Christ In The Believer

by Johnston, Brian, D. | Category: General | Jul 1984

Introduction

In accordance with his ministry as a servant of the Church which is Christ's Body, and having been entrusted with the God-given stewardship of unveiling this supreme mystery,1 the apostle Paul was caused to write often concerning the great dual truth of the believer in Christ and Christ in the believer. His writings abound with the characteristic, doctrinal phrase "in Christ" denoting the regenerate believer's position as set apart in an eternal union with the One who is the source of all his blessings. However, it is the other choice facet of this dual truth that the apostle refers to when during the time of his imprisonment at Rome, he wrote to the Church of God at Colossae of the glorious riches of this mystery... "which is Christ in you."2 So, unconditionally, Christ is in each member of His Body. Further to this, however, there are aspects of this truth that are conditional in nature. In other epistles Paul discusses certain details of this subject which we shall now consider.

(1)Revealed in us3

In answer to Moses' question4 God declared His Name to be "I AM THAT I AM." This enigmatic title discloses the truth of God's sovereignty in Self-revelation; that He will reveal Himself just as and when and to whom He pleases. Knowledge of God does not come by searching5 alone but by revelation.6 Thus we read in Paul's later summary of the event of his conversion ... when it was the good pleasure of God ... who called me through H is grace. to reveal His Son in me, that I might preach Him among the Gentiles." Prostrated by the brilliant light on the road to Damascus, Saul had a revelation from God of Jesus Christ as the glorious, exalted Son of God whose Fellowship of churches he was persecuting. Instant repentance, faith and obedience were summed up in Saul's request, "What shall I do Lord?" As he raised himself, newborn, from the dusty road he was soon to learn of God's will for him in revealing His Son to him. It was God's will for Saul of Tarsus not only to reveal His Son to him that day but subsequently He was to be revealed in Paul the fearless preacher. That light on the Damascus road had put out every other light in his life as from that moment onwards he became a totally committed disciple of Christ, fired with a great sense of mission: "that I might preach Him."

The Son of God who had been revealed to him was also revealed in him as his dramatic conversion, transformed lifestyle and willing suffering together formed a powerful testimony to the saving power of God in Christ. Indeed he could write to Timothy that for this very cause he had obtained mercy, namely that Jesus Christ might show in him as chief (of sinners) all His longsuffering.7 For Paul living became a matter of being delivered unto death for Jesus' sake, that the life of Jesus might be manifested in him.8 The effectiveness of Paul's preaching derived from the fact that Christ was being revealed in him. Likewise our preaching will be effective in the measure Christ is revealed in us. Paul wrote to the Thessalonians reminding them of how the gospel had come to them in power, in the Holy Spirit and in much assurance and this was because, as Paul could say, "ye know what manner of men we showed ourselves toward you."9 Thus the more clearly Christ is revealed in us the more worthy our manner of life is of the gospel, then the more effective will be our witness.

(2)Formed in us10

Paul, filled with anxiety for all the churches,11 was specially and affectionately troubled concerning the Galatians. His earnest desire was "that Christ might be formed in them," that is, that there might be a change in their character and conduct in moral likeness to Christ corresponding to their inward spiritual condition. At the first, man was created in the image of God (man in the likeness of God), but that image was marred through sin. However God sent His Only Son, the exact image of His substance, in the likeness of sinful flesh (God in the likeness of man); to save sinners, to reconcile the world~ When through faith in Him we are born again, "there is a new creation; the old things are passed away; behold, they are become new."12 As with the first so it is with this new creation, that it is after the image of Him that created him. So God's present purpose for us is that Christ be formed in us, that is that the likeness of His Son be produced in our lives. This process began at conversion and God intends it to be continuous, with our becoming increasingly Christ-like. From the stem formed, the Scriptures speak about being transformed13 14 into His image. This is to be our daily experience of not becoming fashioned according to the world but reflecting, mirror-like, to all around the glory of the Lord. (This of course first requires us to spend time in the presence of God as Moses did who reflected divine glory. We can do so today by spending time meditating in the Spirit upon the word of God, thus beholding and then reflecting the excellencies of Christ.) This process will culminate in divine purpose with our being conformed15 to the image of His lovely Son at His return for us. Therefore let us give diligence to seek the formation of Christ in us by "putting on Christ."16

(3)Magnified in us17

Though at the time a prisoner. Paul in writing to the Philippians described himself as a "partaker with them of grace." Despite distressing personal circumstances he viewed himself as the recipient of special divine favour, and rejoiced in adversity as in overcoming faith he perceived his personal trial to be within God's purposes for the advancement of the gospel. His expectation was that the prayers of the Philippian saints and the supply of the Holy Spirit would ensure that he would not be put to shame, but rather that "with all boldness, as always, so now also Christ shall be magnified in my body, whether by life, or by death." Likewise it is to our shame if Christ is not continuously and in every eventuality magnified in our lives. Paul's desire then as the prisoner in the Lord was that he might magnify Christ as always. This shows clearly that this was no transient experience for the apostle, but for him magnifying Christ had been a continuous reality. Such a contemplation is intensely challenging to us; do all our activities always honour Him? We need to adopt always the comely attitude of John the Baptist," He must increase, but I must decrease."18 By applying this principle to everyday living for the Lord Jesus we can thereby magnify Him in our lives. Those with whom we come into contact will not have to look too closely to see Christ in us if He is truly being magnified in us. Whatever the circumstances of our life and service, we do well to follow Paul's example of seeking in all our circumstances to interpret them in accordance with God's will and therein to strive to exalt Christ in our lives for in all things He should have the preeminence.9

(4)Living in us20

Galatians 2:20 is a verse which is far easier to memorise and quote than to put into practice. It expresses the attainable ideal of true Christian living. "I have been crucified with Christ," wrote the apostle. In Romans 5:8 Paul expounds the truth that Christ died for us. In Romans 6:6-8 he expounds the equally important truth that we died with Christ. We died with Christ that we might be raised to walk in newness of life. The death of Christ is not merely a theological truth to be accepted; it ought to make a fundamental difference to the way we live our lives in contemporary society.21 True Christian living is Christ living in us. Paul also states in 6:14 that he had been "crucified unto the world." Christ living in us is an experience we can only enjoy in the measure that we take up our cross and die daily to self and to worldly lusts, in order to know "the power of His resurrection" in our lives.

The Christ-life is above all a life of faith. Paul bowed his knees in prayer to the Father on behalf of the Ephesians to ask that Christ might dwell in their hearts through faith.22 This was to the end that they might know all the dimensions of the love of Christ, for as the apostle John wrote, they that know and believe God's love and live their lives in such love realize the promise of God living in them.23 This is the conditional promise of John 14:23 which is dependent on our obedience.

Fill with Thy Spirit

Till all shall see

Christ only always

Living in me.

References

1 -Col. 1:25

2 -Col. 1:27

3 -Gal. 1:16

4 -Ex. 3:13

5 -Job. 11:7

6 -Mat. 11:25-27

7 -1 Tim. 1:16