As we looked at Paul’s final visit to the elders of the church of Ephesus, we saw many characteristic fruits that were displayed in Paul’s life as a result of Paul understanding and living forth his life in Christ. That phrase "In Christ" is first used referring to the ministry of Paul in Acts 24: "4 And after certain days, when Felix came with his wife Drusilla, which was a Jewess, he sent for Paul, and heard him concerning the faith in Christ." Yet that same phrase occurs over and over within the letters of Paul. This was the key pivotal truth of the gospel that there is no salvation through any other means but in Christ and Christ alone. Romans 3: "24 Being justified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus: 25 Whom God hath set forth to be a propitiation through faith in his blood, to declare his righteousness for the remission of sins that are past, through the forbearance of God; 26 To declare, I say, at this time his righteousness: that he might be just, and the justifier of him which believeth in Jesus."
Yet, as Paul knew the possessions we have as a result of our being in Christ were much more than just a key to get us into heaven–it is our very being, our joy, our hope and the only means that we have to live out this glorious gift that we have received.
That is why Paul always taught the young believers about what great and mighty riches they possess through faith in Christ. If I began to just list them, I fear that you would not
truly grasp their significance in your day to day living. Therefore, we will go through them with intentional depth of mind, savoring them, digesting them and allowing them to nourish our heart, spirit and soul. We will spend much of our study in the book of Ephesians where Paul outlined in detail our possessions in Christ. These possessions were purchased, paid for in full at the cross; therefore, the moment we accept Christ as our Savior, they are 100% ours whether we recognize that truth or not and whether we live in that truth or not. A study of Ephesians reveals a very intentional description of the believer’s position in Christ as is meticulously declared from Ephesians 1:1 and through 3:21. It then describes the walk and service that will result by the work of the Holy Spirit acting through the believer to display outwardly what has been already by grace transformed inwardly as Paul continues from Ephesians 4:1-5:17. Then concludes with the walk and warfare of the Spirit-filled believer (Ephesians 5:18-6:24)
“In Christ”, we become a new creature filled with those attributes which are given to us at the moment we are saved. It is too often that we fail to recognize what those attributes are and thereby fail to live in a manner that those attributes are displayed. It doesn’t change their presence in our lives; however, it definitely does change our walk and our fruitfulness as a Christian. Perhaps I can help you to understand this by giving you an example. I watched a movie called “Gifted Hands” which was the life story of famous neurosurgeon, Ben Carson, MD. In that movie, there was a time that Dr. Carson as a child believed himself to be dumb. As a result of that belief, he was failing in school and really did not think he could do better. With the help of a Godly mother and God’s guiding hand he began to believe in who he could be. He became the greatest pediatric neurosurgeon in the world and head of pediatric neurosurgery at John Hopkins. Though he has retired from neurosurgery, he continues to be a man to be heard as he goes before congress unafraid to confront any issue with truth and integrity. His mother kept telling him that “he had everything he needed to succeed inside his brain and all he needed to do was to see it.” This is true of the Christian. In Christ, we have already attained everything that we need for victory; we merely need to see it. The power is “In Christ”, not these fragile human hearts and minds.
2 Corinthians 1: 19 For the Son of God, Jesus Christ… was not yea and nay, but in him was yea.20 For all the promises of God in him are yea, and in him Amen, unto the glory of God by us.21 Now he which stablisheth us with you in Christ, and hath anointed us, is God;22 Who hath also sealed us, and given the earnest of the Spirit in our hearts.
We are already sealed for eternity with the Holy Spirit in our hearts to remind us and to lift us up. In Christ, our lives are yes and Amen to the Glory of God.
There is Power in the Name of Jesus to break every chain.
©2014 Effie Darlene Barba
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