When was the last time you died?

That would be a nice, catchy way to start a conversation. Ask someone, "When was the last time you died?" and wait for a puzzled look to stretch down over their face.

It is, however, a thoroughly biblical question. In light of our reflection during holy week upon the final week of Christ's pre-resurrection life, and his death, burial, and resurrection, it is a fitting inquiry.

So, when was the last time you died?

In Romans 6, 1 Corinthians 15, and Colossians 3, Paul paints an interesting picture of life and death for the Christ-follower. Paul's discussion of death here is quite beautiful and multi-faceted as it pertains to the life of the believer.

First, life and death for the Christ-follower is always discussed in light of the life, death and resurrection of Christ. Our life is hidden in his, for in him we live and move and have our being. Apart from the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus Christ, the Christ-follower has no means of unity with God. It is through this, however, that we are united with Christ in his death and enjoined to him in and through his resurrection.

Because Christ died, we died and die with him, and because he has been raised (i.e. was raised in the past and still stands raised in the present, and eternally forevermore), we are raised with him.

Dead to sin and alive in Christ…

Paul's discussion of life and death for the believer utilizes the Greek tenses in some significant ways. First, by way of definition, the three primary tenses employed in his discussions are the Aorist, the Perfect, and the Present tenses. The Aorist tense signifies a past action portrayed in a simple manner (I went). The Perfect tense portrays a past action, while focusing upon its existing results (I have loved [i.e. and still do]). The Present tense portrays an action happening now (in the author's perspective), and usually focuses on the process or duration of that action (I am still in the process of running]). The emphasis in the Greek is usually upon the aspect of the verb, so the significance is as follows:

Aorist: simple action (though usually past)
Perfect: completed action with existing results (focus upon results)
Present: continuous action (though usually present)

With those definitions in mind, Paul discusses death for the Christ-follower with the following nuances. Just as Christ died, we also have died with him (Aoristic - it was completed in the past). We have been united with him in his death (Perfective - completed in the past but with emphasis upon its having effect on us today). Just as Christ's death was accomplished once for all, he will not die again since death, hell, and the grave are defeated in him (Aoristic). In light of this we are to take inventory of ourselves, and after reflection upon the significance of the work of Christ in our lives, come to the conclusion that we ourselves are dead to sin (all of that packed into the little word logizomai) and alive in Christ (Present). There is also an eschatological fulfillment to come in the future when we are truly, finally and completely joined with Christ in his resurrection through our final sanctification, glorification and perfection/completion.

So, if we ask ourselves "When was the last time I died?" we must answer on several levels in order to be consistent with the discussions of Paul.

We must first consider whether we have ever died through identification with Christ's death in the first place. Have we surrendered our lives to him, taken up our cross in surrender to death, embracing it in order to follow him?

If we have, his death is made effective to us both at the point of our initial dying (because he has already died and been raised for us) and effectively in the present through the power of his resurrection.

In light of this, we must continuously consider ourselves at every moment in the here and now to be dead to sin and alive in Christ. His death and resurrection was once for all, and because of this (if we have identified with him through a dying of our own) the power of his resurrection is ever continually, in and for every moment, available to us. In light of this power, and because of his death and our death with him, our mindset is to constantly be that of a dead man walking... dead to sin and our flesh. We are not, however, to live as labotomized zombies, but rather live in the fullness of his eternal victory and joy that can be ever present in us as we die to ourselves and sin and live in his victory and resurrection!

So when was the last time you died?