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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
cfdevcfpray@yahoo.com
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