IN CHRIST JESUS - PART 2

FRIDAY 09 JUNE 2023

"Believing in Christ Jesus and accepting His Lordship" means making the reality of the fatherhood of God available as a living power in your life. His active presence will be revealed and made manifest in your life because Christ now dwells in your heart by faith. More below!

Reference: Galatians 3:26 New International Version (NIV) "So in Christ Jesus you are all children of God through faith."

Being in Christ is not a result of natural birth. Why? Humans can reproduce only human life, but the Holy Spirit gives birth to spiritual life (John 3:6 NLT). In other words, the Holy Spirit, who is the Spirit of God, expresses the fatherhood of God in those who are in Christ. By our natural birth, we were born according to the flesh, which denotes that every human that came into this world is a natural man because they have natural parents.

This is the reason Jesus emphasized the need for being born again by accentuating and intensifying it as He addressed Nicodemus' concerns. "How can someone be born when they are old?" Nicodemus asked. "Surely they cannot enter a second time into their mother's womb to be born!"? Jesus answered, "Very truly I tell you, no one can enter the kingdom of God unless they are born of water and the Spirit. Flesh gives birth to flesh, but the Spirit gives birth to spirit. You should not be surprised at my saying, 'You must be born again'" (John 3:4-6 NIV).

Beloved, you must be born again, in order to exist in Christ. More so, only "In Christ" is found the newness of life. Zero wonder the Bible says, "Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come: The old has gone, the new is here!" Everyone who has received Christ as Saviour and Lord has become a new creation. He or she begins to walk in the newness of life because of the manifestation of Christ's granted righteousness. To that effect, Philippians 3:9 (KJV) says, "And be found in Him, not having mine own righteousness, which is of the law, but that which is through the faith of Christ, the righteousness which is of God by faith:"

To be found in Christ is to have the righteousness of God, which is of faith. This righteousness empowers you to live in Christ. And that's what the glorious gospel is all about. Romans 1:17 (NLT) reads, "This Good News tells us how God makes us right in His sight. This is accomplished from start to finish by faith. As the Scriptures say, 'It is through faith that a righteous person has life.'" Indeed the righteousness of God is revealed in our lives as we live by faith in Christ Jesus.

While discussing the spiritual fullness in Christ, apostle Paul noted, "So then, just as you received Christ Jesus as Lord, continue to live your lives in Him, rooted and built up in Him, strengthened in the faith as you were taught, and overflowing with thankfulness" (Colossians 2:6-7 NIV). In other words, it's not just enough to receive Christ, you must remain steadfast in your faith walk, so you can be rooted and built up in Him.

If you are already in Christ, it's a thing of joy for me, and here is my sincere prayer: May you always abound in faith and be filled with the fruit of your salvation - the righteous character continually produced in your life by Jesus Christ - for this will bring much glory and praise to God. If not, please endeavour to declare the prayer of salvation which comes with this very article, posted on the website. Shalom!

Scripture Reading - John 1:12; John 3:16-17; John 14:6; Acts 4:12; Romans 10:13.

Guided Prayer: Heavenly Father, I'm grateful for your unconditional love and mercies which you demonstrated on the cross for my sake through Christ Jesus, my Lord. Giving thanks to your Holy name, I acknowledge that the active power of your divine perfections is graciously working in my life, as I manifest your righteousness from faith to faith, in Jesus' Name, Amen.