I Found Myself In Christ

“7 Whatever things were gain to me, these things I have counted as loss because of Christ. 8 More than that, I count all things to be loss in view of the surpassing value of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and count them mere rubbish, so that I may gain Christ, 9 and may be found in Him, not having a righteousness of my own derived from the Law, but that which is through faith in Christ, the righteousness which comes from God on the basis of faith, 10 that I may know Him and the power of His resurrection and the fellowship of His sufferings, being conformed to His death; 11 if somehow I may attain to the resurrection from the dead.” Philippians 3:7-11 NASB

The world system characterises and categorises people in a huge variety of ways. There are racial categories such as African, Asian, Caucasian, Hispanic, African American, Australian Aboriginal, Melanesian, Polynesian just to name a few. Each racial group has some traits that vary from others, be they in appearance, or other physical and social differences. 

Similarly, there are gender differences. There are two sexes, male and female. Men and women are the same in some ways but very different in others. Women are much more centred on relationships, men tend to think more in terms of ‘things’ and measurements. Women tend to grow up mentally and emotionally in their early 20’s, men … well I’ll let you know when it happens.

Then there are social and economic groupings that categorise by education, occupation and income. 

However, God does not categorise people into these types. As far as God is concerned, there are two kinds of people, those who are ‘In Adam’ (the old man) and those who are ‘In Christ’ (the New Creation).

“For if, because of one man's trespass, death reigned through that one man, much more will those who receive the abundance of grace and the free gift of righteousness reign in life through the one man Jesus Christ.” Romans 5:17 ESV 

“for in Christ Jesus you are all sons of God, through faith. For as many of you as were baptised into Christ have put on Christ. There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free, there is no male and female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus.” Galatians 3:26-28 ESV

Those who are ‘In Adam’ have the spiritual nature of Adam. Those who are ‘In Christ’ have the same spiritual nature as Christ. In the same way that Adam’s spiritual and physical straights, both strengths and flaws were passed onto us, when we were Born Again, as part of our New Creation, we inherited the spiritual traits of our risen Saviour- Jesus Christ.

In the last chapter we looked mostly at righteousness, but righteousness is only one spiritual trait we received when we were Born Again. 

In Him Scriptures

 Every Christian should read through the New Testament, especially the Epistles because the Epistles were written to us. Highlight, study and meditate on each occasion you read the expressions "in Christ," "in Him," "in Whom," and "through whom," etc. These are the spiritual traits, rights and privileges that belong to us- NOW! When you find these Christian, make a special note, either on the side of your Bible or in a notebook and write; “This is who I am, I am …..”. 

By meditating on and confessing these “In Him’ scriptures, they will begin to become a living reality in your life. The Bible is a legal document. These In Him realities have been purchased for you by the Blood of Jesus. They are yours to believe and receive.

Here are some you can start with:

i. II CORINTHIANS 5:17 17 Therefore if any man is IN CHRIST, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things have become new. 

Confession: I am a new creature in Christ Jesus. I am a new creation being ... with the Life of God ... the nature of God ... and the ability of God within me. 

ii. EPHESIANS 2:10: For we are his workmanship, created IN CHRIST Jesus . . . 

Confession: I am His workmanship. He made me a new creation. 

iii. ROMANS 8:1: There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are IN CHRIST JESUS ... 

Confession: Because I am in Christ Jesus, RIGHT NOW, present tense, there is no sense of condemnation about me. 

iv. I CORINTHIANS 1:30 But of him are ye IN CHRIST JESUS, who of God is made unto us wisdom and righteousness, and sanctification, and redemption: 

Confession: Christ Jesus, my Lord, is my wisdom. He is my righteousness. He is my sanctification. He is my redemption. 

The following are just some examples of scripture you can meditate on and claim as your new birth rite!

IN CHRIST: Romans 3:24 Romans 8:1 Romans 8:2 Romans 12:5 1 Cor. 1:2 1 Cor. 1:30 1 Cor. 15:22 2 Cor. 1:21 2 Cor. 2:14 2 Cor. 3:14 2 Cor. 5:17 2 Cor. 5:19 Gal. 2:4 Gal. 3:26 Gal. 3:28 Gal. 5:6 Gal. 6:15 Eph. 1:3 Eph. 1:10 Eph. 2:6 Eph. 2:10 Eph. 2:13 Eph. 3:6 Phil. 3:13, 14 Col. 1:28 1 Thess. 4:16 1 Thess. 5:18 1 Tim. 1:14 2 Tim. 1:9 2 Tim. 1:13 2 Tim. 2:1 2 Tim. 2:10 2 Tim. 3:15 Phile. 1:6 2 Peter 1:8 2 John 1:9 

IN HIM: Acts 17:28 John 1:4 John 3:15, 16 2 Cor. 1:20 2 Cor. 5:21 Eph. 1:4 Eph. 1:10 Phil. 3:9 Eph. 1:6 Eph. 5:8 Eph. 1:7 Eph. 1:11 Eph. 1:13 Romans 3:22 Romans 5:15 Romans 5:17-19 Romans 7:4 1 Cor. 1:4 Col. 2:6 Col. 2:7 Col. 2:10 1 John 2:5 1 John 2:6 1 John 2:8 1 John 2:27 1 John 2:28 

IN WHOM: Eph. 2:21 Eph. 2:22 Eph. 3:12 Eph. 1:7 Eph. 1:11 Eph. 1:13 Col. 1:14 Col. 2:3 Col. 2:111 Peter 1:8 

BY CHRIST =: 2 Cor. 5:18 Gal. 2:16 Eph. 1:5 Phil. 1:11 1 John 3:3 1 John 3:5 1 John 3:6 1 John 3:24 1 John 4:13 1 John 5:14,15 1 John 5:20 Col. 1:14 Col. 2:3 Col. 2:11 1 Peter 1:8 Phil. 4:19 1 Peter 1:3 1 Peter 2:5 1 Peter 5:10 1 Cor. 1:5 1 Cor. 8:6 Col. 1:16 Heb. 1:3 Heb. 9:11, 12 Heb. 9:14, 15 Romans 5:2 Eph. 4:16 2 Cor. 2:15 Phil. 3:12 1 John 1:5 

THROUGH CHRIST: Heb. 7:25 Heb. 13:15 1 Peter 1:21 Romans 5:1 1 Cor. 15:57 Phil. 4:6, 7 1 John 1:7 Gal. 6:14 Col. 3:24 Romans 5:11 Romans 6:11 Romans 6:23 Gal. 3:13-14 Gal. 4:7 Eph. 2:7 

The One Condition

Like all legal covenants, there are conditions attached. A convent can be annulled or set aside. Our New Covenant, with its ‘In Him’ realities, would not, and cannot be set aside by God, because He has already fulfilled His side of the bargain, through Jesus Christ.

Christ was sacrificed once to take away the sins of many; and he will appear a second time, not to bear sin, but to bring salvation to those who are waiting for him.

Hebrews 9:24-28 NIV

If we are faithless, He remains faithful, for he cannot disown himself. 2 Timothy 2:13 NIV

God’s part of the Covenant has been fulfilled. Our part is up to us. Look back at the scripture printed at the beginning of this chapter. In it Paul speaks of what he must do if “he may gain Christ, and may be found in Him… that I may know Him and the power of His resurrection”. Re-read Philippians 3:7-11 carefully.

To gain our new “In Him” realities, we have to lay aside any claim that we have to self-righteousness. We are either ‘In Christ” or we are living by our own righteousness, as though we were still “In Adam”

In Philippians 3, Paul says, “whatever things were gain to me, I count as loss” (vs7) and “I have suffered the loss of all things” (vs 8), and “I count them as rubbish” (vs 8), and “forgetting what lies behind” (vs13). To find ourselves “In Christ”, we relinquish any claim to self-righteousness. That means our achievements and our failures, our glories and our goof-ups, our sins and our good works must all be left at the foot of the cross- if we are to share in the power of His resurrection.