How do I live 'IN CHRIST'?
Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation;
old things have passed away;
behold, all things have become new.
2 Corinthians 5:17
Our life begins 'In CHRIST' when we are born again and enter the Kingdom of GOD. JESUS comes into us in the form of the Holy Spirit and our life is committed to Him.
Then the LORD said to Noah,
"Come into the ark, you and all your household,
because I have seen
that you are righteous before Me in this generation.
And they went into the ark to Noah,
two by two, of all flesh in which is the breath of life.
So those that entered, male and female of all flesh,
went in as God had commanded him;
and the LORD shut him in.
Now the flood was on the earth forty days.
The waters increased and lifted up the ark,
and it rose high above the earth.
The waters prevailed
and greatly increased on the earth,
and the ark moved about on the surface of the waters.
And the waters prevailed exceedingly on the earth,
and all the high hills
under the whole heaven were covered.
The waters prevailed fifteen cubits upward,
and the mountains were covered.
And all flesh died that moved on the earth:
birds and cattle and beasts and every creeping thing
that creeps on the earth, and every man.
All in whose nostrils
was the breath of the spirit of life,
all that was on the dry land, died.
So He destroyed all living things
which were on the face of the ground:
both man and cattle,
creeping thing and bird of the air.
They were destroyed from the earth.
Only Noah and those
who were with him in the ark remained alive.
And the waters prevailed on the earth
one hundred and fifty days.
Genesis 7:1, 15-24
All the living beings with the breath of the spirit of life in them perished in the flood except those inside the ark.
The ark represents our LORD JESUS. Those of us who have the Spirit of GOD in us, need to enter in and remain in Him who is able to keep us from drowning in the flood of worldliness these end times!
For it is the God who commanded
light to shine out of darkness,
who has shone in our hearts
to give the light
of the knowledge of the glory of God
in the face of Jesus Christ.
But we have this treasure in earthen vessels,
that the excellence of the power
may be of God and not of us.
2 Corinthians 4:6-7
The light of JESUS shines through us as we closely follow Him with humility and selfless love. Thus we become His witnesses in this dark world.
Abide in Me, and I in you.
As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself,
unless it abides in the vine,
neither can you, unless you abide in Me.
I am the vine, you are the branches.
He who abides in Me,
and I in him, bears much fruit;
for without Me you can do nothing.
"As the Father loved Me,
I also have loved you; abide in My love.
If you keep My commandments,
you will abide in My love,
just as I have kept My Father's commandments
and abide in His love.
These things I have spoken to you,
that My joy may remain in you,
and that your joy may be full.
This is My commandment,
that you love one another as I have loved you.
John 15:4-5, 9-12
When we enter into this relationship with the LORD, we are asked to abide in Him so that we might bring forth the fruit of the Spirit, that are the characteristics of a follower of the LORD JESUS. We abide in Him by learning about the LORD JESUS through the Bible, communing with the Holy Spirit and obeying Him.
As you have therefore received Christ Jesus the Lord,
so walk in Him,
rooted and built up in Him
and established in the faith, as you have been taught,
abounding in it with thanksgiving.
Beware lest anyone cheat you
through philosophy and empty deceit,
according to the tradition of men,
according to the basic principles of the world,
and not according to Christ.
For in Him dwells all the fullness of the Godhead bodily;
and you are complete in Him,
who is the head of all principality and power.
Colossians 2:6-10
As we enter into this new and eternal relationship with CHRIST, our values and priorities change. The mindset of the world is different to that of the Kingdom of GOD.
As we grow spiritually by studying the word of GOD, our mindset changes from carnal to spiritual. Our values change from worldly to heavenly. Our purpose and motives are for GOD's Kingdom. Our attitude is humility with selfless love, because our focus is JESUS.
But whoever keeps His word,
truly the love of God is perfected in him.
By this we know that we are in Him.
He who says he abides in Him
ought himself also to walk just as He walked.
1 John 2:5-6
Children, obey your parents in the Lord,
for this is right.
Ephesians 6:1
Now, therefore,
you are no longer strangers and foreigners,
but fellow citizens with the saints
and members of the household of God,
having been built
on the foundation of the apostles and prophets,
Jesus Christ Himself being the chief corner stone,
in whom the whole building, being joined together,
grows into a holy temple in the Lord,
in whom you also are being built together
for a dwelling place of God in the Spirit.
Ephesians 2:19-22
Ephesians 2:19-22
"I do not pray for these alone,
but also for those
who will believe in Me through their word;
that they all may be one,
as You, Father, are in Me, and I in You;
that they also may be one in Us,
that the world may believe that You sent Me.
John 17:20-21
Entering the Kingdom of GOD means we are also entering into a relationship with the world wide group of followers of the LORD JESUS which represents the Body of CHRIST on earth.
We must become a part of a local Church where the Scriptures are taught accurately, so that we may grow in CHRIST. We learn from older believers and their journeys of faith. We are molded in our character and grow spiritually as we relate with love and patience to others within the Body of CHRIST and with wisdom to those outside.
We learn to abide in His love by keeping His commandment to love one another as He has loved us.
And He Himself gave some to be apostles,
some prophets, some evangelists,
and some pastors and teachers,
for the equipping of the saints for the work of ministry,
for the edifying of the body of Christ,
till we all come to the unity of the faith
and of the knowledge of the Son of God,
to a perfect man,
to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ;
that we should no longer be children,
tossed to and fro
and carried about with every wind of doctrine,
by the trickery of men,
in the cunning craftiness of deceitful plotting,
but, speaking the truth in love,
may grow up in all things into Him who is the head-
-Christ-- from whom the whole body,
joined and knit together
by what every joint supplies,
according to the effective working
by which every part does its share,
causes growth of the body
for the edifying of itself in love.
Ephesians 4:11-16
As we grow and mature spiritually, it is important that we step in to serve in the local assembly, according to the specific nature of our calling. This will be identified by the leadership of the Church and there will be a confirmation in our hearts by the Holy Spirit. We should serve humbly and be committed to such a ministry for the edification of the Body of CHRIST.
But I want to remind you, though you once knew this,
that the Lord,
having saved the people out of the land of Egypt,
afterward destroyed those who did not believe.
And the angels who did not keep their proper domain,
but left their own abode,
He has reserved in everlasting chains
under darkness for the judgment of the great day;
..But you, beloved,
building yourselves up on your most holy faith,
praying in the Holy Spirit,
keep yourselves in the love of God,
looking for the mercy
of our Lord Jesus Christ unto eternal life.
Jude 1:5-6, 20-21
When we travel on the streets of a city, we are protected inside the vehicle. Similarly, we are kept protected in CHRIST throughout our journey on earth. The Holy Spirit in us will teach and help us to remain in JESUS CHRIST until the end.
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,
just as He chose us in Him
before the foundation of the world,
that we should be holy
and without blame before Him in love,
having predestined us to adoption as sons
by Jesus Christ to Himself,
according to the good pleasure of His will,
to the praise of the glory of His grace,
by which He has made us accepted in the Beloved.
In Him we have redemption through His blood,
the forgiveness of sins,
according to the riches of His grace
which He made to abound toward us
in all wisdom and prudence,
having made known to us the mystery of His will,
according to His good pleasure
which He purposed in Himself,
that in the dispensation of the fullness of the times
He might gather together in one all things in Christ,
both which are in heaven and which are on earth-
-in Him. In Him also we have obtained an inheritance,
being predestined according to the purpose
of Him who works all things
according to the counsel of His will,
Ephesians 1:3-5
If then you were raised with Christ,
seek those things which are above,
where Christ is, sitting at the right hand of God.
Set your mind on things above,
not on things on the earth.
For you died,
and your life is hidden with Christ in God.
When Christ who is our life appears,
then you also will appear with Him in glory.
Colossians 3:1-4
And now, little children, abide in Him,
that when He appears, we may have confidence
and not be ashamed before Him at His coming.
1 John 2:28
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