(33) More about the "In Christ" concept

I cannot cut out most of my 3-6 month study and still do it justice. But - possibly I can introduce the concept - and you may be able to follow some applications.

My roots are Danish on both sides of my family. Someone said one time "That makes YOU a Great Dane" - to which I replied - "Woof"

No big deal - but it does reveal one factoid - I was "IN" my dad when he came from Denmark to Canada back in the 1920's. That's a Hebrew way of thinking all through the Bible. We might say - we were ALL in Adam originally - true ! (And - by the way - that's NOT a figure of speech - but a physical reality.) So - Christ was there as well - and HE is part of the human race - so HE is physically related to us - otherwise HE couldn't be a Covenant Representative. (HAD to be a human to represent US.)

Paul explained "In Adam we all died" - Paul meant that Adam REPRESENTED the human race and lost it all for us in Eden. (Romans 5:12-21 gives the whole story; cf. 1 Corinthians 15:22; 45) and we should see that "in Adam" means US - we lost Eden at that point - literally. So - we lost the Tree of Life in this dimension as well. (God graciously spared us from living forever in this realm as sinners.)

Just as real - "in Christ" we are all made alive (same scriptures) - so what does that mean ? We suffer from IDENTITY with Adam - and we are BLESSED by IDENTITY with Christ. Romans 2 seems to teach that we become sinners when we sin - not simply because we are Adam's descendants - but he was responsible for bringing "death through sin" - so we inherit death PLUS the "knowledge of good and evil" - so sin is pretty well the sure result ! (And - in everyone except Jesus, sin did result !)

We don't have to do much to "identify" with Adam - simply "do it my way" - and we're there. BUT - that is the identification with Adam. But - to identify with Christ takes a different decision of faith. It is a CHOICE - which was the early church's practice of Baptism - a ceremony of faith expression. Sin has an expression of faith as well - we believe it is necessary to "sin" in order for something to happen - generally something we want. Note a contrast - from "what I want" to "what HE wants" - and since HE already paid for our reunion and reconciliation, we need to be identified with Him. That is how Baptism was thought of in the Hebrew practice - identity. (So - we may not realize that when we sin, we identify with Adam - but generally we say with Adam - "This is good - and will make me wise" or "since she did it - I better as well" - either case - a statement of lack of faith in God's promises.)

So - our "identity practice" ceremony puts us "IN CHRIST". For today - let's focus on one aspect - we are baptized into His History -we get His lineage, His identity. That puts us INTO the Promise - and gives us an inheritance. The whole book of Colossians tells of aspects of this concept - focus on ONE - "in Christ all are made alive" - we receive HIS LIFE and with His identity, we have confidence - even on Judgment day itself - 1 John 4:17 "because as HE is, so are we in this world" - and I don't think THAT is a figure of speech either. More to come