“In Christ” isn’t simply a belief system . . .

 

“God . . . has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places in Christ” (Ephesians 1:3.

Many people believe that one’s religious preference is irrelevant because all religions eventually lead to the same spiritual destination. However, Jesus said, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.” (John 14:6) His claim cannot be ignored. The entire NT supports and explains it. “And there is salvation in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved.” (Acts 4:12)

The devotional for today says Christianity isn’t simply a belief system—it’s a whole new identity. Being united with Christ changes who I am because I am “in Christ” something like putting a piece of paper between the pages of a book; that paper is ‘in the book.’ Yet that is hardly adequate to explain what God has done in redeeming His people.

But he who is joined to the Lord becomes one spirit with him. (1 Corinthians 6:17)

You, however, are not in the flesh but in the Spirit, if in fact the Spirit of God dwells in you. Anyone who does not have the Spirit of Christ does not belong to him. (Romans 8:9)

The phrase “in Christ” occurs thirteen times in Ephesians. The first verse addresses this letter to those who are faithful in Christ. The third verse says we are blessed in Christ. Verse 9 says God’s purposes are set forth in Him and 12 declares that those who hope in Christ bring praise to Him.

God’s power is revealed in Christ when He raised Him from the dead, yet the startling truth is that we have also been raised up and seated in heavenly places with Him! How can that be? I’m still here, as are many who hope in Him. This must be understood in terms of status not location, eternity not time. That is, the eternal God declares that from His perspective, I am already there with Jesus. He has united me with His Son “so that in the coming ages he might show the immeasurable riches of his grace in kindness toward us in Christ Jesus.”

For the present location and time, I am here with things to do: “For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them.”

How did God do that? He says, “But now in Christ Jesus you who once were far off have been brought near by the blood of Christ.” and that both Jews and Gentiles are heirs in this union. God’s promises are ours because we are in Christ and that happens when we believe  the gospel. It is a faith thing on our part, but according to God’s eternal purpose. Therefore we say, “to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, forever and ever. Amen.”

Being “in Christ” is spiritual reality that affects the way we live. Galatians 2:20 declares, “I have been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me. And the life I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.” This new life comes with new thoughts, new ways of living. For instance:

Let no corrupting talk come out of your mouths, but only such as is good for building up, as fits the occasion, that it may give grace to those who hear. And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, by whom you were sealed for the day of redemption. Let all bitterness and wrath and anger and clamor and slander be put away from you, along with all malice. Be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, as God in Christ forgave you. (Ephesians 4:29–32)

Before Christ came into my life, I was in bondage to my sinful I-wants, spiritually dead, and without hope. Then Jesus arrived and I became a new creation. God reconciled me to Himself. He also gave me the ministry of reconciliation; that is, telling others that “in Christ God was reconciling the world to himself, not counting their trespasses against them . . . .” He took my sin, died for it, and gave me His righteousness. I had much to learn about mind renewal and transformation and now realize this is a life-long process, but also realize that in Christ I am His child, an heir of God, and eternally secure. As MacArthur says, what He is, I am. What He has, I have. Where He is, I am.

My response? I’m to “let my light shine before others, so that they may see my good works and give glory to my Father who is in heaven.” For that, I pray for a shiny life today and a deeper understanding of the reality of being in Christ.

MORE: Matthew 5:16, 2 Corinthians 5:17–19, Ephesians.

 

When Jesus offends . . .

“It is the Spirit who gives life; the flesh is no help at all. The words that I have spoken to you are spirit and life. But there are some of you who do not believe.” (For Jesus knew from the beginning who those were who did not believe, and who it was who would betray him.) And he said, “This is why I told you that no one can come to me unless it is granted him by the Father.” After this many of his disciples turned back and no longer walked with him. (John 6:63–66)

When Jesus talked in metaphor and other figures of speech, those who literally interpreted Him were upset, and it is no wonder. Just before those words above, He said, 

“Truly, truly, I say to you, unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink his blood, you have no life in you. Whoever feeds on my flesh and drinks my blood has eternal life, and I will raise him up on the last day. For my flesh is true food, and my blood is true drink. Whoever feeds on my flesh and drinks my blood abides in me, and I in him.” (John 6:53–56)

I understand what it means to draw my very life from Jesus. However on that day many did not get it because they did not believe in Him. They might have been “disciples” in the sense of followers who hung around Jesus to listen to Him and hopefully get fed or healed — the world today has many of those — but they did not have the life of Christ in them; they were not born anew or filled with faith from God, nor did they have the Holy Spirit in their hearts.

Jesus knew who fit into what category. His twelve disciples had trouble with what He said too, but when He asked if they were going away too, Simon Peter answered, “Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life, and we have believed, and have come to know, that you are the Holy One of God.” (John 6:68–69)

This exchange tells me that faith is not about understanding everything God says, but about understanding who Jesus is and that He gives eternal life to those who come to Him because the Father has granted them to do so. Because of this, everyone from a child to a PhD can believe in Jesus Christ.

It also tells me that people will follow Jesus, listen to Him, even appear to be genuine disciples, but when confronted with what Jesus actually teaches, or what He doesn’t give them what they expected, they will run the other direction.

Someone put a poster on Facebook this week of a supposed comparison of world religions. Christianity was first with the Golden Rule of “Do unto others what you would have them do to you.” Then the writings of eight others followed with variations of the same idea. Those who posted and responded remarked that they did not understand why people of various ‘faiths’ could not get along because they essentially believe the same thing.

This shows a misunderstanding of the basics of Jesus’ teaching. He did teach that ‘rule’ but not as a foundation for faith. Instead, it is a result of faith. Believing in Him is about drawing our very life from Him, about eating and drinking Jesus — and I cannot do that unless the Father draws me to Him. Being nice to people is not offensive, but people are offended when told they cannot be nice (as God measures it) unless they trust the Son of God with all their hearts.

I know that any clarification of that poster would be offensive to those who promoted it. They have already expressed that they are not interested in becoming a new creation or having Jesus living and ruling in their hearts. They just want everyone to agree and get along and be nice to each other, even if that means avoiding the rest of what Jesus teaches.