Today we continue our series entitled, “God Loves You”, under the overall theme for the year of, “Supernatural Manifestation.” We have been looking at 1 John 4:16 and 17 for days. The point I keep driving home is that all our sufficiency is IN CHRIST. Once we are IN CHRIST, we are all that He is. When God looks at us, He sees His son. Let’s continue to flow in this vein today, by looking at our passage, and by also looking at 2 Cor 5:14-17.
The Apostle John said:
And we have known and believed the love that God hath to us. God is love; and he that dwelleth in love dwelleth in God, and God in him. Herein is our love made perfect, that we may have boldness in the day of judgment: because as he is, so are we in this world.
(1 John 4:16, 17 KJV)
The Apostle Paul said:
The love of Christ controls us, because we know that one person died for everyone. So all have died. He died for all so that those who live would not continue to live for themselves. He died for them and was raised from death so that they would live for him.
From this time on we don’t think of anyone as the world thinks of people. It is true that in the past we thought of Christ as the world thinks. But we don’t think that way now. When anyone is in Christ, it is a whole new world. The old things are gone; suddenly, everything is new! All this is from God. Through Christ, God made peace between himself and us. And God gave us the work of bringing people into peace with him.
(2 Cor 5:14-17 ERV)
So what does this mean to you today? A few things.
- Jesus took your place on the cross, so you could take His place in this world!
- a) Jesus was the only innocent man to ever walk the planet. He did not die for His sin, because He was sinless. He died for yours.
- b) You are unquestionably guilty and Jesus was unquestionably innocent. Jesus chose to take your place. He paid your penalty. He offered His life as your substitutionary death.
- c) Our text says that “one person died for everyone.” That one person was Jesus. Paul goes on to say, “so all have died.” If you are IN CHRIST, you are alive to Him and dead to self.
- d) Paul explained that Jesus died for us, so we could live for Him. But we don’t just get to live FOR Him. We actually get to live IN HIM!
- Jesus rose from the dead FOR you, so you could live in the newness of life He died to give you.
- a) Our text says, “When anyone is in Christ, it is a whole new world. The old things are gone; suddenly, everything is new!”
- b) Once you are IN CHRIST, you have a new life. Everything is new. Everything changes in an instant. Not because you change in an instant — that takes time. But because your position changes in an instant. The moment you gave your life to Christ, you were placed IN HIM. Once you are IN HIM, everything is new. The challenge then becomes, learning how to LIVE in the new life you already have!
- We are all that He [Jesus] is.
- a) Think of the resurrected Jesus for a minute. Picture Him in all of His glory. He has gone to the cross to pay for our sin. He has risen from the dead to provide us eternal life. He has taken back the authority over this planet Adam lost. He has the keys to the Kingdom. He has dominion and power. He then ascends into heaven and takes His seat at the right hand of the Father. He does not sit because He is tired. He sits because His earthly assignment is complete. He did all He was sent to the earth to do. Can you see Him? Are you picturing Him? Now think of our text. The Bible says that as Jesus is (right now, in all of His glory), so are we, in this world! We are everything He is. Not because we deserve it, but because of God’s amazing grace.
- b) The Gospel (Good news) is so good, because God chooses to see imperfect people through the lens of perfection. When He sees us, He sees Jesus. And that’s the perspective He wants us to enter every day with. As Jesus is, so are we, in this world!
I will stop here for today.
Closing Confession: Father, this is a year of Great Victory for me. I say this without reservation, because I know I am IN CHRIST and CHRIST is IN ME! When You look at me, You see Your Son. You see Jesus, in all of His glory. Jesus took my place on the cross. I now take His place in this world. To do this I must fully embrace the newness of the life He died to give me. I do. I see myself dead to the flesh and alive to the Spirit. I am IN CHRIST. Christ is IN ME! Everything is new. The old has gone. The new has come! As Jesus is, so am I, in this world! I declare this by faith. In Jesus’ name. Amen.
This is Today’s Word! Apply it and Prosper.
