LIVING WATERS
For the proclamation of the Gospel and the edification of the Body of Christ
Included in Christ (2)
"It is because of him that you are in Christ Jesus, who has become for us wisdom from God - that is, our righteousness, holiness and redemption" (1 Cor. 1:30).
Here we find another aspect, another series of realities, associated with being included in Christ. For, no doubt, this "in" of verse 30 is "within", "included in". And these realities are: wisdom, justification, sanctification and redemption.
These things, usually, we consider them realities or entities valid by themselves, individualizable and nameable. But the curious thing about this verse is that these things are expressions of Christ Himself. They are not separate gifts, but Christ Himself manifested to us to fill our every need. So it is by having Christ -and because we have Christ- that we are wise, righteous, holy and redeemed.
The ineffable gift of God is Christ, and in him are gathered together all those things that we identify as necessary for a sinner who becomes a child of God. We identify them as autonomous entities, but in essence they are part of the glorious reality of Christ.
Yesterday we mentioned that the story of Christ from his death on the cross is our glorious spiritual story; now we are seeing that in Christ, being immersed, included, and clothed in him, we are also all that Scripture says we are, that is, wise, righteous, holy, and redeemed.
And here we have a history with Christ, for with the exception of wisdom (said to the Corinthians, who as good Greeks could boast of it), all these things are part of our own history: justification, sanctification and redemption. Justification goes at the beginning of our career, followed by sanctification and then redemption, for here we are dealing with the redemption of our body, located at the end, at the second coming of the Lord.
Are we living our history with Christ, are we enjoying Christ as wisdom, as righteousness, as sanctification and as redemption? The proclamation, that is, the good news of the gospel, is that we are in Christ all these things, by grace. Paul expresses in other very precious ways the reality of our inclusion in Christ: "For as many of you as were baptized into Christ have clothed yourselves with Christ" (Gal. 3:7). "For ye are dead, and your life is hid with Christ in God" (Col. 3:3). Whether presenting ourselves as clothed with Christ or as hidden in Christ, the reality is the same and equally wonderful.
All that is Christ is our presentation before the Father. Christ is there, at the right hand of the majesty on high, and we in him. Christ and us, an indissoluble reality. The story of Christ from the cross is our story, and the nature of Christ is our nature. Tomorrow our whole character will also be a reflection of Christ himself.