You Have Died

“The Father said to His Son Jesus, “This is the ordinance of the New Passover: All the church are to celebrate this. But if an unbaptized unbeliever enters the church to celebrate the New Passover, let all him and all his household be crucified with Christ in the hearing of the Word preached - if they repent - and then let him and his household come near to celebrate it; and he shall be like a native of the New Jerusalem. But no un-crucified person may eat of it.”

— Exodus 12:47-48 (Fulfilled Version)

“Christ our Passover also has been sacrificed. Therefore let us celebrate the feast…” — 1 Corinthians 5:7-8

Reflection:

If we are not daily being crucified by the Word and believing it, we have no right to eat of the New Passover. As a matter of fact, an un-crucified person is in danger of eating of it!

“Therefore whoever eats the bread or drinks the cup of the Lord in an unworthy manner, shall be guilty of the body and the blood of the Lord…. For he who eats and drinks, eats and drinks judgment to himself if he does not judge the body rightly. For this reason many among you are weak and sick, and a number sleep.”

— 1 Corinthians 11:27,29-30

What does living a crucified life look like then?

I will let Paul, the premier, Holy Spirit inspired apostle and interpreter of all Holy Scripture explain:

“Therefore as you have received Christ Jesus the Lord, (by faith in the preached Word of the cross), so walk in Him….. (by faith)….overflowing with gratitude. See to it that no one takes you captive through philosophy and empty deception, rather than according to Christ….Therefore if you have been raised up with Christ, keep seeking the things above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. Set your mind on the things above, not on the things that are on earth. For you have died and your life is hidden with Christ in God….Therefore consider the members of your earthly body as dead to immorality, impurity, passion, evil desire, and greed, which amounts to idolatry. For it is because of these things that the wrath of God will come upon the sons of disobedience, But now you also, put them all aside: anger, wrath, malice, slander, and abusive speech from your mouth. Do not lie to one another, since you laid aside the old self with its evil practices, and have put on the new self who is being renewed to a true knowledge according to the image of the One who created him…put on a heart of compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience; bearing with one another, and forgiving each other, whoever has a complaint against anyone; just as the Lord forgave you, so also should you. Beyond all these things put on love, which is the perfect bond of unity. Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, to which indeed you were called in one body; and be thankful. Let the word of Christ richly dwell within you, with all wisdom teaching and admonishing one another with psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with thankfulness in your hearts to God. Whatever you do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks through Him to God the Father. - Colossians 2:6-8, 3:1-3, 3:5-6, 3:8-10

As simple as putting on a pair of jeans and a t-shirt, we “put on” Jesus Christ daily. We reckon ourselves (all our sins) as condemned on the cross with Him, and we also reckon ourselves as fully justified with Him in His glorious resurrection! This is what Paul means when he writes that we are to DAILY consider ourselves as “dead” to “immorality, impurity, passion, evil desire, and greed.” If we are hanging on the cross with Christ, then our hands CANNOT grasp at evil things, nor will we walk into “unclean” places we shouldn’t go, for our hands and feet are nailed to that tree with Him. Paul tells us clearly what the outcome is for people who refuse to live un-crucified lives by faith:

“For it is because of these things that the wrath of God will come upon the sons of disobedience.” - Colossians 3:6

God’s wrath abides on all people who have not “died with Christ” on the cross by faith. Hence the reason why the church is commissioned the preach this Word, not only to the unbelieving world, but even to the church!

“Say to them, ‘As I live!’ declares the Lord GOD, ‘I take no pleasure in the death of the wicked, but rather that the wicked turn from his way and live.“ — Ezekiel 33:11

Each person will “die” for their own sins in this life EXCEPT Christians who daily live a crucified life by faith.

“For you have died and your life is hidden with Christ in God.”

— Colossians 3:3

Did you get that? You and I have already “died” for our sins. How?

“For I delivered to you as of first importance what I also received, that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures.”

— 1 Corinthians 15:3

Instead of us dying a bad, punishing death (of exile from God) for our own sins, Jesus Christ died this penal death for us! Praise His Name! Thank You Jesus!

How is this appropriated?

“that if you confess with your mouth Jesus as Lord, and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved (from God’s holy wrath).”

— Romans 10:9

“So faith comes from hearing, and hearing by the word of Christ.”

— Romans 10:17

The Word of Christ.

“Behold, the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world!”

— John 1:29

“Christ our Passover also has been sacrificed. Therefore let us celebrate the feast…” — 1 Corinthians 5:7-8

And only the “circumcised” can celebrate the feast which turns away wrath. That is, only those “circumcised without hands”.

“and in Him you were also circumcised with a circumcision made without hands, in the removal of the body of the flesh by the circumcision of Christ.”

— Colossians 2:11

And if we daily “remove the body of flesh” by looking ONLY to Christ and Him crucified, then we are safe to eat of the New Passover with God.

“Day by day continuing with one mind…, and breaking bread from house to house, they were taking their meals together with gladness and sincerity of heart.”

— Acts 2:46

“Behold the blood of the covenant, which the LORD has made with you in accordance with all these words.”

— Exodus 24:8

“Yet He did not stretch out His hand against the sons and daughters of the church; and they saw God, and they ate and drank.”

— Exodus 24:11 (Fulfilled Version:)