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In Christ
The Christian life is all about Christ. Walking, talking, dining with him, fellowshipping with him and growing in him. Honoring him and praising him for who he is and for what he has done for us on our behalf at the cross.
However, before I get into Jesus and sharing what all he has done for us, we must first talk about the plight of man. What is man's condition not from our own viewpoint but from God's viewpoint? What does God say about the condition of the human heart?
The bible says all of us have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God (Romans 3:23) Now, because of that sin or sins that we all have committed against God, we have now been separated from God as a result of our disobedience to him. And the bible clearly teaches that we cannot fix this separation from God in it of our selves. The bible clearly teaches us that man cannot save himself from his own depraved sinful condition (Jeremiah 17:9) (Proverbs 14:12) (John 8:34) (James 2:10) (Isaiah 64:6) (Ephesians 2:8-9) (Titus 3:5-7) (1 Timothy 2:4-6) (John 14:6) (Acts 4:12). In the word of God there are devastating consequences that is given to man for his sins. Let's just look at a few of these consequences together here below.
The bible mentions 4 major consequences that sin brings upon sinful men.
1. Because we have sinned against God the bible declares that we are separated from God (Colossians 1:21).
2. Because we have sinned against God the bible declares that we are enemies of God (Colossians 1:21) (Romans 5:10).
3. Because we have sinned against God the bible declares that the wages of sin is death (Romans 6:23) (Ezekiel 18:4, 20).
4. Because we have sinned against God the bible declares that now the wrath of God abides over us (John 3:36)! The bible clearly teaches that apart from faith in the Savior Jesus Christ, we sinners will justly spend an eternity in hell for our sins (John 318) (John 8:24) (2 Thessalonians 1:7-9) (Revelation 20:15) (Revelation 21:8)!
This is man's condition from God's viewpoint! People of the world the plight of man is precisely the very reason why we sinners desperately need to be redeemed.
So, In Christ there is Redemption!
Romans 3:23-25
23for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, 24and are justified freely by his grace through the redemption that came by Christ Jesus.
Ephesians 1:7
In him (Christ) we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, in accordance with the riches of God's grace
In Christ There is the Forgiveness of all your sins.
Acts 10:43
43All the prophets testify about him (Jesus) that everyone who believes in him receives forgiveness of sins through his name."
Acts 13:38
38"Therefore, my brothers, I want you to know that through Jesus the forgiveness of sins is proclaimed to you.
Colossians 1:13-14
13For he has rescued us from the dominion of darkness and brought us into the kingdom of the Son he loves, 14in whom we have redemption,[a] the forgiveness of sins.
In Christ There is Eternal Salvation and Eternal Security.
John 3:16-18, 36
16For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son (Jesus), that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.
17For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved.
18He that believeth on him is not condemned: but he that believeth not is condemned already, because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God.
36Whoever believes in the Son has eternal life, but whoever rejects the Son will not see life, for God's wrath remains on him."
John 5:24
"I tell you the truth, whoever hears my word and believes him who sent me has eternal life and will not be condemned; he has crossed over from death to life.
John 6:39-40
39And this is the will of him who sent me, that I shall lose none of all that he has given me, but raise them up at the last day. 40For my Father's will is that everyone who looks to the Son and believes in him shall have eternal life, and I will raise him up at the last day."
John 10:27-30
27My sheep listen to my voice; I know them, and they follow me. 28I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish; no one can snatch them out of my hand. 29My Father, who has given them to me, is greater than all[d]; no one can snatch them out of my Father's hand. 30I and the Father are one."
Romans 6:23
23For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.
Romans 8:35-39
35Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall trouble or hardship or persecution or famine or nakedness or danger or sword? 36As it is written:
"For your sake we face death all day long; we are considered as sheep to be slaughtered."[l] 37No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. 38For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons,[m] neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, 39neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.
1 John 5:11-13
11 And this is what God has testified: He has given us eternal life, and this life is in his Son. 12 Whoever has the Son has life; whoever does not have God's Son does not have life. Conclusion
13 I have written this to you who believe in the name of the Son of God, so that you may know you have eternal life.
In Christ I am the righteousness of God.
2 Corinthians 5:20-21
20We are therefore Christ's ambassadors, as though God were making his appeal through us. We implore you on Christ's behalf: Be reconciled to God. 21God made him who had no sin to be sin[a] for us, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.
In Christ I am justified this is now and forevermore.
Galatians 2:16
Knowing that a man is not justified by the works of the law, but by the faith of Jesus Christ, even we have believed in Jesus Christ, that we might be justified by the faith of Christ, and not by the works of the law: for by the works of the law shall no flesh be justified.
Romans 5:1
Therefore being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ:
In Christ I am sanctified, and I am being sanctified.
1 Corinthians 1:2
2Unto the church of God which is at Corinth, to them that are sanctified in Christ Jesus, called to be saints, with all that in every place call upon the name of Jesus Christ our Lord, both their's and our's:
1 Corinthians 6:11
And such were some of you: but ye are washed, but ye are sanctified, but ye are justified in the name of the Lord Jesus, and by the Spirit of our God.
In Christ I am a child of the living God.
John 1:12
12But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name:
Galatians 3:26
For ye are all the children of God by faith in Christ Jesus.
1 John 5:1
Everyone who believes that Jesus is the Christ has become a child of God
In Christ I am an ambassador.
2 Corinthians 5:20
20Now then we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God did beseech you by us: we pray you in Christ's stead, be ye reconciled to God.
Did you know God is using us (his) children to be his feet and hands. To be his mouthpiece to proclaim Christ to this lost and dying world?
In Christ There is Freedom. In Christ I am free.
John 8:36
36If the Son therefore shall make you free, ye shall be free indeed.
In Christ There is Light.
Whether you know it or not you were in the midst of darkness by way of your sin. When you came to Christ, He gave you light he opened your eyes.
Acts 26:18
To open their eyes, and to turn them from darkness to light, and from the power of Satan unto God, that they may receive forgiveness of sins, and inheritance among them which are sanctified by faith that is in me.
John 8:12
Then spake Jesus again unto them, saying, I am the light of the world: he that followeth me shall not walk in darkness, but shall have the light of life.
In Christ There is Truth.
John 14:6
Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.
In Christ There is God, In Christ There is Perfection.
John 1:1-3, 14
1In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.
2The same was in the beginning with God.
3All things were made by him; and without him was not any thing made that was made.
14And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth.
John 20:28
28And Thomas answered and said unto him, My LORD and my God.
Hebrews 1:3, 8
3Who being the brightness of his glory, and the express image of his person, and upholding all things by the word of his power, when he had by himself purged our sins, sat down on the right hand of the Majesty on high:
8But unto the Son he saith, Thy throne, O God, is for ever and ever: a sceptre of righteousness is the sceptre of thy kingdom.
In Christ There is a New Birth/New Creature/New Creation.
2 Corinthians 5:17
17Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new.
In Christ There is Love.
If you're looking for true love just look at the cross. God demonstrated his love for mankind by dying on the cross for our sins.
Isaiah 53:3-6
3He is despised and rejected of men; a man of sorrows, and acquainted with grief: and we hid as it were our faces from him; he was despised, and we esteemed him not. 4Surely he hath borne our griefs, and carried our sorrows: yet we did esteem him stricken, smitten of God, and afflicted. 5But he was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon him; and with his stripes we are healed. 6All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned every one to his own way; and the LORD hath laid on him the iniquity of us all.
John 3:16
For God so loved the world that he gave his Only Begotten Son (Jesus), that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.
In Christ There is Peace.
Isaiah 9:6
For to us a child is born, to us a son is given, and the government will be on his shoulders. And he will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.
John 14:27
Peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you: not as the world giveth, give I unto you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid.
I'm so glad that the Prince of Peace has given me his peace. Isn't good to know that your many sins are forgiven through Jesus' mighty name. Now that is true peace.
In Christ There is The Reconciliation of God.
2 Corinthians 5:18-21
18And all things are of God, who hath reconciled us to himself by Jesus Christ, and hath given to us the ministry of reconciliation;
19To wit, that God was in Christ, reconciling the world unto himself, not imputing their trespasses unto them; and hath committed unto us the word of reconciliation.
20Now then we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God did beseech you by us: we pray you in Christ's stead, be ye reconciled to God.
21For he hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him.
In Christ There is Humility by God thus there should be humility from us.
Philippians 2:6-11
6Who, being in the form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal with God:
7But made himself of no reputation, and took upon him the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men:
8And being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross.
9Wherefore God also hath highly exalted him, and given him a name which is above every name:
10That at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of things in heaven, and things in earth, and things under the earth;
11And that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.
So, since Christ humbled himself to the Father, we likewise should humble ourselves to Jesus Christ our Lord.
In Christ There is God's Grace and Mercy.
Grace is God's underserved and unmerited favor, simply put Grace is God giving you something you do not deserve, and Mercy is God not giving you what you do deserve. Well in Christ you get both! Jesus himself is God's grace and mercy being extended unto you. God is giving you someone you do not deserve in Christ, and in Christ God is not giving you what you do deserve which is the eternal fires of hell. I say unto you again people of the world Jesus himself is truly God's grace and mercy!
It is my prayer that we Christians can get to this point outlined for us in Scripture here below.
Philippians 3:7-9
7 But what things were gain to me, those I counted loss for Christ.
8 Yea doubtless, and I count all things but loss for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord: for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and do count them but dung, that I may win Christ,
9 And be found in him, not having mine own righteousness, which is of the law, but that which is through the faith of Christ, the righteousness which is of God by faith:
Galatians 2:20
20I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.
I pray that those scriptures (Philippians 3:7-9) and (Galatians 2:20) may be the banner of our lives.
Dear reader are you In Christ or are you still dead in your trespasses in sins?
Dear reader are you In Christ or are you simply in religion?
Dear reader are you In Christ or are you just present in a pew in a church building?
Dear reader God wants you to be in Christ.
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