My Rest Stop two weeks ago (Living Out of Being In Christ Part 1) presents the foundational meaning of the New Testament's emphasis of being in Christ. What a most wonderful phrase that is, depicting our intimate union with Christ!
My Rest Stop last week (Living Out of Being In Christ Part 2) focused on the descriptive reality of being in Christ. In that Rest Stop, our union with Christ is biblically described as spiritual, literal, living, organic, personal, and unbreakable.
This Rest Stop (Living Out of Being In Christ Part 3) presents the objective, completed truths of being in Christ. These truths are so foundational for understanding our relationship with, and security in, Christ Jesus.
Next week's Rest Stop (Living Out of Being In Christ Part 4) will focus on the subjective, experiential reality of being in Christ. What a wonderful adventure walking in union with Christ is!
OBJECTIVE, COMPLETED TRUTHS
OF BEING IN CHRIST
Note: I am again indebted to Martyn Lloyd Jones in his recorded sermon "Union with Christ" for mentoring me in these biblical truths. Dr. Jones
preached at Westminster Chapel in London from 1939 to 1968.
No longer in Adam
It is so vital to know that you and me, along with everyone else in the history of the world, are born in Adam. In that union with Adam, we inherited his sin and deserved death.
The first part of 1 Corinthians 15:22 says, "For as in Adam all die..."
By the grace of God and through our faith in Christ's death on the cross for us, God forgave us of all our sins AND He transferred us out of Adam and placed us into Christ! Colossians 1:13 reveals:
"He has delivered us from the power of darkness (due to being in Adam) and conveyed us into the kingdom of the Son of His love."
Now we can understand the remainder of 1 Corinthians 15:22, "For as in Adam all die...even so in Christ all shall be made alive." We are alive for the first time in union with Christ!
Sealed by the Holy Spirit
Ephesians 1:13 says, "In Christ...you were sealed by the Holy Spirit of promise."
In Christ, we have the seal of approval by God! We have the King's seal that marks us as His property. This marks us as genuine children of God!
In Christ, we have God's seal of promise that He will never leave us nor forsake us. Our salvation is eternally secure as the result of being in Christ!
Joint heirs with Christ
As a result of our union with Christ Romans 8:16-17 says, "The Spirit Himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God, and if children, then heirs of God and joint heirs with Christ, if indeed we suffer with Him, that we may also be glorified together."
Do you hear the union with Christ language in this verse? Joint heirs with Christ. Sufferings with Christ. To ultimately be glorified with Christ.
Through our union with Christ, we inherit all of His riches and all of His resources. The question is, "Will we by faith receive His life each day who brings us His riches and resources?"
CLOSING
I am anxious to share with you next week the subjective, experiential truths of being in union with Christ. These are profound but life-begetting truths.
These are indeed profound truths, and can seem difficult; but anything worth having is difficult. God calls us to be diligent in mining the Scriptures for these precious truth "jewels."
At the same time, God our Father calls us to be as little children and He promises the Holy Spirit to reveal these truths as we diligently search them.
God's loving revelation and our diligent searching for these living truths is possible only because of our union with Christ!
