Tag Archives: James 1:22-25

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Is Christ Found In Me?

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American Christianity has found itself in a state of apathy, resting in the wonderful truth of being “found in Christ.” Although to many, this truth seems to be more of a surface truth lacking the depth of transforming truth. This modern American Christianity, that we find ourselves surrounded by is consumed with a kind of faith that doesn’t stand out too much. It’s the kind of faith that is a convenient kind of “fire insurance” Christianity. One that states, “I have my ticket to heaven, yet in the name of Christian liberty, I can live any way that I want as long as the Bible doesn’t specifically say anything against it.”

The unfortunate reality is that many “Christians” fail to take the time to read God’s Word to even see if what they are doing in the name of Christian liberty is actually forbidden by God let alone trying to see if any Biblical principles apply. In a great way there tends to be little emphasis placed on these Biblical principles found in Scripture and their application to one’s life. The assumption is simply that God didn’t specifically say it so it must be okay. This has led to a kind of Christianity that is entertainment driven, seeker-friendly, Bible Lite, doctrinally weak, “feel good” Christianity. We may claim to “be found in Christ” but the question that we must be asking is, “Is Christ found in me?”

Paul writes in Philippians 3:8-9, saying, “Yea doubtless, and I count all things but loss for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord: for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and do count them but dung, that I may win Christ, and be found in Him, not having mine own righteousness, which is of the law, but that which is through the faith of Christ, the righteousness which is of God by faith.”

The beautiful reality of being “found in Christ” is the salvational truth that when God looks upon us He sees the righteousness of His Son—He sees Christ. This great truth is that, by faith in the righteousness of Christ and His finished work on our behalf, Christ’s righteousness is placed on our account. This is the means by which we are brought into the family of God with the confident hope of eternal life with Him. This is a glorious truth!

On the other hand, we are called to be transformed by this salvational truth and therefore Christ is to be found in me. The Bible tells us, “Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new” (2 Corinthians 5:17). As a “new creature,” Christ will be found in me as other people see Christ in me. They will see Christ-likeness on display in my life. They will see the love of Christ in the way that I treat others. They will see Christ’s kind of peace (John 14:27 & 16:33)[1] as I go through the trials and tribulations of life. The will see Christ-likeness in the way that I strive to obey God through His Word, seeking to follow Christ’s example (John 6:38 & 14:31).[2] Ultimately, others will see the light of Christ in me and give glory to my “Father which is in heaven” (Matthew 5:16).[3]

So then, how can Christ be found in me? How can you and I keep from falling into this apathetic Christianity that seems to be all around us, almost consuming us? How can we row against the current of this culture of convenient Christianity—this culture that seems to be rushing further from genuine, Biblical Christianity more like a raging river toward the destructive waterfalls ahead? How can we live a visible, genuine Christianity that is more than fire insurance but one that faithfully represents our Savior as we seek to be used as an instrument of God’s grace, rescuing others from the wrath that is to come? How can we live a life of loving Christianity whereby others see our love for our Lord and each other and in turn are encouraged and challenged to do the same?

I believe that the answer is seen in Paul’s mindset in verse 8 where he says, “Yea doubtless, and I count all things but loss for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord.” This “excellency of the knowledge of Christ” was Paul’s daily pursuit. His goal was this “excellency” or the surpassing greatness of being transformed by the “knowledge of Christ.” He wanted to be changed into Christ-likeness whereby having Christ consistently found in him.

Paul goes onto speak of this transformation—this sanctification truth—in Philippians 3:10  when he says, “That I may know Him , and the power of His resurrection, and the fellowship of His sufferings, being made conformable unto His death.” Paul is saying that Christ is found in me when “I know” and “follow after” Him. Christ is seen in me as I pursue the “excellency of the knowledge of Jesus Christ.”[4] He is seen in me the more “I know Him”—as I personally  experience Him in His glorious resurrection power, as I fellowship with Him in His life of suffering and as I learn to die to self being like Him in His death.

Christ will be seen in me as I “follow after”[5] Christ or passionately pursue Him as “I press toward the mark.”[6]  The same Greek word that is translated “follow after” and “press” in verses 12 & 14 is also translated “persecuting” in Philippians 3:6.  Paul was zealous in his efforts to please God as he persecuted the church.  He maintained this zealousness in seeking to please God after His conversion but now with a more complete Biblical and spiritual understanding of what truly pleases God. He pursued a life of obedience rooted in his supreme love for his Savior. He had experienced this great salvational truth, being saved from a life of pursuing self-righteousness in order to please God. He now found Himself in a state of amazing grace having God’s favor upon Him. As a result he wanted nothing more than to bring honor and glory to the name of Christ by having Christ found in him as Christ-likeness was more clearly and consistently displayed in his life.

In 1 Timothy 6:11 Paul says to Timothy, “but thou, O man of God, flee these things; and follow after righteousness, Godliness, faith, love, patience, meekness.”  When God’s children, by His grace, first “follow after” or passionately pursue the things of God we will die to self by “fleeing” the pleasures of this world. When our love for God is a supremely exclusive kind of love, our love for the world and its temptations lose their powerful enticement. Christian character will then be cultivated in our lives. Our faithful, humble obedience to God’s Word will result in Christ being found in us.

Have you found yourself caught up in this apathetic kind of convenient Christianity? Have you found your faith looking more like a kind of hypocritical Christianity? Have you found yourself falling back on your rights justified by unbiblical Christian liberty? Have you found yourself taking for granted your “ticket to heaven” yet little or no desire to understand more about what God has to say to you in His love letter to you?

If the answer is “yes” then run to Christ. “Flee these things; and follow after righteousness, Godliness, faith, love, patience, meekness.” Get back into God’s Word and see the glorious yet tragic truths of the Gospel. Be reminded of the “mercies of God” as you read through Isaiah 53, Matthew 26:47–27:50, Mark 14:43–15:39, Luke 22:47–23:47, and John 18-19 seeing the crucible of suffering that your Savior endured on your behalf. All that He suffered so that you could enjoy a relationship with Him—a relationship which displays your love for Him and brings Him much glory. A relationship in which you show your value of the cross as you see it in light of what He accomplished for you by dying in your place.

Read the accounts in the Gospels of His resurrection along with 1 Corinthians 15 and see His path of torment ending in triumph over sin and death. Meditate upon these triumphant truths at the end of this resurrection chapter as Paul writes, “O death, where is thy sting? O grave, where is thy victory? The sting of death is sin; and the strength of sin is the law. But thanks be to God, which giveth us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ. Therefore, my beloved brethren, be ye stedfast, unmoveable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, forasmuch as ye know that your labour is not in vain in the Lord.” (1 Corinthians 15:55-58)

Let these refreshing words of victory wash over you cleansing and stabilizing you as they renew your mind with these triumphant and transforming truths. May these passages of Christ’s torment and triumph renew in you a gratitude for your Savior and a supreme love for your Lord. I beg of you as Paul does in Romans 12:1-2, based upon these “mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living [transformed] sacrifice, holy [set apart from sin], acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service. [Stop being] conformed to this world—[this anti-God culture that you find yourself in]: but be ye transformed—[changed into something useful that brings glory to God] by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.”

As you have placed your faith and trust in Christ alone for salvation you are “in Christ.” But it doesn’t end there. Let Christ be found in you as you take hold of the sanctifying truths of the Gospel. Passionately pursue these transforming truths by “put off concerning the former conversation [the ways of] the old man, which is corrupt according to the deceitful lusts; and be renewed in the spirit of your mind; and that ye put on the [ways of] new man, which after God is created in righteousness and true holiness” (Ephesians 4:22-24). Passionately pursue Christ-likeness as you meditate upon the “mercies of God” and learn to rest in these powerful, stabilizing truths found in God’s Word.

Read and meditated upon what God says. Listen to the words of James as he writes, “But be ye doers of the Word, and not hearers only, deceiving your own selves. For if any be a hearer of the Word, and not a doer, he is like unto a man beholding [looking carefully at] his natural face in a glass [a mirror]: for he beholdeth himself, and goeth his way, and straightway forgetteth what manner of man he was. BUT whoso looketh into the perfect law of liberty [the Word of God], and continueth therein, he being not a forgetful hearer, but a [obedient] doer of the work, this man shall be blessed in his deed” (James 1:22-25).  Commit yourself to doing everything that God has said in His Word. Start applying the principles of Scripture to your life and enjoy the blessings that come from a life of loving obedience.

If you questions whether or not you are “in Christ”—in God’s family—consider taking the time to read The Most Precious Truth as well as How do I get to Heaven? See what God has done for you. Place your faith in Christ ALONE for salvation as you rest ONLY in His perfect, sacrificial work on your behalf. Then take Him at His Word.  Believe all that He says and be stabilized with these sanctifying truths as they transform your life.  This life of loving obedience will give testimony of Christ being found in you.

See the blessed life as a reality instead of something always just out of your reach. The blessed life is a life where Christ is consistently found in you. It is a life of obedience generated by a supreme love for your Savior. Don’t just settle for being “in Christ.” Let Christ be found in you today!

[1] “Peace I leave with you, My peace I give unto you: not as the world giveth, give I unto you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid.” (John 14:27)

“These things I have spoken unto you, that in Me ye might have peace. In the world ye shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world.” (John 16:33)

[2] “For I came down from heaven, not to do Mine own will, but the will of Him that sent Me.” (John 6:38)

“But that the world may know that I love the Father; and as the Father gave Me commandment, even so I do. Arise, let us go hence.” (John 14:31)

[3] “Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven.” (Matthew 5:16)

[4] “Yea doubtless, and I count all things but loss for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord: for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and do count them but dung, that I may win Christ.” (Philippians 3:8)

[5] “Not as though I had already attained, either were already perfect: but I follow after, if that I may apprehend that for which also I am apprehended of Christ Jesus.” (Philippians 3:12)

[6] “I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus.” (Philippians 3:14)

 

 

God’s Model for Success

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On the path of life our walk is often be filled with unforeseen challenges.  What lies ahead? How will you deal with the challenges that you will be facing? The answer is in your mindset as you approach these challenges.  How you take each step that leads to these unknowns will determine how you will handle those challenges.

In the story of Joshua we are given God’s model for success in this life. The precious truth about our God is that He does not leave us to walk alone and feel blindly through this life. He leads us by the hand with His Word, and often carries us through the roughest waves of the storm. Through His Word He gives us confidence to take the next step of life.

Consider Joshua as he is ordained by God to be the leader following the beloved Moses.  The task that lays before him was a monumental one.  How could he lead this people who for the past 40 years had been wandering in the dessert because of unbelief?  Aside from unbelief, these people could be defined as murmurers and complainers.  This was an incredibly large and difficult group to lead into a land they had yet to call their own which was filled with many unknowns.  How could Joshua take on this task and be successful?

In the first chapter we find God speaking with Joshua.  God tells him some things to remember as well as specific ways to respond. In this passage we see God’s promises as bookends surrounding His commands.—Remember & Respond!!

Remember GOD’S promise—“Know this!”  Here we begin by seeing what we are to remember. Consider this promise, in verse 5, as a stabilizing truth. God says to Joshua, “…as I was with Moses, so I will be with thee: I will not fail thee, nor forsake thee.” God’s promise to Joshua is that He will ALWAYS be with him each step of the way. Joshua will NOT have to face any challenges alone. The same is true for us, “Let your conversation be without covetousness; and be content with such things as ye have: for He hath said, I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee” (Hebrews 13:5).

This promise sets up what follows. In order to be successful in our response we must remember what God says. Remember that success in our Christian lives is based upon our obedience to God and His Word.

Respond to GOD’S Commands—“Do this!”  Here we see what we are to respond to.

Consider the 1st command: Be confident because of God’s Word—“be thou strong” (v. 7). God is telling Joshua to “be strong”—be confident because of God’s Words of promise. “Thy Word is a lamp unto my feet, and a light [symbol of guidance] unto my path [way of life]”   (Psalm 119:105). God’s Word is given to provide light so as to be able to walk through this life successfully. His Word is the key to our faithfulness and usefulness. “…He leadeth me in the paths of righteousness for His name’s sake” (Psalm 23:3b). Be confident that the way our Shepherd leads us is the righteous way and the best way.  He puts His name on it. “Being confident of this very thing, that He which hath begun a good work in you will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ:” (Philippians 1:6). Be confident that He will complete the work that He starts in us.

Consider the 2nd command: Be fearless because of God’s Word—“be thou very courageous” (v. 7). Joshua’s courage was to be in God—he could be fearless through the unknowns before him because of what God had said to him—“I will be with thee.” Remember God’s Word and respond without fear. “Fear thou not; for I am with thee: be not dismayed; for I am thy God: I will strengthen thee; yea, I will help thee; yea, I will uphold thee with the right hand of My righteousness” (Isaiah 41:10).

Consider the 3rd command: Be obedient to the Word—“observe to do according to all the Law” (v. 7). Joshua’s ability to obey was directly related to his confidence in the truth. God commanded Joshua to “observe” or take special care to obey ALL the commandments. Take special care that you show, by your actions, that you hold the commandments of God in high esteem for they are invaluable. When we remember that God has our best interests in mind it will change how we respond to His commandments. Our best is ultimately God’s glory.

Just as God commands Joshua, He also commands us to be obedient to everything in His Word. “But be ye doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving your own selves.  For if any be a hearer of the Word, and not a doer, he is like unto a man beholding his natural face in a glass:  For he beholdeth himself, and goeth his way, and straightway forgetteth what manner of man he was.   But whoso looketh into the perfect law of liberty, and continueth therein, he being not a forgetful hearer, but a doer of the work, this man shall be blessed in his deed.” (James 1:22-25) “Observing to do,” what God says results in blessing—hearing and NOT doing results in self deception.

Consider the 4th command: Be guided by the Word—“turn not from it to the right hand or to the left, that thou mayest prosper whithersoever thou goest” (v. 7). This is a call to submission. When we are confident in Who God is—that He is sovereign and in full authority; when we are fully persuaded about His character and His desire for us is what is best for us—then our submission to Him will not be so difficult. We will then respond by being guided by Him through His Word.  The result is “prosperous” or wise living.

Consider the 5th command: Be vocal about the Word—“this book of the Law shall not depart out of thy mouth” (v. 8). God commands Joshua that His Word should always be present in Joshua’s conversation.  He should always be speaking about God and His Word. When you are confident in Who God is and what He has done for you this shouldn’t be very difficult. When you remember the “mercies of God” (Romans 12:1) you will be vocal in response about the greatness of your God.

Consider the 6th command: Be daily in the Word—“thou shalt meditate therein day and night” (v. 8). God wants Joshua to daily meditate upon  His Word. To meditate is the same process as worrying where you are constantly looking at something from every possible angle. The difference is the content of what you are focusing on. Meditating upon God’s Word is a great help as it brings peace and quietness where worrying about our circumstances bring only noise and unrest into our lives. The Bible further tells us, “Let the Word of Christ dwell in you richly [abundantly] in all wisdom; teaching and admonishing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord.” (Colossians 3:16)

Remember GOD’S promise—“Know this!” Here again we see what we are to remember. This is the other bookend surrounding God’s commands.

Consider the next promise: Know success as promised in the Word—“then thou shalt have good success” (v. 8). This is clearly NOT the definition of worldly success. We can chase the world’s success but as Solomon says it’s like “chasing the wind” (Ecclesiastes 5:16) as it is a sure waste of time. The God who “cannot lie” (Titus 1:2) promises  that handling His Word His way leads to success—remember and respond!

Consider this final promise: Know encouragement from the Word—“for the LORD thy God is with thee” (v. 9). Notice that the Lord ends with the promise He began with—“I will be with you!”

Look at WHO is commanding Joshua.  As God speaks to him He is saying “remember WHO AM I?  What have I done?  AM I worthy to be obeyed?  Do My words ring hollow because My past has been contrary to what I AM commanding you now?  AM I not the great I AM? AM I not the One who parted the Red Sea?  AM I not the One who gave you water to drink from a rock in the desert? Have I ever done anything to prove to you that I am unfaithful or that I cannot be trusted?” Consider these words as questions to you.

The most important questions to ask are “Who are you Lord?” and “What do you want me to do?” And so to each of us I say, “REMEMBER and RESPOND! Remember WHO your God is and what He has done for you.” In turn “respond with fearless obedience being confident in HIM, knowing that what God promises, HE is sure to bring it to pass.”