How can believers be dead and alive at the same time?

In Colossians 3:3, Paul explains that believers are 'dead' to their old selves and the bondage of sin, yet they are 'alive' through their union with Christ. This duality represents the transformative power of salvation, where the law condemns, but the gospel liberates. The believer, identified with Christ's death, no longer faces the penalty of the law, as their old sinful nature has been crucified. Simultaneously, they live in the newness of life provided by Christ’s resurrection, evidencing a profound spiritual reality that defines their existence.