Our Real Identity - In Christ

Another North Dakota snow picture. I delivered newspapers as a kid in that fine state!!!


In our last post we initiated the mysterious thoughts of being an "image-bearer of the Creator" and being “in Christ.” Lets see if we can understand the mystery more clearly.

I’m a part of my dad who is a part of his dad. If my grandfather had died before my dad was born, I wouldn’t be. I’m of the loins of my father, of his. All the way back to Adam.

Romans 5:12 tells us: When Adam sinned, sin entered the entire human race. His sin spread death throughout all the world, so everything began to grow old and die, for all sinned.
Results of being in Adam: Born with a sin nature – the propensity to go one’s own way rather than God’s.
Romans 3:23 all have sinned; Romans 6:23 wages of sin is death; the ultimate results described as hell. Luke 16:23-4 describes hell as a place of flaming torment.

But there is an option: Scripture tells us that God is not willing that any should perish. God woos man to Himself and John 1:12 says To as many as received Christ, to those He gives the right to be children of God. And as children of God, the book of Ephesians reminds us over and over that we are in Christ and Christ in us. Christian means Christ in one. (Christ in me, I in Christ). A decision is made, to turn from self-directed living to God directed.

Because of this decision, we have eternal life (John 3:16 ... so that anyone who believes in Him (Christ) shall not perish but have eternal life. Eternal - without beginning or end. Out of the line of Adam into the line of Christ. Without end, without beginning. Romans 6:5 describes this eternal life in Christ. “For you have become a part of him and so you died with him, so to speak, when he died, and now you share his new life and shall rise as he did.”

As reborn Christians, we are in the loins of Christ - dying with him, living with him. Scripture describes this phenomenen:
Galatians 2:20 - I am crucified with Christ, Yet I live, not I but Christ lives in me. Romans 6:4 Your old sin-loving nature was buried with him by baptism when he died, and when God the Father, with glorious power, brought him back to life again, you were given his wonderful new life to enjoy.
Colossians 3:1 Since you became alive again, so to speak, when Christ arose from the dead, now set your sights on the rich treasures and joys of heaven where he sits beside God in the place of honor and power.
Ephesians 2:6 And (God) lifted us up from the grave into glory along with Christ, where we sit with him in the heavenly realms - all because of what Christ Jesus did.

These last two verses sound like the person who is so heavenly minded he is no earthly good... sights on heaven - sit with him in the heavenly realms? What does this mean? Let’s examine that in our next post.