In March 2011, Tom Smith started the blog, “Holding to Truth in Love.” The title expresses God’s desire expressed in Paul’s word in Ephesians 4:15, “But holding to truth in love, we may grow up into Him in all things, who is the Head Christ.” This is his second time here at C201. This is just the middle section of this particular article. For the entire piece, click the title below.
Three Aspects of Christ’s Riches for us to Enjoy Every Day
First, Christ’s riches are what He is to us
As the footnote above mentions, Christ’s riches are first what He is to us–including life, light, righteousness and holiness…and much more.
John 1:4 says, “In Him was life and the life was the light of men.” In 1 Corinthians 1:30 Paul says, “But of Him [God] you are in Christ Jesus, who became wisdom to us from God: both righteousness and sanctification and redemption.”
Life
Do you need life? Christ is the eternal, divine life of God (John 14:6). Without receiving Him as life we would all perish (3:16). But when we believe into God’s Son, Jesus Christ, we have this eternal life (1 John 5:12). You can receive the eternal life which is Jesus Christ…right now! Just cry out and say, “Lord Jesus I believe into You. I receive You!”
Light
Do you need light? Christ is the light of life (8:12). Without light we have no way to go on, no way to grow spiritually, no direction for our living. Christ is not only the light of world generally but the light that shines in our hearts personally (2 Cor. 4:6).
Holiness and righteousness
How about holiness and righteousness? None of us can be holy as God is holy and none of us can be perfectly righteous. Yet Christ is both. He is absolutely holy and perfectly righteous—even called “Jesus Christ, the righteous” (1 John 2:1).
Calling on the Lord enables us to enjoy His riches
Simply contact the Lord Jesus with your spirit by calling on His name, “Lord Jesus!” He’ll become so rich to you.
In Romans 10:12b Paul says,
“For the same Lord is Lord of all and rich to all who call upon Him.”
The note on Romans 10:12 tells us that the secret to the enjoyment of Christ’s riches is to call on His name. Try it!
When we call, “Lord Jesus!” He is like a blank check to which we can fill in the amount. We’re not, but He is! He meets our need with what He is as life, light, holiness and righteousness.
Second, Christ’s riches are what He has for us
I have also been enjoying a hymn, “I am one with Thee, Lord Jesus.” You can read the lyrics here.
Day by day we share His riches
This hymn is awesome. The first stanza points out that in our union with Christ—because we’re now one Spirit with Him (1 Cor. 6:17)—we possess all that He is! All He is now lives in us! (Gal. 2:20)
Then the chorus concludes by saying that in our oneness with Christ,
Day by day I share Thy riches,
Thou art everything to me.
The words of this chorus added fuel to my quest to know, experience and enjoy Christ’s riches more.
The hymn goes on, in the following stanzas, to point out some of Christ’s riches that we share in our union with Him. For example…
Christ’s riches include His complete obedience
Stanza 2 points out that we share Christ’s human life, filled with His humanity and that all of Christ’s complete obedience is available to us.
“Christ’s complete obedience” is just one example of the riches Christ has for us.
By nature, we, like all fallen sinners, are rebellious to God and man. Even after we’re saved, we find ourselves still living with a rebellious attitude.
Such an attitude frustrates our fellowship with God and damages our human relationships such as marriage and family life.
But our Lord Jesus was obedient to God, even unto the death of the cross (Phil 2:8). When we contact Him in our spirit, that is mingled with His bountiful Spirit, we have the inexhaustible supply of His complete obedience…and so much more!
Christ’s riches include His resurrection power
We also share Christ’s resurrection power. Ephesians 1:19-20 says,
“What is the surpassing greatness of His power toward us who believe according to the operation of the might of His strength Which He caused to operate in Christ in raising Him from the dead…”
This isn’t some miraculous power but the divine operation that God operated in Christ in raising Him from the dead. This same resurrection power now operates in us in our union with Christ.
“Toward us who believe” literally means to “toward us the believing ones.” It is something, present and active.
So are you a “believing one”?
One of the best ways I know be a “believing one” is to open my mouth. In 2 Corinthians 4:13 Paul says,
And having the same spirit of faith according to that which is written, “I believed, therefore I spoke,” we also believe, therefore we also speak.
Our speaking, whether in calling on name of the Lord, singing, thanking or praising the Lord (Eph. 5:18-20) keeps our believing “switch” on. In such a union with Christ we constantly receive the riches of what Christ has for us.
There are too many riches of Christ to speak of in one post. So this word can only whet your appetite to experience all of Christ’s riches He has for us.
Third, Christ’s riches are what He has accomplished, attained, and obtained for us
Let’s consider some of the awesome things Christ has accomplished, attained and obtained for us.
Christ accomplishments
Christ accomplishments include His incarnation, His perfect human living, His all-inclusive death, excellent resurrection, and all-transcending ascension. In the Spirit of Christ there is the reality of all these accomplishments.
When we drink of His Spirit by calling on His name (1 Cor. 12:13, 3) all His accomplishments are ours.
Christ attainments
The attainments of Christ’s ascension include His ascending “far above the heavens” (Eph. 4:10). When we feel that we are in a low pit, we need to call on the Lord who is far above all. Contacting the Lord in this way, we transcend our problems in Him.
Christ attainments also include His being crowned with glory and honor in His ascension (Heb. 2:9). When we contact Him, as our ascended Lord, we are infused with His glory and honor. Then, as His ambassadors, we express Christ’s glory and honor in our speaking Him to people (2 Cor. 4:4).
What Christ obtained
In His ascension, Christ obtained the kingship, the lordship, the headship with all authority. He also obtained a more excellent ministry. Hebrews 8:6 says,
“But now He has obtained a more excellent ministry inasmuch as He is also the Mediator of a better covenant, which has been enacted upon better promises.”
After accomplishing redemption for us in His earthly ministry, Christ, in His ascension, entered into His heavenly ministry. Now He is applying to us all the bequests of the new covenant which He enacted through His blood. He is ministering to us the heavenly life, grace, authority, and power that enables us to live a heavenly life on earth. How wonderful is that?!
We need to see that when Christ comes into us as the life-giving Spirit (1 Cor. 15:45) we receive all that He accomplished, obtained and attained. How great are Christ’s riches!
Christianity 201 
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