2 Corinthians 1:20 “For all of God’s promises have been fulfilled in Christ with a resounding “Yes!” And through Christ, our “Amen” (which means “Yes”) ascends to God for his glory.” NLT
“In Christ Jesus” is a phrase that was made reference to quite a bit in the Old Testament. At that time Christ Jesus was called the coming Messiah but for the people of Israel there was no doubt that the coming of this Messiah was going to change things for them. “In Christ Jesus” gave the people of Israel hope as a people. They all waited longingly for what they would become once their Messiah arrived and they could identify themselves as His subjects and finally get salvation and rest through Him.
However “In Christ Jesus” didn’t come to manifestation until the New Testament times. In the New Testament this phrase went one step further to not only give hope to the people of Israel but to also extend this hope and identity to gentiles who up till that point were totally separated from God and were considered ‘objects of wrath’. In other words where it was formerly impossible for the gentiles to become God’s people because they were excluded in God’s plan when He selected a people for Himself, “in Christ Jesus” made it possible for them to become God’s people not based on the advantage of lineage but on the same ground as the Israelites; which is through faith in Christ Jesus.
So what does this phrase “in Christ Jesus” mean? The best way to put it is that it is a state of “being and becoming” like Jesus Christ. It means Christ is the only way and in Him there is now an opportunity for everyone to have a spirit-union with God and so that just like Jesus it is now possible for everyone to become an heir and to become full citizens with full benefits in a new Kingdom that has God has its King.
It is God who makes a person be in Christ Jesus should they accept to be there by faith. So when you accept Jesus Christ as your Lord and savior you initially come into a state of “being” in Christ Jesus “therefore if any man be in Christ”; at this point you are a new creature with a new and living spirit but then this is followed by a state of “becoming” in Christ Jesus. “Becoming” in Christ Jesus or becoming like Christ Jesus is done by the individual with the help of the Holy Spirit as a guide.
Now that we know what it means to be in Christ Jesus let us see what happens in Christ Jesus.
Those in Christ Jesus are saved from the wrath they deserve as sinners and are forgiven.
Those in Christ Jesus are now God’s children who have now received grace upon grace because they are redeemed from the curse and set free, justified and made the righteousness of God.
Those in Christ Jesus are recreated for the purpose of carrying out the good works of God.
Those in Christ Jesus now have sufficiency for all needs, and have the peace of God that surpasses all understanding.
So, are you in Christ? If not, what are you still waiting for? You also, can be in Christ if you will accept what God has done through Christ and make Jesus Christ Lord of your life today
Ephesians 2: 12, 13 “At that time you were without the Messiah, excluded from the citizenship of Israel, and foreigners to the covenants of the promise, without hope and without God in the world. But now in Christ Jesus, you who were far away have been brought near by the blood of the Messiah.”
Ephesians 2: 5-10 “made us alive with the Messiah even though we were dead in trespasses. You are saved by grace! Together with Christ Jesus He also raised us up and seated us in the heavens, so that in the coming ages He might display the immeasurable riches of His grace through His kindness to us in Christ Jesus. For you are saved by grace through faith, and this is not from yourselves; it is God’s gift— not from works, so that no one can boast. For we are His creation, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared ahead of time so that we should walk in them.”
2 Timothy 1:9 “He has saved us and called us with a holy calling, not according to our works, but according to His own purpose and grace, which was given to us in Christ Jesus before time began.
John 1: 16, 17 “Indeed, we have all received grace after grace from His fullness, for the law was given through Moses, grace and truth came through Jesus Christ
Temitope Talabi is a founding member of The Trent Voices currently reside in Austin, TX. She graduated with a PharmD from Texas Southern University in Houston, TX. She works as a community pharmacist and spends her spare time writing to build and encourage others through the word of God. Temitope is also currently working on a series of self-help books created to empower people to take charge of their health and wellness, the first of which is scheduled to be released early next year.
The opinions expressed in this article are solely those of the author.
