As He Was, So We Become

Here’s something I hadn’t spent much time considering. When we speak of “becoming Chris-like” it’s not only just a matter of our character and deportment, but also who we are in Christ, and what protections afforded to Him become available to us…

A year ago we introduced you to  Faith+Blog (Faith Plus Blog) which is written by Teni, a student in Lagos, Nigeria. I encourage you, instead of reading this here, to click the title below to read this at the place we discovered it!

In This World, We Are Like Jesus

The understanding and consciousness of God’s word give freedom. Freedom from the tricks and schemes of the enemy. Many believers suffer from an identity crisis. Not until we realize who we are in Christ, we will keep living like the unsaved. Not until we realize we are victors in Christ, the devil will keep making us the victim. Part of our identity in Christ is the fact that we are just like Him in this world. As He is, so we are in this world (1 John 4:17). This means that whatever cannot happen to Jesus Christ cannot happen to us.

For starters, we can be rest assured that we sit far above principalities and powers. 1 Peter 3:22 helps us to understand that Christ is seated at the right hand (position of authority and power) of God and He has placed everything –principalities and powers included –under His feet. By implication, we are also seated above these things. This is not just a mere claim. The scripture backs this up in Ephesians 2:6.

“And God raised us up with Christ and seated us with him in the heavenly realms in Christ Jesus, “

Ephesians 2:6 NIV

This also means that in Christ, we have the same authority Jesus has over the enemy. Jesus has the power to bind and cast and silence demons, we have that power too! When Jesus was ascending to heaven, part of His last words to the disciples is found in Mark 16: 17-18. This portion of scripture reveals to us all the things that Jesus did but more importantly, all the things we have the power to do as well.

Jesus is loved by the Father. One of the things He would never fail to mention during His time on earth was how much the Father loves Him (John 15:9). Saying that we are just like Him in this world means that we are also loved just as much, by the Father. And nothing can separate us from that love (John 17:23; Rom. 8:38-39).

“I am in them and you are in me. May they experience such perfect unity that the world will know that you sent me and that you love them as much as you love me.”

John 17:23 NLT

 Furthermore, this gives us the freedom to live as God would want us to.1 Peter 1:16 KJV says “…Be ye holy for I am holy”. At first glance, this could seem impossible but an understanding that we are just like Christ is in this world would help us realize that we already have the capacity for this.

Likewise, we can also apply this to our nature. No matter how spiritual we may be, as long as we live in these earthly bodies, we would most likely err. Sometimes even doing things of the spirit seem almost impossible. “How do I love as Christ did? He is God, so He can love even the people that hurt Him badly. How do you expect me to do the same?” The answer is here. You can do the same because as Jesus Christ is so are you in this world. If He is 100% forgiving and loving then you are also 100% forgiving and loving. It is what the Holy Spirit has said concerning you and you can be sure that He is all-knowing.

We are just like Jesus so this also means that our state of cleanliness is the same as Jesus’. The same blamelessness and right standing Jesus has, we have also. This is because faith in His finished work has allowed us access to this state. On our own, we could never have reached that state but through Christ, we live justified (Rom. 5:1-2). This is an opportunity for anyone who wants to live justified by Christ to do so today. You too can be in right standing with God, just as Jesus Christ is.

Say this prayer: Dear Jesus, I thank you for your love. I thank you for dying for my sake. Today I submit to you and accept your life as mine. I am yours now, forever and always. Amen.

…This serves as a reminder to any believer that may have forgotten, and a notice to any believer who may not know. The consciousness that we are like Jesus in this world helps us realize our capacity to live as better children of God, and above the deception and wiles of the enemy.

The Three ‘Rs’ That Jesus Taught

Back in February we introduced you to Scott McCown.  Here’s another one of his posts on three priorities in Jesus’ ministry that appeared on his blog The Morning Drive at the top of this month:

“Reading, ‘Riting, and ‘Rithmatic, taught to the tune of a Hickory stick . . .” So say the song lyrics. But that never made sense to me.  I thought that spelling was important.  There are not three “R”s but one “R”, one “W”, and one “A” – but I digress. Thinking about school starting brought that old song to my mind and as I was preparing an outline for last Sunday I saw three “R”s in what are some of Jesus’ final instructions to His apostles (Luke 24:36-52).

1. Remember the Law of Moses, Prophets, and Psalms
Luk 24:44-45, “These are my words that I spoke to you while I was still with you, that everything written about me in the Law of Moses and the Prophets and the Psalms must be fulfilled. Then he opened their minds to understand the Scriptures,”

The Law of Moses, the Prophets and the Psalms comprise the Hebrew “Bible” Jesus says that all the promises and prophecies about the Messiah come to pass in Him.  What is the probability? In the 1960′s Dr. Peter Stoner of Westmont College in Santa Barabara, CA studied the probabilty of one person fulfilling Biblical prophecy.  He determined that the probability of one person meeting eight (8) OT Messianic Prophesies = 1:100,000,000,000,000 (One in One Hundred Thousand Trillion). That would compare to covering and area the size of the State of Texas  two feet deep in silver dollars, then randomly dropping one marked coin from an airplane flying overhead. After that use heavy equipment to mix the coins thoroughly.  Then blindfold a person and have them walk and having them stop only once to select ONE coin and them choosing the marked coin.

Jesus fulfills all 300+ Messianic prophecies (some count over 400).  Here are just a few:
o Gen 3:15
o Zech 9:9
o Zech 11:12-13
o Psa 55:12-14
o Psa 22
o Isa 53

2. Repentance
Luk 24:47, ” . . .repentance  . . .  should be proclaimed in his name to all nations, . . ..”
Repentance is not simply saying, “I am sorry.” Repentance is not, “Oops! I got caught.” Repentance requires a knowledge of sin – Rom 3:20. Repentance is a change of mind and a change of Life Style. 1Th 1:9 ” . . . how you turned to God from idols to serve the living and true God.”  Repentance is turning: 1) to God, 2) from idols, and 3) to serve God.

3. Remission of Sin
Luk 24:47, ” . . .  forgiveness (remission) of sins should be proclaimed in his name to all nations . . .”
We are  all legally guilty! (cf. Rom 3:9-11, 23). We are guilty even if we are unaware of our violation of God’s law.  We are guilty even if we do not feel guilty.  Because we are guilty we need remission of our sins.

To remit is to dismiss, release, or forgive.  That is what Jesus came to do (cf. Mat 26:28). In Christ our sin is:

1. Taken away
2. Not imputed
3. Blotted out
4. Washed away
5. Purged
6. Covered
7. Remembered no more.

We are therefore, SET FREE.  We are Legally Justified (cf. 1Co 6:11)

What a GREAT, LOVING, GRACIOUS God we serve!

– Scott McCown

Here are a couple of other recent posts at The Morning Drive:

• Marriage Matters: Common Conflicts in Marriage — Scott discusses money, family interference, limiting other friendships, the place of children and religious differences.
• You Are Not Your Own — a short devotional and Bible study on the ways we are intended to serve others.

On Friendship, Baptism and Repenting of Righteousness

“…spurring one another on towards love and good deeds.” (Heb. 10:24)  Bizarrely, the closer some relationships are, the more permissive they can become; and our passion to do what is right is diluted. As we feel able to relax completely with trusted friends, we can abuse the sense of ease by letting our behavior slip. Gradually language that we would never use in public slips into the conversation and off-white humour that we know is inappropriate becomes part of the common currency of our friendship, because we feel able to let our hair down. The friendship has now become one that gives permission (where we give each other a license to compromise) rather than providing exhortation (where we encourage each other towards character and excellence). ~Jeff Lucas, writing in Lucas on Life, devotional reading for Jan 20, 2005.

Like birth, baptism means life. It is done once, yet it is for all of our life….we need to discover ways to communicate baptismal living. If I say, “I was married,” you will likely assume that my wife has died or I am divorced. But if I say, “I am married,” you will assume I have a wife and that on a certain date I was married and still am. Although it is true and essential to say I was baptized, it is also necessary to assert, “I am baptized.” ~Thomas H. Schattauer

“…What must we do, then to be saved? To find God we must repent of the things we have done wrong, but if that is all you do you may remain just an elder brother. To truly become Christians we must also repent of the reasons we ever did anything right. Pharisees only repent of their sins, but Christians repent for the very roots of their righteousness, too. We must learn how to repent of the sin under all our other sins and under all our righteousness — the sin of seeking to be our own Savior and Lord. We must admit that we’ve put our ultimate hope and trust in things other than God, and that in both our wrongdoing and right doing we have been seeking to get around God or get control of God in order to get hold of these things.” ~ Timothy Keller in The Prodigal God, 2008 Dutton; pp 77-8; see also Prov. 16:2

At Peace With Sin

I really hope the title of this one got your attention.

One of the things I’m noticing in reading The Practice of the Presence of God is the way that Brother Lawrence seemed to be at peace with himself when he messed up.

Shining through the older English style of the prose is a very distinctive attitude.   You get the impression that he saw his failings, his imperfections, the times he missed the mark; but then he got up and dusted himself off and kept going.

So I called this post “At Peace With Sin,” but in no way wish to imply that he was complacent about sin.

I think that he simply didn’t let the accuser try to rob him of any daily blessing he might otherwise be in line for.   He didn’t allow himself to become defeated by his imperfections, failings, or sins.

It might be more accurate to say that he was at peace with himself.   Maybe that’s what this book radiates: A spiritual self-confidence.   Self-confidence that, I suppose, can only come from knowing who you are in Christ.

How many great things might have been accomplished but for the fact people were wallowing in spiritual self-pity?