In Christ Jesus

One of the key doctrines of Christianity is the union of the believer with Christ. In fact, the expression “in Christ” or its equivalent is found over 160 times in Paul’s epistles alone. Since, in God’s sight, we are “in Him,” all His attributes and accomplishments are credited to us as well.

For example, Paul said even to the carnal Corinthians, that

1 Corinthians 1:30“God has united you with Christ Jesus. For our benefit God made him to be wisdom itself. Christ made us right with God; he made us pure and holy, and he freed us from sin. ” righteousness, sanctification, redemption.

To the Romans he said that being in Christ frees us from the judgment, since Christ has already borne our judgment.

Romans 8:1-2“So now there is no condemnation for those who belong to Christ Jesus.2 And because you belong to him, the power[a] of the life-giving Spirit has freed you[] from the power of sin that leads to death.

To the Galatians, Paul emphasized that

Galatians 3:28

“There is no longer Jew or Gentile, slave or free, male and female. For you are all one in Christ Jesus. ” .

The Ephesian epistle has many such expressions, the most comprehensive being Ephesians 1:3"All praise to God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly realms because we are united with Christ.”

To the Philippians, he promised that

Philippians 4:7“Then you will experience God's peace, which exceeds anything we can understand. His peace will guard your hearts and minds as you live in Christ Jesus.“

The Christians at Colosse were assured that

Colossians 2:10“So you also are complete through your union with Christ, who is the head over every ruler and authority.”

Even when we die, we “sleep in Jesus” and, when He comes again, “the dead in Christ shall rise first”

1 Thessalonians 4:14, 16 "For since we believe that Jesus died and was raised to life again, we also believe that when Jesus returns, God will bring back with him the believers who have diedFor the Lord himself will come down from heaven with a commanding shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trumpet call of God. First, the Christians who have died will rise from their graves..

Paul even wrote to Timothy that God’s “own purpose and grace” had been “given us in Christ Jesus before the world began”

2 Timothy 1:9"For God saved us and called us to live a holy life. He did this, not because we deserved it, but because that was his plan from before the beginning of time-to show us his grace through Christ Jesus".

These are only a few examples of the marvelous blessings shared by all who are “in Christ Jesus.” We should be willing gladly to acknowledge “every good thing which is in you in Christ Jesus”

Philemon 6 "And I am praying that you will put into action the generosity that comes from your faith as you understand and experience all the good things we have in Christ".