How can a believer stand on the promise that they are dead to the old Adam and Christ is their life?
A believer stands on this promise by truly entering the salvation experience through faith alone, without any merit of their own. That union makes the old Adamic state dead and hides the believer's life with Christ in God, so Christ becomes their whole life and nothing can touch them.
Les explains from Colossians 3:3 that the believer is dead in the old Adamic state, and their life—eternal life as well as this life—is hid with Christ in God. Since God and Christ are one and the same in reality, the one in Christ is wrapped up in the Godhead, and nothing can touch them. This connects with Romans 8: there is now no condemnation to those in Christ. Les notes Jesus put it simply: no one can pluck them out of His hand, though that is almost an understatement compared to the full ramifications. The condition is that a person has truly entered this salvation experience by faith without any merit of their own. Then they can stand on the promise of being dead to the old Adam, with Christ as their whole life, and verse 4 assures that when He shall appear, they will also appear with Him in glory.
For ye are dead, and your life is hid with Christ in God.
When Christ, who is our life, shall appear, then shall ye also appear with him in glory.
More Questions
What does Colossians 3:3 mean when it says you are dead and your life is hidden with Christ?
In Colossians 3:3, 'you are dead' refers to the old Adam nature being dead, and your life is the life of Christ, the new nature, which is hidden with Christ in God.
What does it mean that a believer's life is hidden with Christ in God?
The believer's life, which is now eternal life as well as this present life, is hidden with Christ in God.
Where is the believer's position while still living on earth?
Even though believers are still on the earth, their position is in heaven at the very core of God's being.