Where Am I?
“Where Am I?” sounds like a strange title, doesn’t it! But there is a truth buried in the answer that is both wonderful and very important to understand.
Of course, we tend to think of the answer to that question in very physical, earthly ways: at home; at work; traveling; in such-and-such a state or country; etc. But the truth is that we are spiritual beings living in temporary bodies in a material world. What about the real me, the real you?
The answer goes back to the very purpose for which God created everything in the first place. Before creation itself God had a plan. And when an all-powerful God plans something, it happens. And His plan involves you and me. He knew all about us before creation happened. Think about that!
We exist in time; God exists outside of time. We see history unfolding; He sees everything, including all that has happened, is happening, and will happen. His heart is focused on a wonderful future, one that has already been assured, in spite of how things may appear to us.
We see the human race, willfully separated from its Creator through sin and rebellion, struggling, one against another, to find some kind of meaning and satisfaction in a broken world. Spiritual darkness, confusion, and uncertainty reign.
Of course, God knew all this would happen and planned accordingly. We are creatures with wills, and with a will comes responsibility for our choices. All who cling to sin and rebellion will perish with this corrupted creation. But there is a family in the midst of all this that is being prepared for a glorious forever.
I have written in the past on the subject of destiny, but my present focus is more on the process that leads to that destiny for God’s family. We who know Him are still very much in that process. We live day-to-day lives and face many things, some nice, and some not so nice. I’m very glad for Romans 8:28! “And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.” That means all things!
Almost 2000 years ago, the events of one very special weekend determined everything. Jesus was well-aware of all that would happen on that fateful weekend. He knew that he had come into the world for that very reason and was focused on God’s name being glorified in it all, and His will being done, rather than in escaping it. John 12:27-28, Matt. 26:39.
In John 12:31-33 we read, “‘Now is the time for judgment on this world; now the prince of this world will be driven out. And I, when I am lifted up from the earth, will draw all people to myself.’ He said this to show the kind of death he was going to die.”
Most of the time when preachers refer to this verse, they use it to emphasize that preaching ministry should “lift up,” or focus on Jesus, to be effective. That’s true! But there is a deeper meaning in that verse.
Jesus’ death was actually God’s judgment on the world! Jesus became the representative, the very embodiment of this sin-cursed creation. More specifically, he represented every other member, past and present, of the entire fallen human race. You and I were there!
Being “lifted up” was a reference to his being hung from the cross. When he was so lifted up, nailed to that wooden cross, he drew “all” into him and willingly received all that we deserved. He had no sin of his own. He died because of my sin, and yours. We died on that cross.
Paul, the apostle, was specially chosen of God to understand many things about God’s plan, and to share them with us in his writings. See Eph. 3:2-12. In 2 Cor. 5:14 we read: “… we are convinced that one died for all, and therefore all died.” Do you see the connection between the death of Jesus’ and the death of everyone – including you and me? “All died.” And nothing can undo that fact.
Thank God, that’s not the end of the story! 2 Cor. 5:15 goes on, “And he died for all, that those who live should no longer live for themselves but for him who died for them and was raised again.” Here we see that although all die, some live! I hope you are one of them! And, we see the purpose God had in mind for those who live.
Back to that special weekend. Right before Jesus died, those who witnessed his death heard the words, “It is accomplished.” The “it” included what Jesus had foretold: the judgment of this world, and of the “prince” of this world. We know that this “prince” was Satan, also called the “god” of this world. 2 Cor. 4:4. His days are numbered; his end is sure; and he knows it! Rev. 12:12.
And so, Jesus died. Everything connected with earthly life, even his very body, perished. He willingly gave it all up. The next stop was the tomb. We rightly celebrate the cross and the resurrection. But don’t forget the tomb! That tomb represents the destiny of this present world. We see this world going on and on. God, Who exists outside of time, sees it all in that tomb.
We live in the midst of a world of the “walking dead.” That’s how God sees it. Surely, we need to learn to see things as God sees them. See Eph. 2:1-3 – “As for you, you were dead in your transgressions and sins, in which you used to live when you followed the ways of this world and of the ruler of the kingdom of the air, the spirit who is now at work in those who are disobedient. All of us also lived among them at one time, gratifying the cravings of our flesh and following its desires and thoughts. Like the rest, we were by nature deserving of wrath.”
Satan and his servants set a guard in front of the tomb where Jesus was laid and thought that they had won. But the Sunday morning that followed that momentous weekend revealed a different story: Jesus emerged victorious over sin, death, and the grave – and there was nothing all of Satan’s hosts could do about it!
When Jesus died, the old creation died with him – and was buried in that tomb. When he rose from that tomb, a new creation was born in him, a creation filled with the very life of God, a life that cannot be corrupted, that cannot die! It is that life that Jesus can now share with all who truly repent of their sin and put their faith in his saving power (Acts 2:38, 3:19, 20:21). See 2 Cor. 5:17-21.
So what does that look like? What does that mean? Paul told us plainly what it meant to him. In Gal. 2:20, he wrote, “I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I now live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.”
Think about the title of this article. How did Paul answer the question, “Where Am I?” It sounds a little confusing! Was Paul dead or was he alive? Which was it?
The answer is, both! With all of us there is an “old us.” We were all born into Adam’s family, a family corrupted by sin and destined for death.
Paul had been brought to a place of heart repentance and faith in Christ. Paul thereby embraced the true meaning of the cross, namely his own death. Therefore, Christ became Paul’s personal representative, embracing the penalty of Paul’s guilt before a holy God. The old Paul, the one born into Adam’s family, died the day Jesus died.
Paul wrote, “I have been crucified with Christ….” The word “crucified” in the Greek uses the “perfect tense.” The perfect tense connects two things into one idea. The first thing refers to something that has happened in the past. That something is the death of Christ by crucifixion. The second thing in the perfect tense refers to the present result of that thing that happened in the past. In simple terms Paul was saying, “I died back then, and I’m still dead!”
What happened to Jesus’ body after he died? Very simply, he was buried in a tomb. The earthly body in which he had lived for some 33 years was laid to rest in a tomb, carved out of stone, and with a large stone rolled against the entrance.
So where was the “old Paul”? He was laid in that tomb with Jesus! Paul understood that – and agreed. He saw that guy as dead and buried, gone – and good riddance!
Thank God, the story doesn’t end there! After three days, our Savior arose. And he arose with new life, the very life of God Himself, and with a new body that was incapable of dying. When he died an old corrupted creation perished with him; when he rose, a new creation was born.
And when anyone is truly born again through faith in him, an old life perishes and a new life is born. We become part of that new creation despite still, for a short time, living in these old earthly bodies.
Paul writes of the result of what Christ did for us: 2 Cor. 5:17, “Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come: The old has gone, the new is here!” He took upon himself all that was wrong with us and gave us all that is right with him!
Are you “in Christ”? The answer to that question means everything! Paul wrote in 1 Cor. 15:22. “For as in Adam all die, so in Christ all will be made alive.” The rest of chapter 15 unlocks the glorious truth regarding the destiny of all who are truly “in Christ.” Christ is reigning. Every enemy will be fully placed “under his feet.” (Verses 25-26) The kingdom will be handed over to God the Father.
Verse 51 tells in simple words the destiny of all in Christ on that great final day: “We will be changed.” That which is perishable will become imperishable; that which is mortal will become immortal. We will have bodies just like that of our Savior. Death will have been “swallowed up in victory.” Verse 54. Is that worth living for?! Paul certainly thought so! So do I!
But what about now? We’re not there yet and this world is full of trouble and struggle? Why? What’s that about?
Remember that in Gal. 2:20, Paul refers to, “the life I now live in the body.” He describes that in these simple words: “Christ lives in me.” When Christ came into Paul’s heart, everything changed. A “new Paul” was born. He stilled lived “in the body,” but on the inside he was brand new!
It’s like there were now “two Pauls.” The old one had been left in the tomb and the new one, powered by Christ’s life, lived in his earthly body – but only for awhile!
One question that Paul faced in his ministry – one no doubt inspired by Satan – was essentially this: well, if Jesus paid it all, does that mean we can sin, do as we please, because it’s all taken care of? Of course, the answer is a resounding no!
In Rom 6:3-4 Paul wrote: “… don’t you know that all of us who were baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death? We were therefore buried with him through baptism into death in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, we too may live a new life.” What Jesus accomplished is what makes it possible for us to “live a new life.”
Now, there is nothing “magical” about the outward form of baptism – but – when it is a genuine expression of the heart there is something very real that takes place in the spirit. And so, Paul continued in Rom 6:5-7, “For if we have been united with him in a death like his, we will certainly also be united with him in a resurrection like his. For we know that our old self was crucified with him so that the body ruled by sin might be done away with, that we should no longer be slaves to sin— because anyone who has died has been set free from sin.”
Now here is something to think about: when Jesus came forth from the tomb, did he bring the “old Paul” with him? Was it then Paul’s job to “fix” the “old Paul,” to keep the rules, to strive to live up to God’s laws, to quality himself to be accepted by God? Of course not! That’s why we need a Savior! He has done what we could never do. And it was “finished,” “accomplished,” done.
So, the “old Paul” was in the tomb – and left there. Remember what Paul wrote about our being “dead” in transgressions and sins? Now consider the awesome words that follow: Eph 2:4-7 – “But because of his great love for us, God, who is rich in mercy, made us alive with Christ even when we were dead in transgressions—it is by grace you have been saved. And God raised us up with Christ and seated us with him in the heavenly realms in Christ Jesus, in order that in the coming ages he might show the incomparable riches of his grace, expressed in his kindness to us in Christ Jesus.”
So, where was Paul? The “old Paul” was in the tomb – but – the “new Paul” was seated in the heavenly realms in Christ Jesus! What an amazing truth!
Was this only for Paul and other “special” ones? We know the answer to that! Our being “united” with Christ is the key to our lives here in this world. It has to do with being freed from the old “slave master,” sin, so that we might be enabled to live for God. And that enabling does not come from human will power and effort, but from faith in the power of Christ who lives within.
These bodies in which we live are still infected with human nature. That nature will continue to try to exert its influence. But God wants us to know that in Christ we have been set free and therefore we do not have to continue to yield to that influence. Understanding that, actually believing that it is true, and then living it out is the key.
When someone has a bank account and they write a check to someone, they are “reckoning” on the fact that the money is there and that the bank will honor that check. God desires that we grow in our understanding of what Christ has done for us and that we learn in everyday life to “reckon” on everything that has been deposited into our account in heaven’s bank!
Was that enough? Peter certainly thought so. And that was in spite of his own terrible failure. In 2 Peter 1:3-4, he wrote, “His divine power has given us everything we need for a godly life through our knowledge of him who called us by his own glory and goodness. Through these he has given us his very great and precious promises, so that through them you may participate in the divine nature, having escaped the corruption in the world caused by evil desires.”
Now that certainly is a process that continues as long as we remain here in these bodies. There is no magical spiritual “button” we can push that somehow causes us to leap from defeat to perfection. In Christ we are born with a new life and, just as natural life requires time to learn and grow, so it is with Christ.
And that learning and growing certainly includes a lot of mistakes and shortcomings along the way. I’m so glad that no one is more aware of this than the Lord himself! He knew what he was getting into – and he knows how it will end – in perfection, not because of any virtue in us but because of his ability to save. 2 Tim. 1:12, Heb. 7:25.
And, often, we learn more from mistakes than “successes.” I’m glad for the promise in Phil. 1:6, “… being confident of this, that he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus.”
And what about what follows Rom. 8:28? Verses 29-30 say, “… those God foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brothers and sisters. And those he predestined, he also called; those he called, he also justified; those he justified, he also glorified.” In God’s mind what is future to us is past, done, complete. It is as certain as if it has already happened! Hallelujah!
Back to that tomb! If you are in Christ, then that’s where the old you is, dead, gone, someone we can leave behind. But here’s a thought: when Jesus came forth in that glorious new life, what did he bring with him? What do I mean?
Well, did he bring your sins with him, or are they gone forever? Did he bring your faults, weaknesses, failures, your past? How often do we fail to truly understand what Christ did for us! We live as though all these things are still hanging over us, dragging us down. It is as though God is still holding all those things against us and demanding that we “fix” them.
What a satanic lie! May God help all of us to truly understand what Christ has done, to stand upon it and declare what God has said in the face of every lie the devil throws at us. Everything that could possibly keep us from the glorious destiny Christ has purchased for us through his precious blood has been left in that tomb. When Christ perished, everything that was against us perished with him. When he rose, everything was new – and will be – forever!
That’s why Paul wrote as he did in Phil. 3:13-14, “… one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus.” Paul could forget what was “behind” because he had come to realize that it had been left in that tomb!
So, where am I? Because of Christ alone the “old me” is dead and gone, in the tomb; the “new me” is safe and secure, sitting with Christ in “heavenly realms.” Because of him alone I have the power to learn and grow, even in the midst of this broken world.
What a simple, yet profound, truth. May God make it real to all of us as we too press toward the goal to which we have been called. All glory to God!