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Alive in Christ: Part 1 Alive in Christ: Part 1

Alive in Christ: Part 1

“All the world’s a stage, and all the men and women merely players.” This line from William Shakespeare’s As You Like It has staying power because of the strength of metaphor. Metaphor is one of the most potent ways to communicate an idea. As one writer explains, a “metaphor consists in bringing two sets of ideas close together, close enough for a spark to jump, but not too close so that the spark, in jumping, illuminates . . . the whole area around.”

Paul uses five different metaphors to describe what happens when a person comes to faith in Christ. His description is so detailed because he is countering false teachers who claimed that to grow as a Christian and subdue your sinful nature, you had to practice all kinds of strict rules and regulations. They emphasized not what Christ had done, but what we should do.

To refute these false teachers, Paul says, “your whole self ruled by the flesh was put off when you were circumcised by Christ” (v. 11). The first metaphor is circumcision, a removal of flesh. Paul applies this idea to the work Christ has accomplished in us. Our old nature is removed when we come to faith in Christ.

In verse 12, Paul shifts to the second metaphor of baptism. Just as in baptism one goes under the water and comes back out, so also in Christ we die to our sinful nature and raised to a new life. In other words, the Christian life is not about following strict rules to attain salvation but about our identification with Christ. He has won the victory for us! Tomorrow we will continue our study of these powerful metaphors.

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BY Ryan Cook

Dr. Ryan Cook has taught at Moody Bible Institute since 2012. He earned his bachelor of arts in Bible and Theology from Moody and his master of arts in Old Testament from Grand Rapids Theological Seminary. He has worked in Christian education and served as a pastor in Michigan for seven years. During his time as a professor at Moody, he earned his doctorate from Asbury Theological Seminary. He now lives with his wife, Ashley, and their three children in the Chicagoland area.

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