If you are a Christian, you are in Christ (Romans 3:22-24). “In Christ” is used 77 times in the New Testament, 74 times by the Apostle Paul. I think Paul was intent on letting the new Christians know Who their source was.
“Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in Christ with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places, even as He chose us in Him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and blameless before Him.” (Ephesians 1:3-4)
If you want to try an ‘interesting’ experiment, then read Ephesians and in every place that the words – in Him, in Whom – put your name with those words. Example, using my name in those same verses:
“Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed [Carolyn] us in Christ with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places, even as He chose [Carolyn] us in Him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and blameless before Him.” (Ephesians 1:3-4)
Trust me… you will gain a whole new understanding of Who you are and How you are seen by the Father when you add your name. Point: if this is how He sees us, then we need to become who and what we are now. Remember… if isn’t of our own abilities, we didn’t save ourselves (Ephesians 2:8). It’s because of Whose we are and what He did.
What we always need to remember is that where we are spiritually IS in Him. That’s the source of our strength… especially in times of trouble and stress. I believe that this is also our goal, something that we continually grow in. If we don’t realize who we are becoming then how can we ever hope to change the state of where we are? Jesus tells us:
“If the world hates you [and it does], know that it has hated Me before it hated you. If you belonged to the world, the world would love [you as] its own and would treat you with affection. But you are not of the world [you no longer belong to it], but I have chosen you out of the world. And because of this the world hates you. (John 15:18-19, AMP)
…
In the world you have tribulation and distress and suffering, but be courageous [be confident, be undaunted, be filled with joy]; I have overcome the world.” [My conquest is accomplished, My victory abiding.]” (John 16:33, AMP)
This is our place, our state. But in this state we are overcomers! In another verse, this state is confirmed and is emphasized as ‘more than’ (Romans 8:37). We are IN this world, though not OF it (John 15:19). Throughout the New Testament we are given countless scriptures to encourage and reinforce who we are and are becoming when we make Jesus the Lord of our lives.
“For in Him we live and move and exist [that is, in Him we actually have our being], as even some of your own poets have said, ‘For we also are His children.’” (Acts 17:28, AMP)
