Being in Christ

"Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who hath blessed us with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ" (Ephesians 1:3). Paul is telling us, "All who follow Jesus are blessed with spiritual blessings in heavenly places, where Christ is." What an incredible promise to God's people.

This promise becomes mere words if we don't know what these spiritual blessings are. How can we enjoy the blessings that God promises us if we don't comprehend them?

Paul wrote this epistle "to the faithful in Christ Jesus" (1:1). These were believers who were sure of their salvation. The Ephesians had been well trained in the gospel of Jesus Christ and the hope of eternal life. They knew who they were in Christ, and were assured of their heavenly position in him.

These "faithful ones" fully understood that "God...raised him from the dead, and set him at his own right hand in the heavenly places" (1:20). They knew they'd been chosen by God from "before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before him in love" (1:4). They grasped that they were adopted "by Jesus Christ to himself" (1:5). God had brought them into his family, because when they heard the word of truth, they believed and trusted it.

Many forgiven, cleansed and redeemed people live in misery. They never have a sense of being fulfilled in Christ. Instead, they continually go from peaks to valleys, from spiritual highs to depressing lows. How can this be? It's because many never get past the crucified Savior to the resurrected Lord who lives in glory.

Jesus said to the disciples, "Because I live, ye shall live also. At that day ye shall know that I am in my Father, and ye in me, and I in you" (John 14:19-20). We are now living in "that day" that Jesus spoke of and we are to understand our heavenly position in Christ.

What is meant by the expression, "our position in Christ"? Position is "where one is placed, where one is." God has placed us where we are, which is in Christ.

In turn, Christ is in the Father, seated at his right hand. There, if we're in Christ, then we are actually seated with Jesus in the throne room, where he is. That means we're sitting in the presence of the Almighty. This is what Paul refers to when he says we're made to "sit together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus" (Ephesians 2:6). Yes, Jesus is in paradise. But the Lord also abides in you and me. He has made us his temple on the earth, his dwelling place.