Most of us think of salvation as Christ living in our heart.  While this is correct, it is only half of the story.  The Bible also speaks of salvation as being in Christ.  The Apostle Paul is especially fond of the phrase in Christ and uses it in his writings 73 times.  But, why did the Holy Spirit inspire Paul to use this phrase?  Why is in Christ one of the most common phrases in the New Testament?  God did this very purposefully in order to teach us an important lesson.

To fully understand the meaning of in Christ we must go back to the beginning, to the book of Genesis.  Before sin entered our world there was no need of salvation, or of being in Christ.  After Adam and Eve sinned that all changed.  So, what was life like before sin messed up our world?

In the beginning, God created Adam and Eve and put them in the Garden of Eden where they enjoyed friendship with their Creator.  They walked with God in the cool of the day and though they were both naked, they felt no shame.  When they talked to God they could look into His eyes and hear His voice as He spoke to them.  There was no sin separating them from God, so they never experienced the slightest insecurity or fear.  Every need and desire was provided for by the Creator.  They knew only love for God and each other.  Life was perfect.  They were truly living in Paradise.

Sadly, this all came to an abrupt end when they were tempted by Satan and sinned.  It was at this point that Adam and Eve were cast out of the Garden and all of humankind became slaves to sin.  Thankfully, God had already prepared the antidote for the disease of human sin: Christ crucified.

When we except Christ as our Lord and Savior, and ask Him to forgive our sins, the curse of being cast out of the Garden is reversed.  Sin cast us out of the Garden and God’s presence, forgiveness puts us in Christ and in His presence. We were cast out of the Garden and in to sin.  Now we are called out of sin and put in Christ.  “For, we died to sin; how can we live in it any longer?” Rom 6:2

In the spiritual realm, both in Christ and in the Garden refer to being in God’s presence.  Being in Christ means we are dead to sin but alive to God (Rom. 6:11).  It means that nothing can separate us from God’s love (Rom. 8:39).  In Christ we have peace that surpasses understanding (Phil. 4:7), and all of our needs are met (Phil. 4:19).  If this were not good enough already, Ephesians 1:3 tells us that God “has blessed us in the heavenly realms with every spiritual blessing in Christ.”

Thus, being in Christ means we have it made!  Just as Adam and Eve enjoyed God’s presence in the Garden, we who are in Christ also enjoy living in the presence of God.  And, like Adam and Eve, we too have been given every spiritual and physical blessing in Christ.

I pray that you would come to understand the great gift of living in the presence of your God.  I also pray that you would live in manner worthy of those who are in Christ, knowing that every spiritual blessing has been made available to you.  I pray you will experience the reality of God’s provision in your life.  If you will seek, you will find Him.  If you will follow, He will lead.  He loves you!  You are the one God loves!

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