Last week we laid the foundation of discussing the fact that when you receive Jesus as your savior, you are considered a son of God. You have been given a new identity of holy and blameless. Today, we are going to look more at this truth.
The Theological Framework
How in the world can we be considered one with Christ by the power of the Holy Spirit? How did this happen? Why do we get to benefit so much?
This is good news, that we are considered sons of God, and that we are invited into fellowship and relationship with God Almighty. We have access to His throne of grace to receive mercy and grace in our time of need.
Did you know that your old sinful self died with Jesus Christ on the cross? All of your sin, transgression and iniquity was paid for on the Christ, and you literally died with Jesus. Why? Because you are in Christ. His death on the cross and payment for the sins of humanity was so incredible, that it blew through time and space, forward and backward into eternity.
Let’s read from Romans chapter 6 about this:
“Do you not know that all of us who have been baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death? We were buried therefore with him by baptism into death, in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, we too might walk in newness of life. For if we have been united with him in a death like his, we shall certainly be united with him in a resurrection like his.
We know that our old self was crucified with him in order that the body of sin might be brought to nothing, so that we would no longer be enslaved to sin. For one who has died has been set free from sin. Now if we have died with Christ, we believe that we will also live with him. We know that Christ, being raised from the dead, will never die again; death no longer has dominion over him. For the death he died he died to sin, once for all, but the life he lives he lives to God. So you also must consider yourselves dead to sin and alive to God in Christ Jesus.” Romans 6:3-11 (ESV)
All of the sin and junk that was attached to you was nailed to the cross. You were buried with Him in that tomb. How is this possible? Because you are in Christ.
You get to benefit from His resurrection. Why? Because you are one in Christ.
You get to be set free from sin. Death no longer has any dominion over you.
You are Dead to Sin
And here’s the punch line: so you must also consider yourself dead to sin and alive to God in Christ Jesus.
Let’s read another one, this time from Colossians chapter 3:
“If then you have been raised with Christ, seek the things that are above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. Set your minds on things that are above, not on things that are on earth. For you have died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God. When Christ who is your life appears, then you also will appear with him in glory.” Colossians 3:1-4 (ESV)
Your old sinful self died, and your new self, your true identity has been raised with Christ. This identity seeks the things that are above, Heavenly things. This true identity in Christ sets its mind on thinking how God thinks.
And you are hidden with Christ in God. Again, we see how you are one with and in Christ by the power of the Holy Spirit.
The last verse is probably better translated this way: “Whenever Christ who is your life appears, then you also appear with him in glory.”
When Jesus shows up, you also show up. Why? Because you are His body. You are part of the body of Christ. When Jesus appears, you are there too, because you are one with Him.
When you go to the store or a restaurant or wherever you go, Jesus is there with you. Why? Because you are in Him and He is in you.
And as you allow Jesus more and more lordship over your entire life, your life will start to look more and more like the life of Jesus. You will get to experience the things that He experienced. Some of these things are being identified in the sufferings of Jesus. Like when the religious leaders came against Him and spoke lies about Him. That could happen to you. But it’s because it happened to Him first, and you are counted worthy to experience this same thing.
Other things are related to glory. Jesus experienced favor with both God and man. You get to experience that. He experienced miracles, saw demons cast out, healed so many sick people, heard the audible voice of God, had angels minister to Him, and revealed who God really is to other people through teaching, preaching and prayer.
These are also things you get to share in. Because He imparts to you His glory. Why? Because you are one in Christ by the power of the Holy Spirit.
The Revelation of Jesus Christ
In the book of Revelation, which, let me remind you, is the Revelation of Jesus Christ, not the revelation of the antiChrist. We read about John’s vision of Jesus in Heaven.
“I was in the Spirit on the Lord’s day, and I heard behind me a loud voice like a trumpet … Then I turned to see the voice that was speaking to me, and on turning I saw seven golden lampstands, and in the midst of the lampstands one like a son of man, clothed with a long robe and with a golden sash around his chest. The hairs of his head were white, like white wool, like snow. His eyes were like a flame of fire, his feet were like burnished bronze, refined in a furnace, and his voice was like the roar of many waters. In his right hand he held seven stars, from his mouth came a sharp two-edged sword, and his face was like the sun shining in full strength.” Revelation 1:10, 12-16 (ESV)
Let’s look at the descriptors of Jesus, and identify with each of those, because we are the body of Christ. We are One with Him.
- Clothed with a long robe
- We learn that the church is clothed in spotless robes, which represent the good and righteous deeds of the church (Rev. 19:8)
- Golden sash around his chest
- To me, this represents Kingship. The church is made up of kings and priests (Rev. 1:6)
- Hair is white like wool or snow
- White represents purity. The church is made pure by the blood of Jesus. (Isaiah 1:18)
- Eyes are like a flame of fire
- The church had flames of fire over their heads when the Holy Spirit came upon them in Acts 2
- Feet like burnished bronze, refined in a furnace
- In the spiritual armor listed in Ephesians 6, the feet are fitted with the readiness that comes with the gospel of peace. These are evangelists. And how many in the church have been refined in the furnace of affliction? I know I have!
- Voice like the roar of many waters
- The voice of Jesus is made up of many different voices. The Church has a lot of different voices, and many times the waters represent a large number of people.
- Seven stars in his hand
- The stars represent the angels or messengers of the churches.
- Sharp two-edge word coming out of His mouth
- Hebrews 4:12 says the word of God is living and active, sharper than any two-edged sword, with the ability to divide between body, soul, and spirit, and determining thoughts and intentions. Jesus has gifted many people in the church with the ability to speak His word and discern thoughts and intentions.
- Face shining like the sun at full strength
- This reminds me of the transfiguration. Remember, Peter, James, and John were there as well as Moses and Elijah, all witnesses to Jesus lighting up. He is the light of the world. But then He also says that we are the light of the world in Matthew 5:14.
A revelation of Jesus Christ is also a revelation of you. The more you realize who He is, the more you realize who you are. These things go hand in hand. Why is that? Because you are one in Christ by the power of the Holy Spirit.
Open Your Heart to Him
So what’s left to do in light of this amazing revelation?
Open your heart to Him. Maybe you’ve done this a thousand times or just one time. Do it again.
Allow Jesus to inspect the garden soil of your heart. Allow Him to bust up the hard ground. Give Him permission to help you get rid of the rocks that prevent deep roots. Allow Him to pull the weeds that choke out the word. Allow Him to work the soil of your heart ground in order to grow amazing and healthy spiritual plants.
Give Jesus full access to your soul. Don’t hold anything back from Him. Don’t hold on to anger or unforgiveness or bitterness. Give it all to Him.
Don’t try to protect yourself from Him. You don’t have to be afraid of Him.
Remember when Adam and Eve hid from God after they sinned the first time? What did God do? Did He change His behaviors and come in all angry, ready to destroy them? No! Absolutely not!
He came the same way He had come so many time before, walking in the spirit of the evening, ready to have relationship with them.
And then He took care of them. He sacrificed an innocent animal in order to clothe them, instituting the type of sacrifice that He Himself would eventually perform for all of humanity.
God is not interested in destroying you. He is interested in loving you. God wants to have a fantastic relationship with you. He wants to hear what’s on your heart and what’s on your mind. God wants to work in your life and show you how much He loves you. He wants to work out the tiniest of details in your life to show you that nothing is too small for Him to care about.
The Word says in 1 John 4 that God’s perfect love casts out all fear. We need to realize that God’s love is so powerful and so amazing, that it drives out the fear that separates us from Him in our own minds.
We are not separate from God. In fact, there is no distance and separation between you and God.
You are one in Christ by the power of the Holy Spirit.
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