New Life “in Christ”

I will never forget how awestruck I was when I watched the birth of our first-born.

She looked absolutely perfect. Her little head and hands and feet looked just like her mom, Fran, only tiny. Her fingernails even seemed manicured. She was God’s miracle of life to us. Think on this. Everything necessary for mature life was present at her birth. This new life was imbedded in the genetic code when the first two cells joined together. This little princess just needed to grow in that life. The visible often mirrors the spiritual, as in this case. New life is the creation of something that never before existed. You are forever different in Christ!

How did you receive this spiritual life?

 

I don’t know the route of your journey as you passed out of darkness into God’s light, life and love. Yet I do know Who was actively working behind the scenes. God is the One who made all this happen. God always reaches out to draw us in. “We love because [God] first loved us” (1 John 4:19) is plastered all over the pages of Scripture. God took the initiative at every turn. We are His because He first set His love on us. Life begins with the assurance of His passion and initiating first-love to pursue us with open arms.

In the beginning, God breathed into Adam and he became a living being (Genesis 2:7). With Adam’s first breath, he looked into the smiling face of God. This relational God still breathes His very own life into us, which makes us fully human. The picture of Jesus as the True Vine and His people as branches in John 15:1-5 aligns with our design as His image-bearers. “Remain” (or abide) in Me and I will abide in you” launches our lives each day. A vine supplies everything a branch rooted in the vine needs for a fruitful life. The New Testament (NT) paints this idea of our life “in Christ.” As a project some time, read Ephesians chapters 1-3 rapidly. How many times do you discover “in Christ” or “in Him” in these three brief chapters? And what do they promise for you as a part of this new life? All this is true the instant you become His.

Romans also teaches that we have been justified “in Christ” —completely forgiven and made righteous. We died with Christ to the penalty of sin. Now we are freed from condemnation and guilt/shame (Rom. 8:1). God the Father, Son and Spirit lovingly involve Himself in every aspect of our lives. We respond to His initiative like in a dance, with Him as Lead Partner. All we are, all we ever hope to be and do, is because we have responded to His initiative. We now experience the outpouring of His mercy and grace (grace = God’s free gift of His action-love to needy people like us). Our only sensible response to such an amazing offer is Romans 12:2, “I give you my full allegiance, Jesus!”

This came from my book, Foundation Stones. I also have a web-site with tools, books and "more than Bible studies" that have helped me to live out of this spiritual DNA, www.JimFredericks.com