PARTAKERS OF CHRIST

FRIDAY 03 DECEMBER 2021

The Bible says that if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. This means that anyone who belongs to Christ is born of the Spirit and therefore is identified as a son in the family of God. The definition of those who belong to the family of God here means that we are a precious people, chosen race and peculiar category, handpicked by God and having strong bonds with Christ because we've received salvation. Furthermore, this means that we've be accepted in the Beloved: loved, cherished, celebrated and treasured by God because we are fully purchased with a sacrificial price, which is the blood of the Lamb.

Reference: Hebrews 3:14 New International Version (NIV) "We have come to share in Christ, if indeed we hold our original conviction firmly to the very end."

To share in Christ is to become partakers of Christ as members of God's family and Kingdom of His dear Son. Members always have great benefits. As members of God's family, we are called to share in all that Christ has made available for us, if only we hold firm our newborn confidence which originally led us to Him until the end.

Remember that this sharing is on the condition or supposition that we hold our original conviction firmly to the very end. That means, the author is not mainly talking about our earthly inheritance in Christ, such as wealth, divine health, protection and sustenance. This is more than just our accessible heritage on earth because the whole point is that we must persevere to the end. When is this end? The Bible says, "This same Jesus, who has been taken from you into heaven, will come back in the same way you have seen him go into heaven" (Acts 1:11 NIV). Simply put, this end is when Jesus comes back for the saints.

Now watch this: If we can only keep our grip on the sure thing we started out with, which is our faith and original conviction, we will continue to partake of Christ, both in the earth realm and the possessions we'll acquire in the world without end. This is the reason the subsequent verses used the account of events that took place while Moses was leading the Israelites out of Egypt as an analogy to quantify the meaning of this end. In a nutshell, because of unbelief, not all the children of Israel who came out of Egypt entered the promised land (Hebrews 3:16 NKJV).

Therefore, today's Scripture is indirectly informing us that a Christian can possibly allow their faith to dwindle over time, if they don't retain the original conviction they had from inception, which was effectuated at the point of receiving the salvation that is in Christ Jesus. Just as our faith in Christ is designed to increase as we grow in the true knowledge of the Word and keep conforming to Christ's image from glory to glory, a Christian's faith can also shrink if they slack or discontinue from building their faith based on the Word and holding firm to Biblical truths and principles.

How can a Christian sustain and protect their faith from dwindling? By looking steadily unto Jesus. Hebrews 12:1-2 says, "Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a huge crowd of witnesses to the life of faith, let us strip off every weight that slows us down, especially the sin that so easily trips us up. And let us run with endurance the race God has set before us. We do this by keeping our eyes on Jesus, the champion who initiates and perfects our faith. Because of the joy awaiting him, he endured the cross, disregarding its shame. Now he is seated in the place of honor beside God's throne" (NLT).

In Revelation 2:6, Jesus said, "But hold fast what you have till I come" (NKJV). Hold fast the profession of your faith without wavering or giving up because we have come to partake of all that Christ has to offer and even more in the world to come. Considering our greater inheritance in Christ, Jesus assures, "To him who overcomes I will give to eat from the tree of life, which is in the midst of the Paradise of God" (Revelation 2:7 NKJV). The tree of life here, is the same tree located at the garden of Eden which we shall consume as partakers of supernatural life.

To overcome is to remain faithful and grounded in faith by holding our original conviction firmly to the very end. There are other precious and superior inheritance such as unlimited hidden manna (imperishable edible) stored and preserved for those who will remain faithful to the end, and also a white stone with a new name which no one will know except the saint who receives it [another day's topic] (see Revelation 2:17 NKJV). Beloved, we have come to share in Christ, if we keep till the end the sure faith we had in the beginning. Shalom!

Scripture Reading - 1 Peter 5:1; Colossians 1:12; 1 Peter 1:1-8; Hebrews 6:4-6; 2 Peter 1:4.

Exuberant Declaration: I'm a partaker of Christ Jesus, the Apostle and High Priest of my confession. I'm a partaker of the Holy Spirit, my indwelling Spirit of truth; I'm a partaker of the divine nature, heavenly calling and precious inheritance. I am born again, not of corruptible seed but incorruptible, through the Word of God which lives and abides forever. Hallelujah!