Q1. In Christ

[Lori D]

My pastor was speaking about this very thing today He said it would be like buying a brand new $7000 dollar fridge, filling it up with all your groceries and then finding out the next day that everything melted and was ruined. You failed to plug it in. We need to be "in Christ" simply to "work". We can't do the job we were intended to do with out being plugged into Christ. For me this is everything. I can't even open my eyes in the morning with out thinking about Jesus! I need Him so very much for my whole life!!!

Lori

[petalsandy]

Q1. (Ephesians 1:3) What does it mean to you to be "in christ"-- incorporated into Christ?

Once you accept god into your heart now you think differently...My life is no longer mines alone. Christ is in me and I am in Him. I now walk, talk, live, sleep, and etc.,etc. like Christ. The Holy Spirit lives within us to guide us and to do whats right in our lives.

Q2. What are the implications of this for your life?

Now that Christ has shed his blood for us to be free now its up to me to live my life a way to glorified his name. Now I learn his word and start

to grow spiritually and using the guidance of the word for my map.

[wellkept1020]

To me to be in christ is total submission. I knew who christ for a long time and I was stuck in a box, then i realized nothing would change until i decided to be in christ, to allow christ to be the head, until i was submitted to him. When we say we are in christ he is driving, we are in christ's car and we can be back seat drivers if you will allow me to use that phrase.

[Elisabeth]

What does it mean to me to be 'in Christ' - incorporated into Christ? What are the implications of this for my life? I have been thinking about this the last few days, and have been thinking hat the questions are not just a matter of knowing Bible verses, but more than that, knowing that Christ is in me, and that I belong to Him.

I know that when Christ Jesus saved me that His promise is true. He will never let me go. How do I know this? My spirit tells me it is true, and I am irreversibly His. He lives in me, and despite my fallen state He breathes into me life that is not drummed up, or even a 'feeling' it is a life that is there and deep down. I know that He is mine and I am His. Christ in me is everything, each day my thoughts are about Him even though I am busy. I find myself in thoughts with Him. My conscience is there and I find myself guided by the Holy Spirit. I want to be more of Him and less of me, this is a stuggle at times, as I find that the way I want to be doesnt always come out, but then when I feel that I cant do anything His Spirit in me moves and I know that I am in Christ; safe; protected; redeemed. Sometimes it is like a bubble of irrepressible joy that seems to engulf me and despite circumstances I am at peace. The implications of 'Christ in me' is beyond my comprehension, far as I learn more I sometimes glimpse the vast depths that an eternity could never be enough time for me to find out just how deep my Lord Jesus Christ is. I want to be His servant completely, yet I disobey, and find that I never come close to fully discovering the wonder of being His child.

Thank you Lord Jesus for I just simply know that I am in You and I never want to be out!

[tokajulo]

To be in Christ means that I am infused with Him. Like tea. The more I allow time to steep with Him and feel myself being carried by him, the more effective I am in my everyday dealings with people and myself. I have far to go, and yet, I know that I am IN Christ and therefore, I can relax and let Him flow through and out of me.

[valentine]

Q1. (Ephesians 1:3) What does it mean to you to be "in Christ" -- incorporated into Christ? What are the implications of this for your life?

meaning can be derived from the following 1. one is no longer their natural self. christ now regulates their life. explained further this means ones life is led by christ, he is the one WHO IS IN CONTROL. this comes as a result of the realisation that one can not live a life free from the domination of the devil alone. they need spiritual protection to be saved and this is found IN CHRIST. LIKE anyone else a christian cannot afford to live a life divorced from christ.simply they cannot afford self existence so they simply must be INCORPORATED in christ. this means since one cannot manage their spiritual warfare alone they need to look upon to a higher authority for protection spiritual nourishment, gifts, blessings, etc. as such they seek refugee in christ who then opens his arms to them and incorporates them into his kingdom.once one is incorporated they share the joys and benefits of christ's kingdom. all that he promises to his loved ones they get since they are incorporated into him.they now share what is his.one who is incorporated is empowered, he is a victor, he is STRONG and nothing evil can overpower him.

[Donna K]

Q1. What does it mean to you to be "in Christ". What are the implications of this for your life?

A: For me, to be "in Christ" is be have a new eternal union with the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. It is a union that

began when I accepted Christ Jesus as my Lord and Savior. Prior to His crucifixion Jesus prayed to His Father and in

His prayer gave an illustration of this special union. Jesus said in John 17:19-26:

"For their sakes I sanctify Myself, that they themselves also may be sanctified in truth.

I do not ask on behalf of these alone, but for those also who believe in Me through their

word; that they may all be one; even as You, Father are in Me and I in You, that they

also may be in Us, so that the world may believe that you sent Me. The glory which You

have given Me I have given to them, that they may be one, just as We are one; I in them

and You in Me, that they may be perfected in unity, so that the world may know that You

sent Me, and loved them, even as You have loved Me. Father, desire that they also, whom

You have given Me, be with Me where I am, so that they may see My glory which You have

given Me, for You loved Me before the foundation of the world. O righteous Father,

although the world has not known You, yet I have known You; and these have known that

You sent Me; and I have made your name known to them, and will make it known, so that

the love with which You loved Me may be in them, and I in them."

This union that I have with the Father, Son, and the Holy Spirit comprises of:

1) God's truth,

2) A family of believers eternally joined together with each other and God,

3) Imputed glory,

4) Imputed perfection,

5) Knowledge of the true eternal God

6) Eternal love for God and each other.

The implications of this for my life are:

1) God the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit will always be with me, and I with them.

2) I have a new family which is comprised of many people.

3) I am in this lifetime being made more into the likeness of God,

4) I have been given the ability to continue to learn and understand more about God and to talk to Him,

5) I am developing the kind of love that is like God's love: unconditional, sacrificial, eternal etc.

[Donna K]

Q1. What does it mean to you to be "in Christ". What are the implications of this for your life?

A: For me, to be "in Christ" is be have a new eternal union with the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. It is a union that

began when I accepted Christ Jesus as my Lord and Savior. Prior to His crucifixion Jesus prayed to His Father and in

His prayer gave an illustration of this special union. Jesus said in John 17:19-26:

"For their sakes I sanctify Myself, that they themselves also may be sanctified in truth.

I do not ask on behalf of these alone, but for those also who believe in Me through their

word; that they may all be one; even as You, Father are in Me and I in You, that they

also may be in Us, so that the world may believe that you sent Me. The glory which You

have given Me I have given to them, that they may be one, just as We are one; I in them

and You in Me, that they may be perfected in unity, so that the world may know that You

sent Me, and loved them, even as You have loved Me. Father, desire that they also, whom

You have given Me, be with Me where I am, so that they may see My glory which You have

given Me, for You loved Me before the foundation of the world. O righteous Father,

although the world has not known You, yet I have known You; and these have known that

You sent Me; and I have made your name known to them, and will make it known, so that

the love with which You loved Me may be in them, and I in them."

This union that I have with the Father, Son, and the Holy Spirit comprises of:

1) God's truth,

2) A family of believers eternally joined together with each other and God (eternal life),

3) Imputed glory,

4) Imputed perfection,

5) Knowledge of the true eternal God

6) Eternal love for God and each other.

[wunway4u2]

Q1. (Ephesians 1:3) What does it mean to you to be "in Christ" -- incorporated into Christ? What are the implications of this for your life?

To be in Christ to me is to emerce yourself in his teachings, his life and of course the commandments. To believe, stand firm on the promises made live out life by letting Christ live through me. To be in Chirst, is to be enraptured with all that God is. Praying, praising and rejoycing constantly even through the tougher times of life. To allow Christ through the Holy Spirit to live in, through and for me. The implications are to use a well known saying "Let go and let God". My life must constantly be changing to emulate and allow God to assumulate me by denying self. As Paul said: "For me to live is Christ, and to die is gain".

[wunway4u2]

To be in Christ to me is to emerce yourself in his teachings, his life and of course the commandments. To believe, stand firm on the promises made live out life by letting Christ live through me. To be in Chirst, is to be enraptured with all that God is. Praying, praising and rejoycing constantly even through the tougher times of life. To allow Christ through the Holy Spirit to live in, through and for me. The implications are to use a well known saying "Let go and let God". My life must constantly be changing to emulate and allow God to assumulate me by denying self. As Paul said: "For me to live is Christ, and to die is gain".

[Ronko]

What does it mean to be "holy"? In what sense can you stand "blameless" before God?

I understood that the moment I gave my life over to the Lord, the Holy Spirit has transformed my spirit and made me Holy and blameless. When God our Father looks at me, he sees my new spirit.

I also gained spiritual blessings, redemption thru his blood, forgiveness of sin, riches of Gods grace, wisdom and understanding, and made known the mystery of His will. Praise the Lord

[teresakedwards]

Its like this, (to me), think of your favorite melody, let it dance in your mind for a moment.........now push the pause button....pick a "note" ....any note, G, perhaps F..... now take that note out, and listen to that favorite melody again..... Its missing something..... When we are all together, in our "spots" (because not all of us are "c" notes) God's favorite melody is playing, .......This to me is "in Christ"...?!?! The implication is my closeness to God, safety, joyfulness, knowing...

[1Peter1Seven]

Q1. (Ephesians 1:3) What does it mean to you to be "in Christ" -- incorporated into Christ? What are the implications of this for your life?

When I asked Jesus to come into my life, I really did not know all that it encompassed. Now years later, I understand that to be in Christ, I, daily, have to pick up that cross, the relationship that I have with Christ and carry it. I have to walk it out. I can only accomplish this if I let Him lead. The Holy Spirit has to be the leader. I as the foreign tree, has been grafted into the old tree, and have become part of the branches.

The implications are both simple and complex. My life is no longer my own. I have come to understand what it is to truly love people that I used to not understand or tolerate. AS IF! God has began a work in me, that work is not yet complete. He knows the end product from when he first began. I find that trusting that alone, I have no worries. I used to think I was fairly intelligent, thankfully there were others who both tried to understand me and tolerated me.

Isn't God great?

[AndyR]

I think you are all right "in Christ". Each of us has a relationship where Christ is in us and we are blessed to feel Him in all that we do and say. ...and like one person said, when we step out of Christ and sin, I feel we miss the blessing. God doesn't take it away, we just merely miss it. We only have to step back in. He never left. The blessing never left. Trust that God knows all. We think we know, but I have learned that God knows. He knows His son, and He is in us. Look at your child. Are they doing the best they can in school? Are they telling you the truth everytime? Are they always doing what you taught them? Have you ever stopped loving them? God's love is so much more than the love you have for your children. I am very thankful for being "in Christ", being adopted by God through Him. It strenghtens me in allt hat I do and say. I may not get it right everytime, but God loves me. What a strong blessing.

[rooster]

Q1. (Ephesians 1:3) What does it mean to you to be "in Christ" -- incorporated into Christ? What are the implications of this for your life?

To be in Christ for me is that I am part of him and he is part of me,I walk with Christ every day.

[Agape]

"In Christ" to me means I have left the previous me and have been joined to him, his identity has become mine and mine has become his all in one.I can not do anything contray to what Christ stands for if I do I am being false representation of myself and an imposter.

[blawrence]

Q1. (Ephesians 1:3) What does it mean to you to be "in Christ" -- incorporated into Christ?

To be in Christ means to me that He has given His life for me to live and as a result of me accepting that free gift, I have been sealed with His love. I now have the presence of the Holy Spirit on the inside of me working to perfect those things in me that the Father has planned. Christ set the standards for which I live and when I am obedient to following that path, I am in Him.

What are the implications of this for your life?

He said that if I abide in Him, He will abide in me. I cannot bear fruit on my own and without Christ, I am lost and can do nothing on my own.

[ldyrad]

To be in Christ, all that you do from making decisions on very important matters to the littles things as feeding you animals, do it as Christ would want, being unselfish, being kind and caring. The implications are that most days you will feel good but there are some days that you just feel like no one cares. Our Father does and that is what matters.

[Workerbee]

For me it means to acknowledge the Holy Spirit which is Christ in me and to be empowered to do as the Lord has commanded me live as He lived. That is the hard part but by letting the Spirit of Christ convict me and to know that I need change and to follow through on the conviction. I know I have a chance to to fulfill the promise.

[Workerbee]

For me to be in "Christ" is to live and be one with the Holy Spirit To enjoy the gifts which He has given me, Love, Patience, Kindness, Understanding, Forgiveness. I work hard to live this way but fall short many times. But I know that I am forgiven when I repent and continue my walk in Him

[sonia]

(Ephesians 1:3) What does it mean to you to be "in Christ" -- incorporated into Christ? What are the implications of this for your life?

What does it mean to me to be 'in Christ'? I feel Honored - someone like me who is undeserving who is not to be considered a saint, holy or blameless, is called to be a saint, holy and blameless by a man so endearing, so kind, so magnanimous. I have been stained in so many ways that it was inconceivable to me that a man so Holy would allow a soiled little girl into His presence...into His arms. I feel more accepted and more loved than I ever have in my life. I am always accompanied even when I stand alone. My spirit has been interwined with his and it is beyond me to understand how...I just know it has been the most freeing experience of my short life.

At times I allow myself to become defeated and I have be reminded this truth - I am in Christ. "If God is for me who can be against me." There is nothing that can defeat me if I am with Christ in God. "For you died and your life is now hidden with Christ in God." Every time I read this verse I imagine myself cocooned under His arm or in His hands.

Verse 3 says: "Praise to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed is un the heavenly realms with EVERY spiritual blessing in Christ."

Every spiritual blessing that is found in Christ is now found in me...Every one. I am loved I am protected I am accepted I have a hope I am strengthened - I have everything I need so I need not worry. I am covered under My God.

Wow, what grace!

[Nykky921]

Q1. (Ephesians 1:3) What does it mean to you to be "in Christ" -- incorporated into Christ? What are the implications of this for your life?

This phrase gives me comfort knowing that Christ is part of me and will always be there. It's like a partnership between me and Christ except He is the one with everything and I am in it because He chose me and wants me there. This phrase also gives me strength to know that Christ is a part of me so I don't have to know all of the answers or do everything right.

[Leah]

"In Christ" is something that Satan has kept from me. I know that I am a Christian and that I am in Christ and that he loved me so much that he came and died for me and would have done it for only me, but I frequently forget that that means I have value and so much potential that God means to use me for that I often forget and underestimate the gifts that God has given me. I don't keep that one phrase as fresh in my mind as I should.

[Katfish]

I dont think people are really being taught what it means to be in Christ or to fully understand who we are in Christ. It is something that I am beginning to discover, and why I signed up for this study. I have allowed Satan's condemnation to keep me immobilized and utterly useless in the kingdom of Christ. I have come to understand that through the power of the spirit that raised Jesus from the dead, I have the ability to overcome sin and temptations in my life. I do not believe that the minute you become a christian you are magically "changed" in your mind or your flesh. I do believe that you have come to the knowledge of Christ, what he did for you on the cross, and that you need Him in your life. From that point on you should be working toward developing the mind of Christ, to walk like Christ walked, to love like Christ loved. This, however, requires effort on our part to study the bible, to know what it says, hide its words in our hearts, to learn how to live a victorious, joyfilled life here on earth while we await His coming. The spirit that raised Jesus from the dead lives in us. We have to learn how to feed it so it will grow to maturity and that we will grow into mature christians, able to withstand whatever Satan throws at us. None of us will ever be perfect. There is no magic bullet to remove all the unwanted circumstances, feelings, and traits we have in our lives. We will always have to deal with sin in our lives. But, as we grow in Christ, as we feed the spirit and starve the flesh, the spirit within us becomes stronger and stronger so that no matter what the circumstance, no matter what the situation is, we are able to rejoice in the Lord, be at peace within ourselves, and have the assurance and confidence that God is in control and everything will work out in the end to our benefit. One last thought...condemnation is from Satan. It says "if you love the Lord, then why do you do these things?," it says "If you are a christian then why does God let these things happen to you?" Satan will always try to attack our identity, just like he did Jesus. Its the easiest way he can immobilize us. If you are seeking God, it is because you were chosen to seek him before the world was created. Every thing that Satan tells you to keep you from persevering in that seeking is a lie. You need to say to Satan, "It is written!" and follow it with every scripture that applies to that situation. Conviction comes from God. It tells us what we have done wrong, but it also tells us what we need to do to fix it. Condemnation presses you down to the point that you feel so unworthy and so ashamed that you begin to doubt God's love for you. Conviction brings consciousness of a wrong that you have committed and shows you a way to make it right.

[JanMary]

Q1. (Ephesians 1:3) What does it mean to you to be "in Christ" -- incorporated into Christ?

It means that He chose me and I "chose to be chosen", invited Him to be my Lord and Savior and He now lives in me, and therefore I am hidden in Him...we are one, and I'm a joint heir with Christ. I will rule and reign one day with Him when He returns to earth for a thousand years.....What a Savior!!! I'm no longer the broken down, abused, rejected, and neglected individual that I was when He picked me up! It's too amazing and wonderful to grasp! But His Word tells me so, so it is!

What are the implications of this for your life?

I'm born again, forgiven, have eternal life, all the blessings of God, I have been adopted into the family of God, and I am no longer mine but His. I'm His friend and His bond slave. He's my Savior, brother, friend, comforter, Father, my soon coming King... my all. I live for Him. I am loved totally and unconditionally, which includes discipline when needed. I have been crucified with Him, and now He lives through my life as I surrender my will to His, and as we walk together, He is transforming me into His image....what a marvelous gift and life! How I praise and worship my Lord and my God!!!!!