It’s in Christ
Perspective; everything in life is about perspective. Perspective is the starting point on which we view and measure the world around us. The only problem with perspective is that it can taint or distort the truth because if we have the wrong starting point, how do we know we are on the right path. This idea flows over into our Christianity. In Christianity there is only one perspective that matters and that is The Father’s perspective through His Son, Christ Jesus.
Let me give you an example; Redemption. Traditionally in our Evangelical Movement we would ask the question “How does the Christ fit into the picture of redemption?” The problem here is a redemption viewpoint and therefore Christ is measured through redemption and life’s purpose becomes redemption. This viewpoint blinds us from the bigger picture and the Father’s ultimate purpose for our lives. The question should be “How does redemption fit into the picture of Christ?” Now we shift from a redemption viewpoint which ultimately has us focus on what God can do for us (me centered), into a Christ viewpoint which causes us to see the potential of Christ and our fitting into Him for His purpose and the benefit of others (Christ centered).
Even in our evangelism we solicit individuals into ask Christ into their lives as Lord (generally as savior), but even in this, the life of the individual is the focus. Paul’s gospel according to Colossians 1:23-27 reveals the truth of the mystery that Christ is in us and our journey is this awareness and the progress from Christ in us to us being in Christ. You see all of the promises of God are realized when we live in the Christ and not because Christ is in us. Look at the following text.
Ephesians 1:3 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,
Eph 1:4 just as He chose us in Him before the foundation of the world, that we would be holy and blameless before Him. In love
Eph 1:5 He predestined us to adoption as sons through Jesus Christ to Himself, according to the kind intention of His will,
Eph 1:6 to the praise of the glory of His grace, which He freely bestowed on us in the Beloved.
Eph 1:7 In Him we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of His grace
Eph 1:8 which He lavished on us. In all wisdom and insight
Eph 1:9 He made known to us the mystery of His will, according to His kind intention which He purposed in Him
Eph 1:10 with a view to an administration suitable to the fullness of the times, that is, the summing up of all things in Christ, things in the heavens and things on the earth. In Him
Eph 1:11 also we have obtained an inheritance, having been predestined according to His purpose who works all things after the counsel of His will,
Eph 1:12 to the end that we who were the first to hope in Christ would be to the praise of His glory.
Eph 1:13 In Him, you also, after listening to the message of truth, the gospel of your salvation–having also believed, you were sealed in Him with the Holy Spirit of promise,
Eph 1:14 who is given as a pledge of our inheritance, with a view to the redemption of God’s own possession, to the praise of His glory.
Ephesians 1:11 (Msg) It’s in Christ that we find out who we are and what we are living for.
Therefore it is not about my life, my blessings, my vision, my destiny or my anything; it is all about The Christ and The Father’s purpose in Him. So what about me? For me and for us we have the opportunity to be part of the Father’s purpose and destiny for our lives, which is found in losing our life in The Christ. It is in losing our life in The Christ that we find the true life (His Life) and have that life live through us. It is only through the Christ life that we can experience oneness with The Father which is His ultimate purpose for our lives.
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