Colossians / Question
Colossians says believers have died, and their life is hidden with Christ in God Colossians 3:3. It also says when Christ appears, they will appear with him in glory Colossians 3:4.
In Colossians 3:1–4, Paul turns from criticizing earth-focused religious rules to urging a new direction for the Colossians’ desires and thinking. Because they have been “raised with Christ,” they should pursue what is “above,” where Christ is honored beside God. He explains why: they “died,” and their true life is currently hidden with Christ in God. This paragraph opens a major practical turn in the letter. Just before this, Paul argues that regulations and harsh treatments of the body look impressive but do not truly deal with fleshly impulses (Colossians 2:20–23).
Paul treats believers as already sharing in Christ’s story: they have been “raised with Christ” (verse 1) and also, in some real sense, “died” (verse 3). Those are explicit claims in the passage, not just images.
A careful answer keeps the immediate passage, the book's argument, and the whole-Bible storyline together, so the question is answered in context instead of as a detached idea.
Start with Colossians 3:3, then read the surrounding section so the answer stays connected to the passage's flow.
3For you died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God.