IN CHRIST
“Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places in Christ.”
—Ephesians 1:3
THE CHRISTIAN lives in two spheres: the earthly and the heavenly, the visible and the invisible. Physically we are on earth in a human body, and so we struggle with sin, doubt, disease, fear, etc. But spiritually every believer is seated with Christ in the heavenly places and possesses all the riches of Christ. That’s why Paul wrote in Colossians 3:2-4, “Set your mind on things above, not on things on the earth. For you died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God. When Christ who is our life appears, then you also will appear with Him in glory.” The goal of Christian maturity is that our earthly condition would more and more reflect our heavenly position.
BUT OUR TEXT says that the spiritual blessings apply only to those in Christ. The “us” that Paul refers to when he says “who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places” refers only to those in Christ. This is a theme Paul refers to 12 times in the book of Ephesians. What does it mean to be in Christ? How do I know if I am in Christ? When the Apostle Paul says, “in Christ” he means “union with Christ.” To be in union with Christ means you have been personally and savingly united to Jesus Christ by true faith, which the Holy Spirit has worked in your soul. You are now a branch engrafted into the vine, Jesus Christ (John 15). And you are not in Christ because of something you did. Being a member of the church doesn’t necessarily mean you are in Christ. How do you know if you are in Christ? Well, do you trust Him alone for the salvation of your soul? Do you believe that apart from Christ you have no hope of being reconciled to God? Do you believe that He died for you and imputed His perfect righteousness to you, and that you have no righteousness in and of yourself? Does your life show forth thankful obedience?
WELL, YOU WOULDN’T believe these things unless the Holy Spirit has worked faith in your heart (1 Corinthians 2:14; Romans 8:7). Everyone who truly trusts Christ has been united to Christ and therefore is “in Christ.” Your being united to Christ is evidenced by your trusting in Christ. And when you are in Christ, Christ’s riches are your riches, His resources are your resources, His righteousness is your righteousness, His position is your position, His privilege is your privilege, His possession is your possession, His practice is your practice. Are you in Christ by true faith? If so, then you say with the Apostle Paul, “Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places in Christ.”
Friday Devotional: February 21, 2025
In Christ,
Pastor S. Henry
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PATTERN OF GOOD WORKS
“…in all things showing yourself to be a pattern of good works…”
—Titus 2:7
THE SCRIPTURE TEACHES that true faith and good works are as essential to each other in the Christian life as the body and the spirit. Apart from the spirit, or the “breath” of life, the body is dead (James 2:26). So also, apart from the evidence of good works in the life, faith may be considered as dead faith. In other words, professed faith without God-glorifying good works is not the true faith that is kindled in the heart by the Holy Spirit. Not only is a believer to stand confidently on God’s Word amidst trials and temptations (James 1), but the believer must also serve his brothers and sisters in Christ (James 2; 1 John 3:16-18).
BELIEVERS ARE TO ACCEPT all members of the “household of faith” (Gal. 6:10) without favoritism (James 2:1-13) and to aid the family of God with a faith working through love (Gal. 5:6; James 2:14-26; Eph. 4:28). And so, the Apostle Paul wrote in Titus 3:8, “This is a faithful saying, and these things I want you to affirm constantly, that those who have believed in God should be careful to maintain good works. These things are good and profitable to men.” And again, in Titus 3:14, “And let our people also learn to maintain good works, to meet urgent needs, that they may not be unfruitful.”
WE ARE REDEEMED by the perfect law-abiding righteous life and sin-toning, guilt removing death of Jesus Christ alone, but we are redeemed unto a life of good works for the glory of God (Eph. 2:10). As the Apostle Paul wrote in Galatians 5:13, “For you, brethren, have been called to liberty; only do not use liberty as an opportunity for the flesh, but through love serve one another.” A life of self-sacrificial service unto God is manifest by a life of good deeds rendered unto mankind in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ, which in turn brings glory to our God. “Therefore, as we have opportunity, let us do good to all, especially to those who are of the household of faith” (Galatians 6:10).
Tuesday Encouragement: February 18, 2025
In Christ,
Pastor S. Henry
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A CHRISTIAN’S SUNDAY MORNING PRAYER
My Father and My God,
You are righteous. I am unrighteous!
You are holy. I am defiled with sin!
You are wisdom. I am foolish!
You are Almighty. I am very weak!
You are all-knowing. I am ignorant of so much!
You are eternal. I am temporal!
You are infinite. I am finite!
You are transcendent. I am limited, I am dust!
You are Spirit. I am flesh!
In You, O Lord, “I live and move and have my being.” My every breath comes from You. My Father, I need You every moment of every day. I feel my weakness, my sinfulness, my need, my ignorance, my foolishness! Strengthen me, Holy Spirit; fill me with Your holy presence and power. Bring Your truth to my remembrance every moment of every day. Remind me of my redemption in Christ; remind me that I am covered in Christ’s righteousness; remind me that my precious Savior bore the penalty of all my sins on the cross at Calvary; remind me that I am a child of God; remind me that I am received into the courts of Heaven because of Who Christ is and what He has done, NOT because of who I am or what I have done. Remind me daily that all my acceptance and favor and righteousness in the sight of Heaven’s holy throne is my Beloved Savior Jesus! As it is written, “But of Him you are in Christ Jesus, who became for us wisdom from God—and righteousness and sanctification and redemption— so that, as it is written, “Let the one who boasts, boast in the Lord” (1 Cor. 1:30-31).
O my GOD: Father, Son, Holy Spirit, God of all consolation, comfort me with Your holy presence. Comfort me through Your Word with the assurance of pardon. Comfort me, Holy Spirit, by bearing witness continually with my spirit that I am a child of God. Lord Jesus, comfort me as You are my Good Shepherd and gentle Savior. Don’t let me be one of Your sheep who wanders away from Your fold. As the hymn writer declared, “Prone to wander, Lord I feel it, Prone to leave the God I love; Here’s my heart Lord, take and seal it, Seal it for Thy courts above.”
O Lord, as You promised (John 10; Rom. 8:37-39), keep me in the palm of Your hand. Don’t let me wander; don’t let my love for You grow cold; don’t let me become indifferent; don’t let the holy fire be extinguished by the things of this world, the remaining sin in my heart, and the lethargy I see all over the church today; don’t let me sin against You! Heavenly Father, keep me from sinning against You; take away every opportunity to sin; keep me strong in the hour of temptation; keep me faithfully walking in Your will. Chasten me when I sin, and cause me to walk in humility when I obey!
Holy Father, I feel the wretched discontentment in my heart and I hate it, but I acknowledge and confess this sin to You! Forgive me for the sin of discontentment, O Lord I feel it, and make me content with my station, location, and possessions in life, which come to me by way of Your Providence! Use me, O Father, for Your glory! Use me, Lord Jesus, as Your redeemed slave! Use me, Holy Spirit, to faithfully, boldly, and diligently bring Your Word to a lost and dying world!
As the psalmist declared, “Teach me, O LORD, the way of Your statutes, and I shall keep it to the end. Give me understanding, and I shall keep Your law; Indeed, I shall observe it with my whole heart. Make me walk in the path of Your commandments, for I delight in it. Incline my heart to Your testimonies, and not to covetousness. Turn away my eyes from looking at worthless things, and revive me in Your way. Establish Your word to Your servant, who is devoted to fearing You” (Psalm 119:33-38).
In Jesus’ holy name I pray!
Amen!
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