Identity: We Are Alive

Join us on the blog over the next eight weeks as we study together what God’s Word says about who we are in Christ.

…

“But God, being rich in mercy, because of the great love with which He loved us, even when we were dead in our trespasses, made us alive together with Christ—by grace you have been saved— and raised us up with Him and seated us with Him in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus, so that in the coming ages He might show the immeasurable riches of His grace in kindness toward us in Christ Jesus.”
-Ephesians 2:4-7

But God.

These two little words carry life-altering significance. Whenever you see these words, you know something big is about to happen.

You were once dead… but God
You had no hope… but God
Sin had a hold on your life… but God
You were in darkness… but God

But God made you alive together with Christ!

When Christ showed Himself to be triumphant over death at His resurrection, He paved the way for you and I to rise with Him.  Through the gift of righteousness that He secured for us on the cross, we have also been given life — abundant, eternal life — life forever in His perfect presence.  Christ in your place and His Spirit in you, has achieved for you the redemption of both body and soul.  Can there be anything greater? 

“For if we have been united with Him in a death like His, we shall certainly be united with Him in a resurrection like His… Now if we have died with Christ, we believe that we will also live with Him. We know that Christ, being raised from the dead, will never die again; death no longer has dominion over him. For the death he died he died to sin, once for all, but the life he lives he lives to God. So you also must consider yourselves dead to sin and alive to God in Christ Jesus.
-Romans 6:6, 8-11

In Christ, we also shall rise, never to die again.  Death has no dominion over us as believers.  This is your life!  This is your hope!  If Christ is raised, and in trusting Him we too will be raised, than this life here on earth is merely a fleeting overture to the glorious life that awaits us in the ever-joyful presence of the Lord — life that your precious baby is experiencing even now!

“And if Christ has not been raised, your faith is futile and you are still in your sins. Then those also who have fallen asleep in Christ have perished. If in Christ we have hope in this life only, we are of all people most to be pitied.  But in fact Christ has been raised from the dead, the firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep. For as by a man came death, by a man has come also the resurrection of the dead.  For as in Adam all die, so also in Christ shall all be made alive.”
-1 Corinthians 15:17-22

Those who rise with Christ are not to be pitied.  We have been awakened to new life!  Our old self with its sinful nature has been put to death with Christ.  We are completely and finally dead to sin — dead to both its guilt and its power. This is resolute, unchangeable, and faultless.  And this death to sin is accompanied by everlasting life in the Spirit.  But we don’t have to wait until the redemption of our bodies in Heaven to experience this new life.  This life isn’t just for later.  It’s life now!  It is a new life of faith and hope in God.  It is life with the Spirit in us.  It is not purely physical life forever in Heaven, but spiritual life here on earth now — we are alive spiritually even now.  So, while this gift of life will occur in phases, we can be confident that it will indeed occur.  Your resurrection is as certain as His, because the same Spirit that raised Him up to conquer death dwells in those who believe in Him.

“All praise to God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. It is by His great mercy that we have been born again, because God raised Jesus Christ from the dead. Now we live with great expectation,”
-1 Peter 1:3

Great expectation!  Dear one, because we have been given new life in Christ we can live with great expectation!  We have been promised unimaginable riches for eternity.  We can eagerly look forward to meeting our precious babies in God’s presence, because we have been born again —we have been raised with Christ!

“So be truly glad. There is wonderful joy ahead, even though you must endure many trials for a little while. These trials will show that your faith is genuine. It is being tested as fire tests and purifies gold—though your faith is far more precious than mere gold. So when your faith remains strong through many trials, it will bring you much praise and glory and honor on the day when Jesus Christ is revealed to the whole world.”
-1 Peter 1:6, 7

These trials that you are facing right now, this grief that weighs so heavily on your heart, is only for a “little while” in light of eternity to come.  So stand strong.  Hold on to hope.  Rest in the arms of the One who has achieved for you a glorious new life.  There is wonderful joy ahead. 

Do not forget the treasures that you have in Christ.  You have been united with Christ in His resurrection.  This is your identity — one who has been born again. 

You are alive!

Ashlee is the Editorial Manager for Hope Mommies. She and her husband, Jesse have four children on earth, and two little ones in Heaven.
You can get to know her more by reading her blog, https://beyondundone.wordpress.com/