Paul's Prison Epistles: Paul's ImprisonmentSample

Paul’s Theology—Union with Christ: Colossians 3:1-4

According to Paul, when we believe in Jesus, we are united to him in a mysterious, spiritual way. And because we are united to Jesus, we are counted as if we were Jesus. For example, Jesus is blameless before God, and because we are united to him, we are also counted as blameless before God with all our sins being forgiven. 

Paul returned to this concept frequently in his prison epistles as he encouraged his readers that they shared in Christ’s kingship. Often he pointed out that because believers share in Christ’s kingship they receive blessings during the present continuation of Christ’s kingdom and look forward to even greater blessings at the consummation of the kingdom. For instance, in Colossians 3:1-4, Paul wrote:

Since, then, you have been raised with Christ, set your hearts on things above, where Christ is seated at the right hand of God… For you died, and your life is now hidden with Christ in God. When Christ, who is your life, appears, then you also will appear with him in glory (Colossians 3:1-4).

Through our union with Christ, we are united to Christ’s death so that we also died with him. And we are united to Christ in his resurrection and life so that we are also raised with him. We are also united to Christ in his ascension and kingship so that when he returns in glory we will rule with him. As Paul wrote in Ephesians 2:6-7:

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 (Ephesians 2:6-7).

According to Paul, even now we are seated with Christ in the heavenly places, being united to him in his present kingship over all creation. As a result, we share his honor and his blessings in a spiritual way right now even though our earthly circumstances may not reflect it. And when Jesus returns, our spiritual blessings will be increased, and we will receive earthly blessings as well.

But Paul also appealed to our union with Christ in his kingship to speak of things that are less pleasant, like suffering. He spoke of our union with Christ in order to encourage believers that they did not suffer alone and that they did not suffer in vain. We have already seen that this was true in Paul’s life. But Paul also wrote that it was true in the lives of his readers. Consider his words in Colossians 1:24:

Now I rejoice in what was suffered for you, and I fill up in my flesh what is still lacking in regard to Christ's afflictions, for the sake of his body, which is the church (Colossians 1:24).

The Christian life can be hard, and it can include great suffering.