Crucified and Risen with Christ

In Christ, the old has passed away—behold, all things are new (2 Cor. 5:17). I am a new creation in Him!

Devotional Reflection on Romans 6:6 and Colossians 3:1

When a believer first grasps their identification with Christ in His death and resurrection, there is often an immediate tendency to try to live it out by self-effort. The result? Frustration—falling into the Romans 7 cycle of striving, failing, and lamenting. But God never intended us to achieve this truth; He calls us to receive it.

As our Substitute, Christ bore our sins alone on the cross. He took the judgment we deserved, granting us forgiveness. But He did not stop there. As our Representative, He included us in His crucifixion. In God's eyes, we were put away with Him, the entire race of Adam condemned and buried. And in His resurrection, we were re-created—no longer bound to the old life, but forever joined to the Risen One.

The Christian life is not an attempt to live for God but a participation in His life within us. The Holy Spirit makes this real as we trust Him, conforming us to the image of Christ. Our identity is not merely positional—it is experiential when received by faith. Christ's history is our history:

• He died unto sin; with Him, we died. (Col. 2:20)

• He arose; with Him, we are risen. (Col. 3:1)

• He is in heaven; our life is hidden with Christ in God. (Col. 3:3)

• He will appear again; with Him, we shall appear in glory. (Col. 3:4)

This is not a process we manufacture—it is a reality we trust.

Personalized Journal Entry

Father, I stand today in the unshakable reality of my union with Christ. There is no separation, no striving—only the eternal fact that I am crucified, buried, and risen with Him. The life I now live is not my own; it is Christ living in me.

I no longer attempt to reform what was already put to death. My old self is not something to improve, suppress, or manage—it is gone. You saw to that at the cross. And now, in Christ, I am not merely patched up—I am new. A fresh creation, filled with Your life, hidden in You. My righteousness is not measured by my efforts, but by Christ Himself. My sufficiency is not in my willpower, but in Your Spirit working within me.

Today is not about trying to walk in this truth—it is about trusting. Trusting that the life of the Risen One is expressing itself through me. Trusting that the Spirit within me is actively shaping, leading, and empowering me.

So I rest. I yield. I abide. And I rejoice, because this life is no longer mine to manage—it is Yours to manifest.

Confident Prayer of Trust

Father, I thank You that in Christ, I have already died to sin, and I now walk in the power of His resurrection life. This is not an achievement I strive toward but a gift I rest in. You have made me new, and I trust You to live through me today. In Christ, I lack nothing. In Him, I am fully alive. May His life shine effortlessly through me, as I abide in You. Amen.

Devotional Credit: Abide Above
Photo Credit: Unsplash

Image: A sunrise breaking over a horizon, symbolizing resurrection life.
Caption: In Christ, the old has passed away—behold, all things are new (2 Cor. 5:17).