Saturday, May 28, 2016

160529 Our Life in Christ (3)



Colossians 3:1-4 If then you have been raised with Christ, seek the things that are above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. Set your minds on things that are above, not on things that are on earth. For you have died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God. When Christ who is your life appears, then you also will appear with him in glory.
This passage of Scripture gives us another angle on being “in Christ”! We have looked at Christ’s past work of redemption and his present life in heaven. We have looked at his continuing possession of all the spiritual resources we need in order to live the Christian life. Since all the spiritual blessings were earned by him and belong to him they are available to those who are in Him. If we are in Christ, these are some of the blessings that are ours.
We need to remember that Jesus came into the world with a specific purpose in mind. He said that he came to seek and save the lost. (Luke 19:10) After Jesus’ death on the cross, resurrection from the dead and ascension into heaven, Peter would tell the Sanhedrin, “there is salvation in no one else, (Jesus) for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved.” Among all of the things “in Jesus” perhaps the most important for us is that…
Salvation is in Christ Jesus. Listen while I read 2 Timothy 2:10. Therefore I endure everything for the sake of the elect, that they also may obtain the salvation that is in Christ Jesus with eternal glory.
Anytime you encounter the word “therefore” in the Bible it’s important to pause and think for a moment: what is “therefore”, there for? In this case Paul is encouraging Timothy to, “Remember Jesus Christ, risen from the dead, the offspring of David, as preached in my (Paul’s) gospel,” (2 Timothy 2:8) Paul is pointing out that even though he was in chains, in prison, the good news about Jesus Christ is always free. That reminds us of what Paul was enduring. He is very clear that he was enduring prison and all the discomforts of it for the elect.
“The elect” are those people that God chose to be saved. There are those who say that we should not worry about witnessing for Christ because only the elect will be saved and surely the elect cannot be lost. Yet we find Paul saying, “I endure everything for the sake of the elect,” referring to the need to share the gospel with everyone so that the elect may obtain the salvation that is in Christ Jesus. It is true that salvation is in Jesus Christ and it is important to communicate that truth to all people so that the elect would have the gospel and respond. You might ask, “Is it possible that the elect might not be saved if they are not witnessed to?” I certainly did not say that because God has already determined who will be saved. The names of those who have put their faith in Jesus Christ are written in the Lamb’s Book of Life before the foundation of the world.
At the same time we have the responsibility, whenever possible, to share the good news about Jesus with everyone. For many people our words will go in one ear and out the other — if they get in one ear at all! Some, on the other hand, will listen and respond because they have been chosen by God. And when they do they are born again into a new life which is eternal. And that…
Eternal life is in the Son. Listen while I read 1 John 5:11-12.  And this is the testimony, that God gave us eternal life, and this life is in his Son. 12 Whoever has the Son has life; whoever does not have the Son of God does not have life. This is John the apostle’s testimony. The eternal life that we receive upon salvation is found in Jesus Christ. Whoever has the Son has life! Whoever does not have the Son does not have life! John was probably remembering Jesus’ high priestly prayer. In that prayer, found in…
John 17:1b-3. We find Jesus saying, Father, the hour has come; glorify your Son that the Son may glorify you, since you have given him authority over all flesh, to give eternal life to all whom you have given him. 3 And this is eternal life, that they know you the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom you have sent.
It is not just a matter of Jesus giving us eternal life when we place our faith in him. Much more than that, eternal life is in Christ Jesus! Jesus actually says the words, “And this is eternal life”, what is eternal life? Eternal life is knowing the only true God. Eternal life is knowing Jesus Christ.
Fannie Jane Crosby left us a song, written in 1891, that goes like this:
When my lifework is ended, and I cross the swelling tide,
When the bright and glorious morning I shall see;
I shall know my Redeemer when I reach the other side,
And His smile will be the first to welcome me.
I shall know Him, I shall know Him,
And redeemed by His side I shall stand,
I shall know Him, I shall know Him,
By the print of the nails in His hand.
Fanny Crosby was blinded by shoddy medical treatment when she was only a few months old. She could not remember being able to see. But that did not hinder her in “seeing” with her mind. This song ends with the very touching words, “But I long to meet my Savior first of all.” She knew that eternal life was in Jesus Christ and she wrote over 8000 hymns and gospel songs. You might think to yourself, “What could she have done had she not been blind?” I submit to you that she “could have” married, had a family, and lived out her life without impacting our lives the way she has. Remember, “for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose.” (Romans 8:28)
Yes, salvation is in Jesus Christ alone! But salvation is not, and never has been — never will be — “alone”! Many, many other things are in Jesus Christ.
In Christ we have resurrection power. Listen while I read Ephesians 2:4-6. But God, being rich in mercy, because of the great love with which he loved us, even when we were dead in our trespasses, made us alive together with Christ—by grace you have been saved— and raised us up with him and seated us with him in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus,
“Raised up with him” is a very powerful statement. When Jesus rose from the dead he did not return to the life that existed before his crucifixion. After the resurrection Jesus had a new kind of life, a “resurrection life”. That life which binds together Jesus’ human body and human spirit with the life of the Father. This new life causes us to be able to be born again by the power of his resurrection.
We have salvation that assures our eternal life and this life we have received in the Son is empowered by the resurrection life of Jesus Christ! Everything we need is found in Christ Jesus.
Faith and love are in Christ Jesus. Listen while I read Paul’s words to Timothy found in 1 Timothy 1:12-14. I thank him who has given me strength, Christ Jesus our Lord, because he judged me faithful, appointing me to his service, 13 though formerly I was a blasphemer, persecutor, and insolent opponent. But I received mercy because I had acted ignorantly in unbelief, 14 and the grace of our Lord overflowed for me with the faith and love that are in Christ Jesus.
Saul of Tarsus had been one of the leaders in the persecution of the Christian church. He was present when the first Christian martyr was killed. He held the killers coats while Stephen was being stoned to death. Later he became a leader of those who rounded up Christians and put them to death.
He was on the way from Jerusalem to Damascus with arrest warrants in his hand when suddenly a light from heaven shone around them. As he looked into that light he was blinded. But, while he could still see he saw someone in the light! He recognized that someone to be a “Lord”. Saul said “Who are you Lord?” And heard these words coming out of the light, “I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting.” Upon arising Saul went into the city of Damascus, fasted and prayed for three days, then a man whom he would’ve arrested came to him, laid hands on him, and he was healed and filled with the Holy Spirit (Acts 9:1-19).
Later, Saul of Tarsus became Paul the Apostle who spent his life proclaiming the good news about Jesus and planting churches all over the Roman Empire. At the end of his life he was beheaded in Rome. But one thing that he confirmed continually was…
Our needs are met in Christ Jesus. We should know this verse by head if not by heart. Listen while I read Philippians 4:19. And my God will supply every need of yours according to his riches in glory in Christ Jesus.
This verse is often misused even though correctly quoted. It is one of the most common promises of the Bible. “My God will supply every need” is not a promise without a condition. The condition is found in the verses just before.
The Philippian church had shared in Paul’s troubles. They had partnered with him by sending offerings more than once. The Philippian church was not rich. Paul had said that these people in Macedonia, that included the Philippians, had an abundance of joy and at the same time extreme poverty. Nevertheless, they begged for the favor of giving to help meet Paul’s needs (2 Corinthians 8:1-7).
Based on the condition of their giving what they could not afford Paul could share with them the promise that God would meet every need. The Lord Jesus himself had said, “give, and it will be given to you. Good measure, pressed down, shaken together, running over, will be put into your lap. For with the measure you use it will be measured back to you.” (Luke 6:38)
No doubt God will meet all of our needs according to his riches in Christ Jesus. But he will not do that out of the blue! It will be done because we have been obedient to him in giving to meet the needs of others. Our physical needs are met in Christ Jesus. At the same time…
All spiritual blessings are in Christ. Listen while I read Ephesians 1:3. Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in Christ with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places.
Every spiritual blessing! Look ahead to the next verses. He chose us in him! And he didn’t wait to see what we would do first. He chose us before the foundation of the world. In love, he predestined us for adoption. In him we have redemption through his blood. In him we have the forgiveness of our trespasses. Not based on how good we are but based on the riches of his grace showing how good God is, Praise God!
All His blessings are ours in him. Paul wrote to the Galatians with the promise “that in Christ Jesus the blessing of Abraham might come to the Gentiles, so that we might receive the promised Spirit through faith.” (Galatians 3:14)
I feel sorry for those dispensationalists who hold that we are only receiving a part of the blessings found in the Bible. The blessings Jesus secured for us extend all the way back to Abraham who is our father in the faith. We should claim every promise in Scripture from beginning to end because Jesus gives them all to us. It is not only our needs that are met but all the spiritual blessings are ours. And…
We are free from condemnation in Christ Jesus. Listen while I read Romans 8:1-2. There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus. For the law of the Spirit of life has set you free in Christ Jesus from the law of sin and death.
In Christ Jesus there is no condemnation! No matter where you been or what you’ve done there is no condemnation! Don Francisco wrote a song and it goes like this:
I loved you long before the time your eyes first saw the day
And everything I've done has been to help you on the way
But you took all that you wanted then at last you took your leave,
And traded off a Kingdom for the lies that you believed.
And although you've chosen darkness with it's miseries and fears
Although you've gone so far from Me and wasted all these years
Even though my name's been spattered by the mire in which you lie
I'd take you back this instant if you'd turn to Me and cry.
I don't care where you've been sleeping, I don't care who's made your bed
I've already gave My life to set you free;
There's no sin you could imagine that is stronger than my love,
And it's all yours if you'll come home again to Me.

When you come back to your senses and you see who's been to blame,
Remember all the good things that were yours with just My name;
Then don't waste another thought before you change the way you're bound
I'll be running out to meet you if you'll only turn around.
Praise God, He has paid the price for us and covered all the condemnation. You see…
Christ in us is our only hope. Listen while I read Colossians 1:27. To them  God chose to make known how great among the Gentiles are the riches of the glory of this mystery, which is Christ in you, the hope of glory.
Paul could see that the mystery that had been hidden for ages was now being revealed in Christ Jesus. Generations of men and women of faith had followed without question the things they could not understand. With Christ’s coming, crucifixion, resurrection and ascension the mystery began to unravel. The only hope we have of glory is Christ in us. He is our hope and we can rejoice that God chose to reveal this truth to all who will listen and understand.
Everything that comes to us in the way of salvation comes to us “in Christ”! In him we are called to salvation. In him we are given a new life. In him we are declared “not guilty”. In him we die and our bodies will be raised again. Because our lives are inseparably connected to Christ Himself the Holy Spirit gives us all the blessings that Christ has earned because we are “in Him”. If you are not in Christ today this can be the day of salvation for you.  If you will confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead you will be saved!
All scriptures quotes are from: The Holy Bible: English standard version. 2001. Wheaton: Standard Bible Society.

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