2000-08-04 - Christ in Us

In the Sunday School class I teach, we have been studying the idea of Christ being in us, both as individuals and the church. Having Christ in us brings both privileges and responsibilities. This week we will look at some of the gifts and rights that are ours because Christ is in us. Next week, we will examine our responsibilities as "little Christs."

If Christ is in us, we have been reconciled to God:

Col. 1:19 For God in all his fullness was pleased to live in Christ, ²⁰ and by him God reconciled everything to himself. He made peace with everything in heaven and on earth by means of his blood on the cross. ²¹ This includes you who were once so far away from God. You were his enemies, separated from him by your evil thoughts and actions, ²² yet now he has brought you back as his friends. He has done this through his death on the cross in his own human body. As a result, he has brought you into the very presence of God, and you are holy and blameless as you stand before him without a single fault.

The barrier of our sin no longer separates us from God. After we confess our sins, when He looks at us, He does not see someone who has lied, shoplifted, committed adultery, failed to use the gifts He has given us, been proud, had premarital sex. Instead, He sees His beloved Son living in us. God does not see as the world sees, either. He doesn't think "oh how fat she is;" He does not care about our outward appearance - whether we are lovely or are disfigured. He sees His precious child, Whom He sought out and loves more than we can even imagine.

And as His children, we have the privilege that accompany a close relationship with our Father. We can go to Him at any time. He is never too busy for us, never tires of hearing from us. He wants us to call on Him, share our everyday lives with him, and our joys, sorrows, hopes, dreams and worries. We have an "Abba," literally a "Daddy," Who cares about everything that is important to us.

Rom. 8:15 For you did not receive a spirit that makes you a slave again to fear, but you received the Spirit of sonship. And by him we cry, "Abba, Father." ¹⁶ The Spirit himself testifies with our spirit that we are God's children. ¹⁷ Now if we are children, then we are heirs-heirs of God and co-heirs with Christ, if indeed we share in his sufferings in order that we may also share in his glory. (NIV)

In addition, we have available to us unlimited strength and power.

2 Cor. 12:8 Three different times I begged the Lord to take it away. ⁹ Each time he said, "My gracious favor is all you need. My power works best in your weakness." So now I am glad to boast about my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may work through me.

When we believe in ask Christ into our hearts as Savior, we receive His Holy Spirit, Who guides, strengthens, teaches and comforts us.

Eph. 1:13 And now you also have heard the truth, the Good News that God saves you. And when you believed in Christ, he identified you as his own by giving you the Holy Spirit, whom he promised long ago. (NLT)

John 14:26 But when the Father sends the Counselor as my representative-and by the Counselor I mean the Holy Spirit-he will teach you everything and will remind you of everything I myself have told you. (NLT)

I hope you will join me in taking a moment to thank God for all the blessings He has given us by allowing us to have Christ in us.

Jan

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