Does “in Christ” mean that we are one with Him in some way? This is why I chose to do this as a followup to the Theosis discussion we had before Holy Week. Yes, in some way that we do not fully understand, we are both one with Him and becoming and growing into that unity. What the precise end of that is, even the Orthodox have not come to firm conclusions. It is a mystery as beautiful as the Cross itself. The Cross is the key to this door, the compass rose for this map, the Rosetta Stone for this lost language. We could spend eternity unpacking exactly what happened on the cross, and we still would not exhaust it fully. That, I feel, is the same with this mystery. We are One with Him, now, but are growing into greater dimensions of unity through walking with Him.

This is the question we will be seeking to answer over the next several weeks. If we are, as Paul says, “In Christ”, what does that mean? Does that have physical connotations of some sort? Does that mean that our individual souls are caught up in Him? Does that mean that our sin is hidden? Does that mean that we are One with Him in some way? Does that mean that we have new life “in Him”? That we are masterworks “in Him? This and more. Stick around to learn how we are “In Christ” and what it means, over the next several weeks.

Father, Thank you that we can rest in Christ. Thank you that we can slow down from time to time to look at things like this. Holy Spirit, be with us as we learn over the next few weeks. Help the Word to really get down in us so that it can transform us from the inside out. Jesus, help us to learn from experience as we learn in our minds what it means to be in you. In Jesus’ name, Amen This last week, we started our journey into what it means to be “in Christ”. Last Monday, we asked a series of questions which I hope to answer over the next several weeks, about just what it means to be “in Christ”. On Wednesday, I showed in part that I chose this series as a followup to the series on Theosis that we did before Resurrection Sunday. In some sense that we do not understand, we are indeed united with Christ, we have been made one with Him. We have been called righteous because we yielded our lives to Him. We have been welcomed into who He is, and His Truth, His belovedness gets all over us and all through us, like anointing oil that changes all it touches. Friday we talked about how we have new life in Him. That is the miracle I was just struggling to explain from Wednesday’s recap. He gives us his resurrection life once we die to ourselves. Baptism is meant to be a symbol and a sign of that inner reality, though many believe and see it to be more. I am coming to see this as a daily exercise, not that we lose our salvation each night (heaven forbid), but a daily choice to die to self, pick up the cross, and follow Him. That is what makes us followers of Jesus, not some mental assent, or even Spirit-baptism. We cannot truly be in Christ if we do not give up our lives, our lordship, to Him. There are so many passages about this great exchange in the New Testament, so many references to being “in Christ” or “in Him”. It is something that is worthy of study for so many reasons. In the coming week, we’ll talk more about what it means to be “in Christ”, tomorrow, we will cover an encouragement from John 15, from the mouth of Jesus Himself. He tells us that we are to stay in unity with Him at all times so that we can produce fruit as believers. We cannot do things on our own, at least not for long, and hope for finally good results. Too many of us try to do that, and things do not go as they need to, do they. The fruit we expect winds up just being a husk rather than something nourishing. It may look good on the outside, from a distance, but when we get closer we see that it is no good. On Wednesday, we will talk about one of my favorite things, Identity in Christ. In Christ, we have so much: righteousness, holiness, healing, friendship, a brother who will never betray or fail us, and so much more. How do we live “in Christ” though? We must first die to self, as I mentioned earlier. We must lay our pride down, choosing to submit to His ways, rather than asserting our own desires. Once we do that, we can start to tap into who we are in Christ. Finally, on Friday, we will talk about how God has truly done the heavy lifting for us, and once we are “in Christ” we can begin to walk out the amazing good things that we were originally made to do. It is all quite stunning, particularly against the backdrop of our previous discussion of theosis. This, series, I think, will put more rubber to the road for many of us. Be blessed this week, and I’ll see you tomorrow for the memesplanation. As an aside, the posting schedule is changing around here: I am now doing only 3 memesplanations per week, to match the 3 news days, which will be Monday, Wednesday, and Friday rather than Monday-Wednesday. I will continue with the devotions for Sundays and the streamed show on Fridays.

In Christ, we have newness of life. We have been reborn IN HIM. What does that mean? On one level, we have been birthed into His death and resurrection, therefore we have a new Lord, and no longer need to be dominated by the patterns of pride which manifest in attitudes and behaviors which ultimately destroy us, both physically and spiritually. We can walk in freedom. That is the new life that 1 Corinthians 15:22 talks about, here. Life under new Lordship where we are no longer constrained to live according to pride.

“I am the sprouting vine and you’re my branches. As you live in union with me as your source, fruitfulness will stream from within you—but when you live separated from me you are powerless. If a person is separated from me, he is discarded; such branches are gathered up and thrown into the fire to be burned. But if you live in life-union with me and if my words live powerfully within you—then you can ask whatever you desire and it will be done. Abide in Him. You will grow when you live in union with Him. You will cease growing when you step away and disconnect from Him. What does it mean to live in union with Him? It means that we surrender our ways and adopt His. We go small. We cease to assert our own desires and choose to live with open hands of blessing toward others, and correcting what needs correction in ourselves and others as we grow. #memesplanation #john15 #abideinme #thevine #inChrist #Jesus #Truth #TechFreedom #spiritualityntech

Who are you in Christ? A masterwork created In CHRIST, so that you can do the good things that God designed for you to do before you were born. That is a huge statement, isn’t it? Let’s break it down: 1) God plans ahead from the before the beginning of time 2) God pursues you and makes a way for you to be in Christ. 3) God remakes us when we are in Christ 4) We choose to submit to Him 5) We get remade and have these good works, whatever they may be, revealed to us. Wow. That may be too much for a memesplanation, but that is where I will leave you for now. #memesplanation #ephesians2 #Bible #Paul #inChrist #Truth #TechFreedom #spiritualityntech

Father, Thank you for being present with us, along with the Holy Spirit as we are in Christ. Thank you that we get to learn what it means to be “in Christ”. Thank you that it is a divine mystery that we will never fully understand. Come and be in our midst as we continue this study. In Jesus’ name, Amen. Welcome to this series on what it means to be “in Christ”. I look forward to walking through much of what Paul had to say on this topic, as it is a rich mine that rarely gets tapped. Last week’s memesplanations covered some passages from Colossians, and I want to recap to these passages, briefly today. I will put a nice little bow on those passages, and that will be the norm for this series. Colossians 1:18-20 He is the Head of his body, which is the church. And since he is the beginning and the firstborn heir in resurrection,he is the most exalted One, holding first placein everything.For God is satisfied to have all his fullnessdwelling in Christ.And by the blood of his cross, everything in heaven and earth is brought back to himself—back to its original intent, restored to innocence again! If Jesus is the head of the Body of Christ, and we are that Body, then we have all the fullness of God available to us. Why do we miss this, more often than not? We are not told that it is available, or we don’t dig to find the Truth. Jesus is all in all through His sacrifice, and we are in Him. That is HUGE. Let that sink in, He has made us pure again. That is the starting point, not the endgame. Colossians 3:1-4 Christ’s resurrection is your resurrection too. This is why we are to yearn for all that is above, for that’s where Christ sits enthroned at the place of all power, honor, and authority!Yes,feast on all the treasures of the heavenly realmand fill your thoughts with heavenly realities, and not with the distractions of the natural realm. Your crucifixionwith Christ has severed the tie to this life, and now your true life is hidden away in God in Christ.And as Christ himself is seen for who he really is, who you really are will also be revealed, for you are now one with him in his glory! You are dead to this world, but alive in Christ. You no longer have to live as a slave to pride or any other thing that is not Him. Because we are dead to the world and alive to Him, we can feast, as this passage says, on the treasures of heaven, here and now. All of the buzz about identity and identities these days finds its proper end there. That is your identity, Christian. You are in Christ, first and foremost. Nothing else really matters. Colossians 2:9-11 For he is the complete fullness of deity living in human form.And our own completeness is now found in him. We are completely filledwith Godas Christ’s fullness overflows within us. He is the Headof every kingdom and authority in the universe! Through our union with him we have experienced circumcision of heart. All of the guilt and power of sinhas been cut away and is now extinct because of what Christ, the Anointed One, has accomplished for us. Juicy fruits, no? If Jesus is God incarnate, and we are in Him, then we get all of that as long as we submit to Him. We get to be filled with all the fullness of God. Let that sink in: since we are in Christ, we have full access to the riches of heaven. So, God has made it possible for us to be more than we are, through Jesus. We have access to the fullness of God, the riches of heaven, both spiritually and in the natural. We are dead to the world, the pride which sets it and enslaved us in opposition to the Lord, and alive to the freedom that comes through submission to His ways. We get to be formed in His way now, rather than wandering the trackless places in this world.

Let joy be your continual feast.Make your life a prayer.And in the midst of everything be always giving thanks, for this is God’s perfect plan for you in Christ Jesus. 1 Thessalonians 5:16-8 Because we are in Christ, we can feast on joy continually. We can make our lives into prayer, because we can give thanks for all things, always. It is so easy to get sucked down into garbage thinking and attitudes because the natural is starting to look like an extension of hell, more and more each day. Focus on the fact that you are breathing, your heart is beating, and you are, if you are able to watch this, more than likely richer than about 90% of the human race right now. Sure it all looks iffy right now, but don’t focus on that. Focus on what you can do something about and what God gives you in each moment. #memesplanation #inchrist #thanksgiving #joy #prayer #Bible #God #Jesus #spiritualityntech #TechFreedom

In the human body there are many parts and organs, each with a unique function.And so it is in the body of Christ. For though we are many, we’ve all been mingled into one body in Christ. This means that we are all vitally joined to one another, with each contributing to the others. Romans 12:4-6 In Christ, we are one body. He is our head, but we are His body. We embody (or should embody) Him, His reign, His life, on earth. We each have select functions in the Body, and need to remember that every pain point or point of joy which affects one part of the body affects the rest of us as well. Just as when your feet hurt or you are hungry, your brain struggles to function at its peak performance. The same principle holds true for those of us who are in the Body of Christ. #memesplanation #inChrist #bodyofchrist #weareone #Bible #embodiment #spiritualityntech #TechFreedom

I am always thankful to my God as I remember you in my prayersbecause I’m hearing reports about your faith in the Lord Jesus and how much love you have for all his holy followers.I pray for you that the faith we sharemay effectively deepen your understanding of every good thing that belongs to you in Christ. Philemon 1:4-6 This series is about unpacking some of these good things which belong to us In Christ. Stay in a place of thanksgiving and worship, always. Keep your eyes locked on the Good, on the things God is giving you now which benefit you now, and down the road. Be grateful that God is giving you more time here to become more like Jesus. As Paul says elsewhere, “To live in the body is Christ, to die is gain”. #memesplanation #perspective #inchrist #everygoodthing #yours #gratitude #thankfulness #Bible #spiritualityntech #TechFreedom

Father, Thank you that we get to slow down today and look at what it means to be In Christ. As we review the Pauline passages from the last week, I ask that you would inhabit us and help us to take this truth deep into our souls. Thank you, Jesus, that we get to be in you, that we get to grow into union with you. Amen On Monday, we looked at 1 Thessalonians 5:16-8, where we learned that in Christ, joy can be our continual feast. How can we do this? It is God’s plan for us to be thankful in all situations, in Christ Jesus. That takes a pretty major attitude shift, doesn’t it? We’ve been so programmed to sit around and whine and focus on the negative stuff happening around us that the thought of being thankful is alien to us, but that is what God desires from us who are in Christ. On Wednesday, we saw Paul expressing how he is thankful whenever he thinks about Philemon and how Philemon loves the Body of Christ. I think this is Paul showing how to do what we talked about on Monday, that is, even when he is having a hard time, he finds reasons to be thankful to God, and lives in that reality, rather than focusing on the adverse conditions he faces in his own life and ministry. If we can master this, and be thankful for the smallest things on a regular basis, our lives will start to at least seem, if not actually become better. I can attest to this. Years ago, I was a very angry person because I hadn’t shifted my thinking and perceptions over to this reality, then I started to grab the Truth of who I am in Christ, and focus more on the good things that I do have and that I do receive in Him, and the anger and frustration started to melt away. Simple shifts that are so key, but not always easy to make, but with His help, we can make them. On Friday, we took time to remind ourselves of the fact that we are one in the body of Christ. This line of thinking is often lost or missed in the ultra-individualistic West, as it strikes us as too collectivist or socialistic, and as though we would not have enough say in our own individual lives if we admitted to ourselves that we are interdependent on one another, and that in Christ, we need to function as a single human body. When was the last time you functioned at full capacity when you had a raging headache or a sore back? Would it work for your whole body to somehow be an eyeball or a brain? No, of course not, we each need every part of our bodies to be whole and to work in concert with one another in order to function as intended by God. This interdependence of being is the key to why in Jerusalem in the time of Acts, the ekklesia was able to hold all things in common (except for Ananias and Saphira, apparently, who missed the memo). When one body part hurts, we all hurt. When one is successful, we all can rejoice with them. This kind of interconnectivity and interdependence needs to be revived among Jesus followers. So, to wrap this last week up with a nice little bow, I sense the Lord encouraging us to re-focus on what matters and what is actually real. The mercy of God is real, His grace, in Christ, is real. These things ought to enable us to live in a continual joy feast due to a mindset of gratitude and thankfulness to God, rather than focusing on temporal hardships and perceived deprivations that we face, and allowing those things to keep us isolated, rather than participating fully in the mystery of the Body of Christ. When we all (individually and as a community) shift into that place of thankfulness and realizing that we are truly one in Christ, then we will stop sniping at one another and seek to help one another, to truly love one another in Christ. How, if we are truly in Christ, and that reality has formed us, can we do anything but love other members of the body?

Ephesians 1:7-10 Since we are now joined to Christ, we have been given the treasures of redemption by his blood—the total cancellationof our sins—all because of the cascading richesof his grace.Thissuperabundantgrace is already powerfully working in us,releasing all forms of wisdom and practical understanding.And through the revelation of the Anointed One, he unveiled his secret desires to us—the hidden mystery of his long-range plan, which he was delighted to implement from the very beginning of time.And because of God’s unfailing purpose, this detailed plan will reign supreme through every period of time until the fulfillment of all the ages finally reaches its climax—when God makes all things newin all of heaven and earth through Jesus Christ. If the grace we have in Jesus is superabundant, and we have the full treasures of our redemption by His blood, and by faith we are In Him, then what does it mean to be In Christ, here? Let’s meditate and pray about that today, and let me know in the comments what you come up with. #memesplanation #inChrist #Jesus #Paul #Ephesians #Bible #Truth #spiritualityntech #TechFreedom

Ephesians 1:11-14 (TPT) Through our union with Christ we too have been claimed by God as his own inheritance. Before we were even born, he gave us our destiny; that we would fulfill the plan of God who always accomplishes every purpose and plan in his heart. God’s purpose was that we Jews, who were the first to long for the messianic hope, would be the first to believe in the Anointed One and bring great praise and glory to God! And because of him, when you who are not Jews heard the revelation of truth, you believed in the wonderful news of salvation. Now we have been stamped with the seal of the promised Holy Spirit. He is given to us like an engagement ring, as the first installment of what’s coming! He is our hope-promise of a future inheritance which seals us until we have all of redemption’s promises and experience complete freedom—all for the supreme glory and honor of God! We are Jesus’ inheritance! Let that sink in today. We are united with Him, and we are why He chose to come and give Himself up. The presence of the Holy Spirit in our lives is the proof that we are being made one with Him, that is our engagement ring, perfect union with Christ is the wedding at the end. That is why heaven has been preparing a feast in our honor at least since the ascension of Jesus. We get to grow into greater and greater union with Him, even here on earth, if we choose to do so. #memesplanation #inChrist #Jesus #Paul #Ephesians #Bible #Truth #spiritualityntech #TechFreedom

Ephesians 2: 7-10 Throughout the coming ages we will be the visible display of the infinite riches of his grace and kindness, which was showered upon us in Jesus Christ. For by grace you have been saved by faith. Nothing you did could ever earn this salvation, for it was the love gift from God that brought us to Christ! So no one will ever be able to boast, for salvation is never a reward for good works or human striving. We have become his poetry, a re-created people that will fulfill the destiny he has given each of us, for we are joined to Jesus, the Anointed One. Even before we were born, God planned in advance our destiny and the good works we would do to fulfill it! We get showered in God’s infinite riches through all eternity because we are in Christ. We, because we are in Christ, get to fulfill the destiny that God set for us from before there was time. We get to join in and partner with Jesus and the Father to bring about the Kingdom of God here on earth. We get to walk out all the good works that Papa set up for us, because we are in Jesus. Let that truth sink in, today. What impact does this have on you? Let me know in the comments. #memesplanation #inChrist #Jesus #Paul #Bible #Ephesians #Truth #spiritualityntech #TechFreedom

Father, As we continue this series on what it means to be in Christ, guide us to truth with the help of the Holy Spirit. Jesus, come and be made manifest to us, that we might see you in one another and in more real ways, in the midst of our own lives. Jesus, be made more real as we learn what it is to be in you. Holy Spirit, come and seal the work as it is done that not one shred could be taken from us. Amen This week we looked at a few passages from Paul’s letter to the Ephesians, chapter 1:7-14 and 2:7-10. From the section we looked at in chapter 1, we learned that since we are in Christ, we get the superabundant grace of God poured on us, that not only are we saved, but we get revelation, wisdom, and practical understanding of how to live better. Not only that, but we also become God’s inheritance in Christ. We get to become one with Him, and He gets to become one with us. Wow. Read that last sentence again. Not only do we get the benefits of becoming one with Him, but God sees it as a net benefit to welcome as many of the pieces of Himself that he put into the world in us as possible, back into Himself. That means you, that means me. We each have a piece of God in us, in the form of the image of God, however we are supposed to understand that reality. Why does it feel like coming home when we finally submit to Him? Why does it feel like home when we spend time in His presence? Could it be that the image of God in us yearns to find completion in Him in those moments, and in those moments, we are most complete? I believe that that is the case. So, in light of that, we are most complete when we are in Christ. One way that that gets played out is that we don’t fully realize our potential until we surrender to Him. That is seen more clearly in the famous passage from chapter 2 which we looked at on Friday. Ephesians 2:7-10 is a famous and powerful passage about the nature of salvation, but not only a picture of salvation from something but unto good works, lined up for us to complete from before time existed. I can’t look at verse 10 without hearing Keith Green’s classic “If You Love the Lord” in my head. But I digress. The gift is Jesus’ faithfulness toward the Father on our behalf. That is what saves us. It is nothing we do, though it is incumbent on us to respond and submit to His will for us. That is our part. It is not about works or no works, it is about living in the faith of Christ. That preposition makes all the difference, doesn’t it. His faith for us toward the Father makes it possible for us to be one with Him and to do the amazing works that He designed for us and designed us for doing. Let that reality sink in. Let His faith fill you, empowering you to live out His will for you, enabling you to partner with Him to accomplish His designs in His world. After all, you are one with Him in Christ. That is heavy and may blow your mind. Let it. This is the intended nature of life, walking stride for stride with God to bring about the renewal of all things.

Galatians 3:26-8 You have all become true children of God by faith in Jesus Christ! Faith immersed you into Christ, and now you are covered and clothed with his life. And we no longer see each other in our former state—Jew or non-Jew, rich or poor, male or female—because we’re all one through our union with Jesus Christ. In Christ, the old hatreds and divisions are meaningless. We are one In Him. That is why we can operate (in our best moments) as a single unit who hurts when one member hurts, rejoices when one member succeeds in life, and the like. How often do we do that, even within individual congregations, though, much less across national and regional boundaries? This was part of what made the Ekklesia so powerfully counter-cultural early on. #memesplanation #inChrist #Jesus #Paul #Galatians #Bible #unity #onebody #Truth #spiritualityntech #TechFreedom

Romans 8:1-3 So now the case is closed. There remains no accusing voice of condemnation against those who are joined in life-union with Jesus, the Anointed One. For the “law” of the Spirit of life flowing through the anointing of Jesus has liberated us from the “law” of sin and death. For God achieved what the law was unable to accomplish, because the law was limited by the weakness of human nature. In Christ, we no longer stand condemned by our sin. Condemnation only finds its mark in those who have not been forgiven and clothed in Christ. I can see, from verses like this, where the academic theologians of 1000 years ago could get the idea that God needed to somehow trick Himself, but that is not the whole story. We become clothed in Christ, then we have the opportunity to become like then become united with Him. That is the core of what it is to be in Christ. What do you guys think about this? #memesplanation #inChrist #Jesus #Paul #Romans #Bible #Truth #spiritualityntech #TechFreedom

Galatians 2:20 My old identity has been co-crucified with Christ and no longer lives. And now the essence of this new life is no longer mine, for the Anointed One lives his life through me—we live in union as one! My new life is empowered by the faith of the Son of God who loves me so much that he gave himself for me, dispensing his life into mine! SO GOOD! Whatever you were before you submitted to the Lord, you are no longer defined by. Whether that be something as relatively innocuous as smoking, or something as destructive as choosing to mutilate your body to match a lie you believed about yourself. None of that matters, in Christ. That old identity, that old person with its foibles and bondage to sin through pride is dead. You are new, in Christ. That is the gospel, and why Paul could say in Monday’s passage that in Christ, there is now no longer Jew + Gentile, Slave + free, Male + Female, but we are all united and reconciled in Him. #memesplanation #inChrist #identity #Jesus #Paul #Galatians #Truth #Bible #spiritualityntech #TechFreedom

Father, As we wrap up this series, I ask that you would sear the truths that we’ve learned or been reminded of into our hearts and minds. Holy Spirit, help us to apply these truths well. Jesus, come and be with us and help us to experience the truth of these passages. Amen. This series could go on and on, but I sense that it is time to move on. This last week, we looked at a couple of passages from Galatians and one from Romans. The Galatians 3 passage that we looked at on Monday blows up ethnic hatred and all other demonically-inspired human divisions which keep us weak and isolated from one another. If we are in Christ, then those things no longer matter at all. We can simply be human, and no longer be concerned with the extra stuff that we have been told matters (tribes, gender, economics, etc). Let God love you through others, and love others through you, no matter how they look or act, because real love will blow up all of the stuff that creates anger and bitterness which spurs people to act out and isolate themselves. It isn’t about homogeneity, it is about taking the tiles which until now had been more or less sequestered with like tiles, and creating a mosaic with all the varied tiles. What new picture can be discerned from this mosaic? The Romans 8 passage we saw on Wednesday reveals that when one is in Christ, the condemnation of the accuser (Satan, the devil) can find nowhere to stick on you. There is no solid accusation that can be lodged against Jesus, therefore, if we are in Him, then none of our own sin has staying power. Sometimes we need to be reminded of this basic truth, though, don’t we? We may experience conviction, but that is the Love of God reaching us when we do things that hurt ourselves, others, or His heart, not condemnation. Let the Lord use your conscience to guide you toward better choices, do not think conflate condemnation with conviction. Conviction always comes with love and hope, where condemnation leaves you feeling weak and hopeless. The Galatians 2 passage we went over on Friday directly addresses the hot-button issue of the day: identity. As a believer, your identity is in Christ. In other words, you become Him. Don’t get me weird, here, that means that all the other behaviors, preferences, and predilections no longer mean what they used to. You are free from those patterns, now. In Christ, you are free. His identity becomes yours, thus when we say that we are Christians or followers of Jesus, those old things pass away. Hyphenated Christianity doesn’t work. You can’t be a gay christian or a christian murderer or a christian drug addict, or any other thing like that. Does that mean that those old patterns will automatically disappear? Not necessarily, it may be a longtime fight, but we are no longer to IDENTIFY with those patterns. We are in Christ, which means that our identity is that we are beloved sons and daughters of the King. No less. No more. That is more than enough, if you ask me. That is the core reality which enabled Paul to make the claims he did about a chapter later, that we are no longer divided by tribe, gender, or economics in the Kingdom of God. Here we are at the end of another 5 week series, everybody. I think I may tackle a study on Ephesians next, a high level survey of one chapter per week, coupled with some choice passages in the memesplanations during the week.