LOOK WHAT I'VE GOT

A STUDY OF THE BLESSINGS OF

CHRIST

BY SHANE SCOTT
Introduction:

When Jesus prayed for unity among His disciples He patterned that unity after the relationship He had with His Father, a relationship He described as the Father being "in Him," and He "in the Father." In other words, Jesus wanted His followers to be as close to one another as He was with His Father. To be "in" someone means that you are in a highly intimate and personal relationship with them. To be "in Christ, " therefore, means that we have been placed in a closely personal relationship with Him.

Now let's look at three passages in the writings of the apostle Paul which speak of specific blessings we enjoy as a result of being "in Christ."

Redemption. Ephesians 1: 7 says, "In Him we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of his grace. " To "redeem" someone is to release them from an obligation or debt they owe. Though His death on the cross Jesus released us from the debt we owed to God, eternity in hell, by washing away our sins which caused that debt.

Salvation. 2 Timothy 2: 10 states, "For this reason I endure all things for the sake of those who are chosen, that they may also obtain the salvation which is in Christ Jesus and with it eternal glory. " Through our relationship with Christ we are saved- -rescued-- from the brink of eternal destruction.

No Condemnation. Romans 8:1 tells us of another blessing "in Christ": "There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus. " As guilty sinners outside of Christ we deserve nothing less than the eternal condemnation of hell because of our sins, but through joining ourselves to Jesus we no longer have to face that awful destiny.

Redemption, salvation, and no condemnation. What great blessings we have "in Christ"! Perhaps Paul sums it up best in Ephesians 1:3: "Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places in Christ."

But perhaps the greatest blessing that comes with being "in Christ" is the sheer fact that we are in a personal relationship with this One who has loved us and continues to love us so much. We do not serve a lord like Buddha, or a god like Baal, who is impersonal and unfeeling. Our Lord knows who we are (Matthew 10:29-31), cares for us (1 Peter 5:7), and sympathizes with us when we suffer (Acts 9:5).

Jesus Christ entered the human drama, experienced the full range of human suffering, and now He stands in heaven as our personal advocate before the Father. By virtue of our response to Him in faith and baptism (Galatians 3:26-27), we are brought into a personal relationship with Him. What a blessing!

"BORN AGAIN"

A second major biblical description of our blessings as Christians is the comparison of our conversion to a rebirth. Jesus used this description while teaching a ruler of the Jews named Nicodemus. "Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God .. unless one is born of the water and the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God" (John 3:3, 5).

Jesus is not the only person to use this metaphor. Three other major writers of the Bible also speak of being "born again."

> Paul. Paul writes, "He saved us, not on the basis of deeds which we have done inrighteousness, but according to His mercy, by the washing of regeneration and renewing by the Holy Spirit" (Titus 3:5). The word "regeneration" literally means "born again." Notice that Paul ties baptism and the work of the Holy Spirit with the new birth just as Jesus did in John 3.

> James. James says it like this: "In the exercise of his will he brought us forth by the word of truth, so that we might be, as it were, the first fruits among His creatures" (James 1:18). In this verse, the phrase "brought us forth" carries the idea of a midwife helping a new baby into the world. Here, James attributes the new birth to the work of God through the "word of truth.

> Peter. Peter speaks of the new birth in this manner: "For you have been born again not of seed which is perishable but imperishable, that is, through the living and abiding word of God"(I Peter 1:23).

Combining these passages, we can see that God causes us to be born again through the word that He has inspired by the Holy Spirit, as we respond to that word in obedience, specifically in baptism.

For Nicodemus, the command to be "born again" was a rebuke of his pride as a Jew in the flesh. He had to become a new person in order to become one of God's children. But for all of us, being "born again " is a tremendous blessing, because it means we can have a fresh start in life.

All of us wish that we could go back in time and have a second chance to avoid certain mistakes that we have made. This is impossible. What God offers us, though, is exactly that: the chance to start all over, to receive a new lease on our spiritual lives. When we are baptized Paul says we are raised to walk in "newness of life" (Romans 6:4). Long ago God promised that He would make a new covenant in which He would forgive our sins and remember them no more (Jeremiah 31:34).

Just think: every lie you have told, every evil thought you have harbored, every greedy craving you have contemplated, God no longer remembers because you have been born again through His grace! You are a new creature (2 Corinthians 5:17).

"RECONCILIATION"

A final term we will study which sheds light on the blessings we have as Christians is "reconciliation. " This word refers to being re-united with someone you were once at odds with.

When I was in college I broke up with a girl I had been dating for several months. Unfortunately, the break-up was not a pleasant one, and despite the fact that I did not want there to be hard feelings, there were. I was practically sick because for the first time in my life I had an enemy. Eventually, through a lot of prayer and some growing up on my part the tension dissolved, and now I am good friends with my "enemy." We are reconciled.

As heart breaking as a romantic squabble can be, nothing can compare to our status before God as sinners. Flatly put, we are His enemies. Through Christ this enmity is removed: "For if while we were enemies, we were reconciled to God through the death of His Son, much more, having been reconciled, we shall be saved by His life" (Romans 5: 10).

Another way of describing our reconciliation is with a much simpler word, 'peace". Trough Christ we have peace on three levels:

Peace with God. As sinners we are rebels, revolting against God Himself. Once saved though, "We have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ " (Romans 5:1).

Peace with ourselves. Sin not only destroys our relationship with God, but it also devastates our inner peace as well. While reflecting on his sin with Bathsheba, David lamented, "For I know my transgressions, and my sin is ever before me" Psalm 51:13).

Peace with others. A casual reading of the early chapters of Genesis reveals that once sin entered the human drama it destroyed peace between men. Soon after the fall of Adam and Eve we read in chapter four of Cain's murder of his brother Abel; by chapter six the world is full of violence; and by chapter eleven the world is thrown into linguistic confusion at the tower of Babel.

On the other hand, once we find peace with God we can enjoy peace with others. Ephesians 2:13-15: "But now it Christ Jesus you who formerly were far off have been brought near by the blood of Christ. For He Himself is our peace, who made both groups into one, and broke down the barrier of the dividing wall, by abolishing in His flesh the Law of commandments contained in ordinances, that in Himself He might make the two into one new man, thus establishing peace."

In this passage Paul shows that though Jews and Gentiles had been enemies for centuries over very fundamental moral differences, through Christ they were united. Christ puts us at peace with others.

CONCLUSION

We have really just skimmed the surface of the New Testament in listing the various blessings of conversion, but these three ideas ("in Christ, " "new birth, " "reconciliation') stand at the heart of what the Bible presents as our cause for happiness as Christians. Think of these blessings often, and they will buoy you when the tempest of trials begins to billow. One more thing: remember that Christ has given these blessings to you and no one can take them away!

QUESTIONS

1. What does the phrase "in Christ" mean?

2. Read Ephesians 1:7; 2 Timothy 2:10; and Romans 8:1. What three blessings are listed in these verses that belong to us "in Christ"?

3. What does it mean to be "born again"?

4. Read I Timothy 1:12-15. Do you think Paul was grateful for his new start in life?

5. What does "reconciliation" mean?

6. Through Christ we can have peace on what three levels?

7. Read Psalm 32:1-5. Describe the lack of inner peace David felt because of his sins.

7/25/97


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Last Updated July 25, 1997 by
Bob Cleek bcleek@niia.net

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