Co-included: Co-crucified, Co-raised, Co-seated
A. Co-included: the obedience of Christ dwarfs the effect of the disobedience of Adam into insignificance!
Rom. 5:17-21 The Message
17 If death got the upper hand through one man’s wrongdoing, can you imagine the breathtaking recovery life makes, sovereign life, in those who grasp with both hands this wildly extravagant life-gift, this grand setting-everything-right, that the one man Jesus Christ provides?
18-19 Here it is in a nutshell: Just as one person did it wrong and got us in all this trouble with sin and death, another person did it right and got us out of it. But more than just getting us out of trouble, he got us into life! One man said no to God and put many people in the wrong; one man said yes to God and put many in the right.
20-21 All that passing laws against sin did was produce more lawbreakers. But sin didn’t, and doesn’t, have a chance in competition with the aggressive forgiveness we call grace. When it’s sin versus grace, grace wins hands down. All sin can do is threaten us with death, and that’s the end of it. Grace, because God is putting everything together again through the Messiah, invites us into life—a life that goes on and on and on, world without end.
B. Co-crucified
1. When He died, we died.
2. This solved the sin problem.
Gal. 2:19-20 MIRROR
2:19 The law demanded my death; grace reveals that in God’s mind Jesus died that death. So as far as the law is concerned, I’m a dead man but as far as God is concerned I’m alive!
2:20 So here I am dead and alive at the same time! I’m dead to the old me I was trying to be and alive to the real me which is Christ in me! Co-crucified, now co-alive! What a glorious entanglement! I was in him in his death; now I discover that he is infused in me in my life! For the first time, I’m free to be me in my skin, immersed in his faith in our joint-sonship! He loves me and believes in me! He is God’s gift to me!
C. Co-raised
1. When He rose, we rose.
2. This solved the death problem.
Phil. 3:10-21 MIRROR
10 Oh to comprehend the dynamic of his resurrection! His resurrection is evidence of our righteousness! In the revelation of God’s economy of inclusion, I actually co-suffered with him and co-died together with Christ! (Because I was already fully represented in his sufferings, his death and resurrection, I am greatly inspired when faced with contradictions now!)
11 When confronted with death, I actually come face to face with my own resurrection!
12 There may be blurry edges to my comprehending the full scope of resurrection life beyond the grave; but I pursue the complete conclusion of co-comprehending and fully grasping exactly that which Jesus Christ knew all along about me when he died my death; and to see me in his faith where I am so perfectly included when he rescued and raised me out of the grasp of death!
13 I am not boasting about this new-found-righteousness as if I came up with the idea; on the contrary, I have distanced myself from everything the DIY-system of the law of works and willpower previously represented in my reference; now I am fully engaged with that to which the prophetic pointed. Christ is whom we were reaching for all along! Here he is in our face; within our immediate grasp!
14 I have the prize of mankind’s redeemed innocence in full view; just like a champion athlete in the public games I refuse to be distracted by anything else. God has invited us in Christ, to lift up our eyes and realize our identity in him.
15 We who have discovered our perfect righteousness have our thoughts anchored in Christ. If you still see yourself as imperfect, God will reveal to you that you are wasting your time to imagine that you can become more accepted and righteous than what you already are!
16 So then, let the message of grace set the pace.
17 You are free to mimic me as we together impact the lives of many others to follow in our footsteps.
18 As you know I am often moved to tears talking about these things; I am so passionate about the revelation of mankind’s redeemed innocence that it makes no sense to me that there can still be people who oppose this message. Many are openly hostile and indifferent to the cross of Christ.
19 Do they not realize that the DIY law-system leads to self-destruction? All their devotion to the god of their religious appetites, endorses their shame; yet they seem to have no problem with it since their minds are seared with sin-consciousness.
20 Our citizenship is referenced in our joint position with Christ in heavenly places! heaven is not our goal, it is our starting point! Our understanding is sourced in a Savior; we fully embrace the Lord Jesus Christ!
21 The salvation that Jesus is the author of, re-fashions these bodies of clay and elevates us to fully participate in the same pattern of his heavenly glory! The severe contradiction that we might often face in the frailty of the flesh, is by far surpassed by the glorious splendor displayed in his human body raised from the dead; according to the working of God’s dynamic power he imprints the mirror pattern of his likeness in us. Thus he subdues all things to himself.
2 Cor. 5:14-17 MIRROR
14 The love of Christ resonates within us and leaves us with only one conclusion: Jesus died mankind’s death; therefore, in God’s logic every individual simultaneously died.
15 Now if all were included in his death they were equally included in his resurrection. This unveiling of his love redefines human life! Whatever reference we could have of ourselves outside of our association with Christ is no longer relevant.
16 This is radical and our most defining moment! No label that could possibly previously identify someone carries any further significance! Even our pet doctrines of Christ are redefined. Whatever we knew about him historically or sentimentally is challenged by this conclusion.
17 Now, in the light of your co-inclusion in his death and resurrection, whoever you thought you were before, in Christ you are a brand new person! The old ways of seeing yourself and everyone else are over. Acquaint yourself with the new!
D. Co-seated
1. When He was seated, we were seated.
2. This solved the dominion problem.
Col. 3:1 MIRROR – See yourselves co-raised with Christ! Now ponder with persuasion the consequence of your co-inclusion in him. Relocate yourselves mentally! Engage your thoughts with throne room realities where you are co-seated with Christ in the executive authority of God’s right hand.
1Peter 2:9 NKJV – But you are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, His own special people, that you may proclaim the praises of Him who called you out of darkness into His marvelous light;
Rev. 1:6 NKJV – and has made us kings and priests to His God and Father, to Him be glory and dominion forever and ever. Amen.
Rev. 3:21 NKJV – “To him who overcomes I will grant to sit with Me on My throne, as I also overcame and sat down with My Father on His throne.”
Rev. 5:10 NKJV – “And have made us kings and priests to our God; And we shall reign on the earth.”
CONCLUSION:
We don’t believe these “throne room realities” are simply a “positional truth” that we don’t really experience while on earth. We know it’s for today – we have seen too many miracles to live in unbelief!
Our position with God is in the spirit. The natural world around us that we see with our eyes and touch with our senses was created out of the invisible spirit realm. Our citizenship is now in this heavenly spirit realm. This is our true reality! We have been invited in to be co-seated, co-ruling, and co-reigning over the natural world around us.