people need more than bread for their life; real life comes by feeding on every word of the Lord.
Again, I think the answer is plainly revealed here. The mystery of how to live a real life is simply to feed on God’s Word. Jesus is the Word (John 1:1), therefore feeding on Jesus, the Bread of Life, on a daily basis is key to experiencing the real life.
1 Tim. 6:19 (NLT)
By doing this they will be storing up their treasure as a good foundation for the future so that they may take hold of real life.
In conclusion, the "real life" we live is not found in the abundance of things we possess, the quality or quantity of our earthly achievements and relationships, or even the good works we do for God and country. The "real life" the Bible describes which leads to "abundant life" during our earthly lives and "eternal life" in the life to come after our death is found only in Jesus Christ.
The Apostle Paul was right on when he penned these words centuries ago under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit: "For to me, to live is Christ and to die is gain" (Philipians 1:21).
DSR
10/27/03