What does it mean to be "In Christ?" Pt. 10 Love, Faith & Victory in Christ
Good morning everyone and may this post find each one of us happily reflecting on all that we have in Christ. It is Christmas Eve and I hope that you have completed your preparations for celebrating the birth of Jesus Christ.
Have a safe and blessed holy day with your loved ones and families.
Christian love among believers in Christ.
1 Corinthians 16:24 My love be with you all in Christ Jesus. Amen. The first epistle to the Corinthians was written from Philippi by Stephanas and Fortunatus and Achaicus and Timotheus.
Paul closed out his first letter to the church at Corinth and we read a clear expression of deep, genuine Christian love that the apostle had for that church. Every born again Christian enjoys the love of God shed abroad in their hearts by the Spirit of God and this is what comes out of Paul for them.
It is a love that is long-suffering with immature believers. It is a selfless love that labored ceaselessly to help them understand apostolic doctrines. It is a love willing to endure hardship and reproach in their place if it advances the gospel of Christ. In short, Paul is expressing the "agape" love of God that the Spirit put in his heart.
Resolute faith in Christ
2 Corinthians 1:21 Now he which stablisheth us with you in Christ, and hath anointed us, is God;
The word "stablisheth" is a word that means to make firm, to anchor or to make something into a permanently settled state. It also means to stabilize and confirm. The word confirm means to add strength to someone.
The word "resolute" means having a firmly fixed, determined and steady purpose. This is part of all that Jesus has done for those who are born again and are safely "in Christ." He has done a work to save us. He is doing a work to keep us secure and cleansed daily. He is going to keep all His promises for eternity.
Victory is granted in Christ.
2 Corinthians 2:14 Now thanks be unto God, which always causeth us to triumph in Christ, and maketh manifest the savour of his knowledge by us in every place.
The phrase "causeth us to triumph" means Christ causes us to triumph at all times. In time of adversity or peace and times of joy or sorrow, those "in Christ" will triumph through His power and according to His purpose.
Philippians 4:13 I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me.
The words "can do" mean to have force enough to prevail. The word "strengtheneth" means receiving and increasing in strength.
1 Corinthians 15:54-57 So when this corruptible shall have put on incorruption, and this mortal shall have put on immortality, then shall be brought to pass the saying that is written, Death is swallowed up in victory. 55 O death, where is thy sting? O grave, where is thy victory? 56 The sting of death is sin; and the strength of sin is the law. 57 But thanks be to God, which giveth us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.
The word victory in this passage means to utterly vanquish or defeat. Jesus Christ lives forever and can save to the uttermost all who place their faith and trust in Christ.
1 John 5:4-5 For whatsoever is born of God overcometh the world: and this is the victory that overcometh the world, even our faith. 5 Who is he that overcometh the world, but he that believeth that Jesus is the Son of God?
The apostle John writing near the end of the first century reminds us that all believers born again by the Spirit of God have positionally overcome the world. There is nothing the world can do to diminish us as children of God or to ruin the blessings that we have been given by Christ. It is all of faith and belief in the Son of God.
All victories in the life we live and those we will enjoy eternally come from the victory of Jesus Christ over death, hell, the grave, and the devil. Therefore, all glory, praise, and honor that we can give is rightfully due to our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.
Points to Ponder....
Have a safe and blessed holy day with your loved ones and families.
Christian love among believers in Christ.
1 Corinthians 16:24 My love be with you all in Christ Jesus. Amen. The first epistle to the Corinthians was written from Philippi by Stephanas and Fortunatus and Achaicus and Timotheus.
Paul closed out his first letter to the church at Corinth and we read a clear expression of deep, genuine Christian love that the apostle had for that church. Every born again Christian enjoys the love of God shed abroad in their hearts by the Spirit of God and this is what comes out of Paul for them.
It is a love that is long-suffering with immature believers. It is a selfless love that labored ceaselessly to help them understand apostolic doctrines. It is a love willing to endure hardship and reproach in their place if it advances the gospel of Christ. In short, Paul is expressing the "agape" love of God that the Spirit put in his heart.
Resolute faith in Christ
2 Corinthians 1:21 Now he which stablisheth us with you in Christ, and hath anointed us, is God;
The word "stablisheth" is a word that means to make firm, to anchor or to make something into a permanently settled state. It also means to stabilize and confirm. The word confirm means to add strength to someone.
The word "resolute" means having a firmly fixed, determined and steady purpose. This is part of all that Jesus has done for those who are born again and are safely "in Christ." He has done a work to save us. He is doing a work to keep us secure and cleansed daily. He is going to keep all His promises for eternity.
Victory is granted in Christ.
2 Corinthians 2:14 Now thanks be unto God, which always causeth us to triumph in Christ, and maketh manifest the savour of his knowledge by us in every place.
The phrase "causeth us to triumph" means Christ causes us to triumph at all times. In time of adversity or peace and times of joy or sorrow, those "in Christ" will triumph through His power and according to His purpose.
Philippians 4:13 I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me.
The words "can do" mean to have force enough to prevail. The word "strengtheneth" means receiving and increasing in strength.
1 Corinthians 15:54-57 So when this corruptible shall have put on incorruption, and this mortal shall have put on immortality, then shall be brought to pass the saying that is written, Death is swallowed up in victory. 55 O death, where is thy sting? O grave, where is thy victory? 56 The sting of death is sin; and the strength of sin is the law. 57 But thanks be to God, which giveth us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.
The word victory in this passage means to utterly vanquish or defeat. Jesus Christ lives forever and can save to the uttermost all who place their faith and trust in Christ.
1 John 5:4-5 For whatsoever is born of God overcometh the world: and this is the victory that overcometh the world, even our faith. 5 Who is he that overcometh the world, but he that believeth that Jesus is the Son of God?
The apostle John writing near the end of the first century reminds us that all believers born again by the Spirit of God have positionally overcome the world. There is nothing the world can do to diminish us as children of God or to ruin the blessings that we have been given by Christ. It is all of faith and belief in the Son of God.
All victories in the life we live and those we will enjoy eternally come from the victory of Jesus Christ over death, hell, the grave, and the devil. Therefore, all glory, praise, and honor that we can give is rightfully due to our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.
Points to Ponder....
- We find the love of God toward man in Christ.
- We find love from God that flows through us to other believers in Christ.
- We find love to see sinners through the eyes of our God, in Christ.
- We find love from God that compels us to tell the lost about their need of salvation.
- Faith and trust in Christ leads us to victorious living in this life and to ultimate eternal victory when we are absent from our body and present with the Lord.
May this Christmas season find us all filled with gratitude for all the Father did for us in Jesus Christ, His Son.
Bob
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