What does it mean to be “In Christ”?
One of my favorite verses that always encourages me is Romans 8:1 – “There is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus.”
The Bible often uses the phrase “in Christ”. I did a search and found that the phrase “in Christ” occurs 89 times in the New Testament. That’s a lot! So I think it’s important to know what it means to be “in Christ.”
My understanding of what it means to be “in Christ” is this: If I am in Christ, I receive the benefits of His perfect life just as if I had lived that perfect life myself.
Here are a few verses which illustrate this:
John 17:23 I in them and You in Me, that they may be perfected in unity, so that the world may know that You sent Me, and loved them, even as You have loved Me.
-Because God loves His Son Jesus with His infinite love as a Father, He loves everybody who is "in Christ" with exactly that same love
Eph 2:7 so that in the ages to come He might show the surpassing riches of His grace in kindness toward us in Christ Jesus.
-Because God lavishes His riches of grace and kindness on His perfect Son Jesus, He does the same for us, who are 'in Christ'
2 Cor. 5:19 namely, that God was in Christ reconciling the world to Himself, not counting their trespasses against them, and He has committed to us the word of reconciliation.
-Because Jesus is sinless, God sees me as sinless if I am 'in Christ'
Eph 1:3 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places in Christ,
-Because Jesus owns every spiritual blessing, so do I if I am 'in Christ'
Eph 2:10 For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand so that we would walk in them.
-Because Jesus’ path forever consists of doing the good will of His Father, so does mine. I am on the exact same path since I am in Him.
Praise the Lord!
When God looks at me He doesn’t see my righteousness, He sees Jesus’ righteousness. Because there is no condemnation for Jesus, there is no condemnation for me. Because He is the Son of the Father in Heaven, I am also a son of the Father in Heaven. Because He can have pure unhindered fellowship with the Father, I can have an intimate relationship with the Father. Because He has the Holy Spirit in Him, I have the Holy Spirit in me. Because He rose again and lives forever, I will rise again and live forever. Because He owns every spiritual blessing in Heavenly places, so do I. What a miracle it is to be in Christ!
John 14:19-20 “… because I live, you will live also. In that day you will know that I am in My Father, and you in Me, and I in you”