Christ in You / You in Christ, Part 2

Last week I wrote that we already exist with God in a relationship of love and grace through the incarnation (coming to us and taking on our flesh) of Jesus as our Savior. That’s a fact, but our perspective matters: for example, I’ve noticed when I go to the beach, the ocean looks “below me” from the parking lot. By the time I get to the water’s edge, it seems to be much higher, almost like a giant wave waiting to hit the beach. Nothing has changed except my perspective. Just the same, my way of understanding that I am “united with Christ” makes an enormous difference in how I live every day.

Paul had a direct experience of the risen Jesus Christ on his way to Damascus (Acts 9:1-9). But for some of us, our conversion experience wasn’t quite that dramatic — “coming to believe” was gradual, so our perspective of the difference is less striking. Regardless how we came to believe, Paul assures all believers that we will have "an eternal body made for us by God himself” and "as a guarantee, he has given us his Holy Spirit” (2 Cor. 5:1,5). The Spirit himself is also the presence of God in us, “who will never leave [us]” (John 14:16). If you’re reading these words and you believe in Jesus, you have already received the Spirit (Gal. 3:2, Eph. 1:13).

Here are more reminders: The truth is, I am united with Christ (Phil. 2:1). The truth is, I am in Christ and Christ is in me (John 14:20). The truth is, God the Father loves me just like he loves his Son (John 17:23). The truth is, I already have everything I need for life and godly living (2 Pet. 2:13). The truth is, I already have every spiritual blessing (Eph. 1:3). The truth is, I am a citizen of heaven, no matter where I may live on earth (Phil. 3:20). The truth is, you and I are loved, accepted, and drawn into the very life of God because of Jesus’ work, and by the Holy Spirit who lives in us.

All of this is true, but my perspective can change my day. If I ask the Holy Spirit to keep all this truth in my mind, consciously and continually, as the definition of who I am, then the Spirit's presence, love and power is overwhelming, like the ocean appears when I sit at the water’s edge, and Jesus works freely in me to do his will. But if my self-image is that I am a messed-up, sinful person, or that I am always struggling and never succeeding, or that if I don’t work harder I will fail, then unconsciously I’m relying on my own strength, and I do fail. (And to be honest, some day’s it’s the first, and some days it’s the second.) And in our union with Christ, every day is a new day; every day we come to see Christ-in-us better; and every day Christ-in-us grows stronger, as we surrender to the perspective of the Holy Spirit who lives in us.

More next time.