in christ

Inclusiveness of Jesus Christ

Dr. Mike Jesus Christ, Life in Christ, Think About That... , ,

“Matthew 6:9

“This, then, is how you should pray: “‘Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name…

Is it too bold to state all humanity is included in the relationship Christ has with HIS Father? Didn’t HE teach HIS disciples when they prayed to address God as “OUR Father”?

Is it safe to say God will judge all humans through Jesus Christ as those who belong to God through Him? If so then, are not all humans, in spite of themselves, loved, forgiven, and included in Jesus Christ, who is their Lord and Savior?

Isn’t it also true, God’s love will never cease or diminish even for those who, denying the reality of who they are in him, refuse his love and consign themselves to hell?

If they choose not to enjoy the fruit of his salvation, will they not experience his love as wrath?

Doesn’t God discipline those he loves so that they will return to him and live? Isn’t HE portrayed in the Book of Revelations as standing at the door and knocking, urging people to open the door to his everlasting love?

In the end, doesn’t God’s judgment in Christ mean the ultimate end of evil and the renewal of the earth and all creation?

As the prophesied Savior of humanity, did he not suffer and die for all human sin, was raised bodily from the dead, and ascended to heaven?

At the time, didn’t HE take on our broken and alienated humanity and included the entire human race in his right relationship with the Father?

At the time, didn’t his regeneration of our humanity allow us to share in his son-ship, being adopted as God’s own children in the Power of the Spirit?

Today as our representative and substitute, doesn’t HE stand in for all humanity before the Father, providing the perfect human response to God on our behalf and reconciling humanity to the Father?

Will HE not come again in glory as King of kings and Lord of lords over all nations?

When I read scripture, I read how inclusive Jesus Christ’s life and message pertains to all humanity. How we respond though is what separates us from HIM, not HIM from us. He died for all, but not all have accepted HIS reality. Have you?

Rooting For You in Christ!

Dr. Mike

Encourager & Founder of
Vocational Leadership 360
Author of e-Books:

 *  Dancing With God: Life-Giving Theology Explained
 *  Great Business Emulates a Good God
 *  Be Radical…Follow Christ!
 *  Simply The Messenger
 *  Unequally Married

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What Does the Bible Mean By “In Christ?”

Dr. Mike Life in Christ
“Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in Christ with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places…” Ephesians 1:3 ESV

christ in me 2

The concept “in Christ” is mentioned in scripture approximately 300 times. Yet many readers of the Bible pass over that phrase with a limited view of its meaning. Therefore, we shall provide a quick overview that will open our eyes to the riches we have in our relationship with Jesus Christ. In summary, the apostle Paul used that phrase to highlight four distinct views of our relationship with Jesus Christ.

In certain instances, Paul would simply use the word interchangeably with our position as a member of His physical body: the Church (Romans 12:5). Because of Jesus Christ, we are spiritually incorporated within the same membership one with another. Jesus is the center that keeps us together. He leads and directs us as He chooses.

Again at times Paul would use the phrase to emphasis our identity (2 Corinthians 5:17). That we are associated with Jesus Christ. We are his brothers and sisters. We are included within Jesus’ life. As we mature in the faith, we become more and more like him. Our identity is no longer found is our performance, our race, or sexual status, but found only in him. When the Father looks at us, He views us through the lenses of Jesus Christ.

Sometimes he would embellish on our shared participation with Christ (2 Corinthians 1:5). That we have been buried and resurrected with him. That like he suffered, we also may accept suffering. Not as a savior from sin, but as believers learning obedience through the trials and tests of life. Like many of the early apostles that died a martyrs death, we likewise may share in the experience. Our participation with Christ comes in walking and serving him through similar encounters with others in our daily life. Jesus said that through him we may even do mightier works than He.

At other times Paul would focus on our union with Christ (Ephesians 2:6, Galatians 3:26). Just as the Father and Son are one, we are also one with Jesus and the Father. In fact, we are one with the Triune God – Father, Son, and Spirit. As the Father-Son shared life’s experiences together and with us, we likewise now share our life’s experiences with Jesus.

Jesus is the Author and Sustainer of our salvation. He has given us the opportunity to be identified with him, incorporated with him, participate with him, and walk in union with him. This is the short, simply definition of what it means to be “in Christ.”

So how about starting the New Year living life knowing what all this truly means each day?

Rooting For You in Christ!

Dr. Mike

Executive Director & Founder
Marketplace Bible Institute
& Resource Center, Inc
Author of e-Books:
 *  Great Business Emulates a Good God
 *  Be Radical…Follow Christ!
 *  Simply The Messenger
 *  Unequally Married

Encourage your Friends…Share Today’s Message!

Tamed or Adventurous Visions?

Dr. Mike Journey in Christ , , , , ,

 

“Play it safe.” “Don’t take any risks.” “Why rock the boat?” “It’s better to keep it dull and routine than expressive and unpredictable.” Or does it?

The older we become, don’t we deep inside generally seek a more predictable, dull, and routine way of life? Whatever changes we are typically confronted with only creates more work and effort on our part. So basically, our nature tilts towards laziness where we don’t want to make the effort. We would rather live life with contentment, peacefulness, and stability. But is that reality?

The scriptures teach us that a people without vision will perish. We need a mission to focus our life towards. Now our life’s mission could simply be to avoid all confrontation, to avoid being involved in other people’s lives, to live for ourselves without a care of the world around us. We simple live our life so that when we are gone no one will have missed us. We live as a world unto ourselves.

But is that the life of a Christ-Follower? Is that what the Kingdom of God is all about?  Didn’t Jesus forewarn his disciples that He came to bring division among families and people? Didn’t He predict that we would stand before courts and rulers as a witness to Him? Didn’t He compare our struggles with that of a pregnant woman in labor? Didn’t He threaten the status quo with His mission of preaching, teaching. and healing?  Didn’t the apostle Paul ·write that Christ-followers are turning the world upside down? Didn’t he cause riots in the streets with his message of One God? Didn’t his former religious partners seek to destroy him? Didn’t small armies pursue him with the purpose of killing him? How controversial was he in his time? Yet didn’t he preach a message of peace, contentment, and stability?

The Kingdom of God is not a tamed vision. It requires total surrender. It requires the death of selfish desires. It is not the path of least resistance. Instead, it’s a journey through battlefields. With the armor of God, we are proactive in our daily walk with Him. We do not know what to expect on any given day. All we know is that He is with us. Today may be a roller coaster of emotions, struggles with the self, darts from the evil one, or attacks from love ones. Through it all though we have an Advocate who is with us and we rely on. In prayer and with others we call for assistance. We move forward towards our heavenly call. Our mission is sure. Yes, we may desire the easy way out. But, as a disciple of His we have agreed to take whatever comes our way and handle it with His love. We may have initially desired tame visions, but in the pursuit of the Kingdom of God we take on more than we are capable of handling apart from Him. Yes, we like it dull, routine, and boring. But we gladly take whatever comes our way because it will make us stronger for the Kingdom, stronger for Him, and stronger for our love ones.

OUR PRAYER:

Dear Dad, glorify your name in all that we do. Let not our path be one of ease and comfort, but one of challenge and dependency on you. You are always with us. Help us always be with you. Make you the center of our life. Let nothing come between us. Help us capture your vision, to see your work, to accomplish your will in everything we do.

Help us be a living example of kingdom life in today’s world. Let your kingdom surround us and surround all the people we meet today. Let your glory shine through us and in us so that every person we meet today knows they have met you.  Amen.