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No.10. The Seventh Step, Reality.
"Manifested with Him in glory."
pp. 112 - 116
We now arrive at the topmost rung of the sevenfold ladder that, commencing with the
Cross, ends with Glory. We have been pursuing in these studies, the upward movement
which commences with "crucifixion with Christ". Before we commence our study in the
passage that contains our text, namely Col. 3:, let us see for ourselves that "life" which
is there said to be "hid with Christ in God" and is yet to be enjoyed in reality when the
believer is "manifested with Him in glory", "life" is indicated as the goal at every step
that we have traversed.
"Crucified with" (Gal. 2: 20). This has life in view.
"I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I LIVE; yet not I, but Christ LIVETH in
me: and the LIFE I now LIVE in the flesh I LIVE by the faith of the Son of God, Who
love me, and gave Himself for me."
"Dead with" (II Tim. 2: 11). This has life in view.
"It is a faithful saying: For if we be dead with Him, we shall also LIVE with Him."
"Buried with" (Rom. 6: 4). This has life in view.
"Therefore we are buried with Him by baptism into death: that like as Christ was
raised up from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in
newness of LIFE."
"Quickened with" (Eph. 2: 5). As this contains the very word "life" zao, nothing need
be added to it.
"Raised with" (Col. 2: 12). This too necessitates the gift of life.
"Seated with" (Eph. 2: 6). This is the last of three verbs used in the context that
necessarily imply life, the first being "quickened with", the second "raised with". Every
step has dealt with some obstacle to the entering in of abundant life, but here, in Col. 3:,
that blessed moment is brought before us.
"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: 3, 4).
Three divisions of this passage present themselves for review:
A | Your life is HID WITH Christ IN God
B | Christ, Who IS our life
A | Ye shall APPEAR WITH Him IN Glory.
The Colossians could be "warned" or called upon to "beware" that no man beguile
them of their "reward", but no warning is uttered about the possibility of losing their