Being in Christ

Christians today live in a time of great light. The Holy Spirit has revealed to us the meaning of Jesus’s powerful work on the cross and the incredible blessings of his sacrifice. However, there was a time known as the “dark ages” when Christ’s wonderful work was obscured from the world. 

Most sermons during these dark ages focused on damnation and God’s wrath. The popes and priests preached a gospel of works, and the people performed a variety of deeds to try to find peace with God. They traveled for miles to bow to shrines, knelt in worship before stone icons, repeated long prayers, and clutched prayer beads. All these things only increased their bondage and brought deeper darkness to their souls. 

People knew nothing of the benefits and blessings available through Christ’s victory at Calvary. Even today, with all the teaching available on the subject, most Christians still do not understand many important aspects of Christ’s work for us and what it means to be “in Christ.” 

As a shepherd of the Lord’s flock, I occasionally preach on hell, damnation and the wrath of God. However, I have become increasingly convinced that the only way I can lead God’s people to victorious living is to preach the blessings and benefits of “being in Christ.” 

Being in Christ is the only foundation upon which true holiness and righteousness can be built. Without this foundation, we will rely on our flesh to try to produce a form of holiness in ourselves, yet true holiness is obtained only through knowing the riches of God in Christ Jesus. 

“For the grace of God that brings salvation has appeared to all men, teaching us that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly in the present age, looking for the blessed hope and glorious appearing of our great God and Savior Jesus Christ” (Titus 2:11-12, NKJV).  

Only God’s grace can teach us the kind of theology that leads to holiness, and no works can ever produce that.