1 Cor. 1:30 “Of God are ye in Christ Jesus, who was made unto us wisdom from God, and righteousness and sanctification, and redemption.”
John 15:1 “My Father is the husbandman.”
“You are in Christ Jesus.” If you are to abide in Christ Jesus, you must be clear about being in Christ. There has to be a daily renewal through faith “I am in Christ Jesus.” There was an additional thought here that Paul wanted us to see: “Of God are you in Christ Jesus.” He wanted us to not just remember our union to Jesus, he wanted us to be certain we know that it is not our own doing. It is the work of God Himself. As the Holy Spirit teaches us to understand this, we will see what a great source of assurance and strength it is to us. Understanding that it is through God only that I am in Christ, then God Himself is my security for all I need or wish in abiding in Christ Jesus.
What this means is that there is a work God does and a work we have to do. God does His work by moving us to do our work. The work of God is hidden and silent; what we do is something distinct and tangible. Conversation and faith, prayer and obedience, are conscious acts; the spiritual quickening and strengthening that come from above are secret and out of human sight. And so it comes that when a believer tries to say “I am in Christ Jesus,” he looks more to the work he did than to the glorious secret work of God by which he was united to Jesus. “I know that I have believed” is a valid testimony. But it is of great importance that we know in our heart that what brought us to turn and believe and accept Jesus, was God’s almighty power doing its work, inspiring our will, taking possession of us, and carrying out its own purpose of love in planting us into Jesus. As you understand the divine side of the work of salvation, you learn to praise and worship with a new joy and jubilance, and to rejoice more than ever in the divinity of salvation.
“Through God I am in Christ Jesus!” This is the Lord’s doing! Glory to God!
Dale
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