5 made us alive with Christ even when we were dead in transgressions—it is by grace you have been saved. 6 And God raised us up with Christ and seated us with him in the heavenly realms in Christ Jesus,
Have you ever been in a conversation with someone and had them say, “Where are you from?” or some similar question about origin? It might be your accent or a particular phrase or word, or style of clothing, but something about you tells them “you aren’t from around here.” Well, this passage gives an entirely different perspective on that question and answer. There are three compound verbs in these verses. In Greek each one begins with the same word meaning either with or together. We are made alive, raised up and seated WITH Christ. If anyone asks you where you are currently, you should answer “I am with Christ.” Wherever Christ is, you are and wherever you are, Christ is. Once you become a Jesus-follower there is an eternal connection between Christ and you, you and Christ. Theologians have argued for years about whether you can live on the cliff that separates life from death, whether you can jump off the cliff and then un-jump-off the cliff, or whether there is any human choice involved in whether you are destined to live on the plateau or in the gulley. My question to myself and others is the necessity of living near the cliff! Why not get as close to God as possible and as far away from the cliff as you can? That is what I try to do and as a result I am not worried about the cliff! The process of living on the plateau with Christ began when Christ was made alive, raised up from death and took His seat again in the position of honor in heaven. We each participate in each of those acts when we believe. At that moment it is as if we were there with Christ participating with Him in those acts. We are there participating in His redemptive work. Or to put it another way, we get credit for what He did. His death and life become our death and life. And now we have the privilege of being as close to God as Jesus is. And since Jesus is God, that is pretty stinking close! Where are you living today? Are you close to the cliff, or way back on the plateau with Christ?
The Arnold Journey 