In Christ: Week 4

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.