¹²  For when you were baptized, you were buried with Christ, and in baptism you were also raised with Christ through your faith in the active power of God, who raised him from death. Colossians 2:12 (TEV)

 ⁴  By our baptism, then, we were buried with him and shared his death, in order that, just as Christ was raised from death by the glorious power of the Father, so also we might live a new life. ⁵  For since we have become one with him in dying as he did, in the same way we shall be one with him by being raised to life as he was.  Romans 6:4-5 (TEV)

Among the spiritual songs that are prevalent during Easter week, there is one that can be sung with such power, that it sends shivers downs people’s back, and can make the manliest man week in the knees.  The spiritual “where you there when they” is a simple spiritual – but oh the emotional power of that song, as we hear the verses describing the crucifixion and burial of Christ.  The woe’s hit us in the gut as we realize the death of Christ, and that we were as much the cause of it – as the Jewish Priests and Pilate and every sinner who Christ came to rescue was.

And we were there… 

The above two passages – among several – talk of this very thing.   That we were there, that in our baptism we died with Christ, so that we could be raised with Christ.

Which is the last verse of the song – “where you there when He rose up from the grave!” 

And the answer for that is…. yes as well.

We have a new life, a new mind, a new heart – and a relationship that is heavenly – for it is with God.  We do walk with God, He is our Comforter, our Paraclete our Shepherd.  Everything changes with Christ – it is not just a bunch of knowledge to one up someone in a discussion.  It’s not about changing people’s behaviors and stopping them from doing things that are distasteful,. Surely those things will change – as the Holy Spirit confronts and guides. But they aren’t the reason for the cross and the grave and the empty tomb.  That is not the reason for the glorious exertion of the power of God.

The reason for the cross, the grace, the resurrection… is so that we are God’s children.