7. In Christ
When I read, in Paul's gospel, the words “in Christ,” I take those words in that context to be as literal and concrete as the words literal and concrete could possibly mean. I take those words to mean literal in the physical, literal in soul or self, and literal in the substance of spirit. I take those words to mean now, absolute, and all of me.
© Daniel Yordy - 2014
Part of the schizophrenia (which means, literally, double-minded, or split-mind) of Nicene Christianity in which I lived for many years was the concept that “I” was “in” Christ only when I walked in the Spirit or only when I heard His voice and obeyed. BUT if I “followed my flesh” or did not do what the voice told me to do, or if I exhibited a lack of submission, then “I” was not “in” Christ, but “in” the flesh.
(God does speak with us, His voice arising in our hearts all the time, but He does not speak at us unless we are hard of hearing and He is attempting to get our attention.)
Thus I believed that I could be in Christ or that I could be in the flesh, back and forth. The evidence that told me when I was in one or the other was almost entirely my emotions. Since I experience turbulent emotions inside my bubble, I was convinced that most of the time I must be “in” the flesh and not in Christ. One of the voices from that time told me very clearly that Jesus was not like me, melancholic, and that if I wanted to be like Jesus, I had to stop being what I was and learn to be (in actuality) what this person speaking to me was.
The horrific thing is that I believed that person for awhile, because I honored and respected her. Yet, no matter what, I could never change myself. My inability to change myself was then considered proof that I was always in the flesh and that I could not actually love Jesus. At least that's what we were taught.
Understand, that in the name of “subduing the flesh,” we honored the outward human ability of some, flesh subduing flesh, the supreme exaltation of flesh. The discipline of a disciplined man is as much “of the flesh” as the lack of discipline in an undisciplined man. The ability to move as a minister to others in the church is as much natural human ability as the inability to impress anyone with your “maturity in God.”
In that day you shall know that I am in the Father and you in Me and I in you. John 14:20
As we found in “Union AND Freedom,” the word “in” is a huge word, pregnant with meaning.
I want to zero in on you in Me.
In Christ.
The phrase “in Christ” is found 84 times in the New Testament, 82 times by Paul and 2 times by Peter.
Now, before continuing, I would like to draw a significant line, not to divide, but to place myself clearly in the only thing that interests me. In the arena of those among God's people across the earth who are seeing, in one form or another, the revelation of Jesus Christ or the arising of God's kingdom or the entrance of heavenly power into the affairs of men, there are many, many ministers of Christ proclaiming their understanding with a much stronger voice or position than I am capable of.
First, I recognize and honor all those through whom God is speaking. God is a big God, and He is continuously doing many, many things. The truth I shared in “God of the Cup,” found in The Covenant, remains as God's limitation of me.
But I see the entirety of Salvation as being one thing alone, the Person of Jesus inside of me and me inside of the Person of Jesus, and inside of our union a continual enlargement of precious communion, of knowing one another.
And I see the entirety of Salvation-Revealed as found in these words of Jesus, “I am come to seek and to save what is lost.” I see the entirety of the going forth of the kingdom of God, the revelation of Jesus Christ, as a lifting up of each individual person into the life and honor of Jesus.
When I read of others proclaiming the kingdom of God or the manifestation of the sons of God, I see expressions of authority and power, of binding and loosing, of engagement with the things of God, of taking dominion, and so on. I rarely find a love relationship with Jesus inside of them as the pinnacle of God in the earth, and I rarely see the authority of God expressed as placing one's self beneath of others, laying down one's life for them, that each individual person might be honored and loved and lifted up into life and goodness.
When I read, in Paul's gospel, the words “in Christ,” I take those words in that context to be as literal and concrete as the words literal and concrete could possibly mean. I take those words to mean literal in the physical, literal in soul or self, and literal in the substance of spirit. I take those words to mean now, absolute, and all of me.
More than that, I take those words, as Paul did, not in reference to some person-less “Christness” that I now possess, but to mean the Person of the Lord Jesus Christ, the ascended King of the Universe, the Savior and Salvation of all.
Jesus is real inside of me, alive in my heart. And when I speak of union with Christ or of the revelation of Jesus Christ or of power and great glory, I am speaking of nothing else.
It all comes down to control or to release.
You know, here's how we once read Jesus' exchange with the Roman centurion who said, “I also am a man under authority and I say to this one, 'Go,' and he goes, and to another, 'Do this,” and he does it.” Jesus answered him, “I have not seen so great faith in all Israel.” We saw it in this light – If I am controlled by someone bigger than me, then I get to control others, those “beneath” of me.
Control.
We defined spiritual authority as the power to control.
Here is God's definition of spiritual authority.
As the Father knows Me, even so I know the Father; and I lay down My life for the sheep. . . Therefore My Father loves Me, because I lay down My life that I may take it again. No one takes it from Me, but I lay it down of Myself. I have power to lay it down, and I have power to take it again. This command I have received from My Father. John 10:15-18
It is remarkable, but I find in most the desire and expression of “out and up,” while I find myself ever increasingly “in and down.”
Of all the many “in Christ's” in Paul's gospel, the most important “in Christ” was that we were in Him in Gethsemane, and the second most important is that we were in Him through the walk of the Atonement, all the way to the throne of God.
Yet there are many “in Christ's” saturating the gospel according to Paul for us to explore. But let's keep three things fully in mind as we go through the list. First, “Christ” is the Person of the Lord Jesus Christ. Second, you and I are utterly and completely inside of this Person, in every literal and substantial sense. And third, this same Christ that everything is “IN,” including us, Himself lives utterly in our hearts.
Our redemption is inside of Christ. Romans 3
It is inside of Christ that we are alive to God. Romans 6
Eternal life is found only inside of Christ. Romans 6
Inside of Christ exists no condemnation. Romans 8
The law of the Spirit of life that makes me free from the law of sin and death operates only inside of Christ. Romans 8
The love of God that keeps us is inside of Christ. Romans 8
We are one body together inside of Christ. Romans 12
We glory, that is, laugh and boast of our enjoyment of the things of God, inside of Christ. Romans 15
We are sanctified inside of Christ. 1 Corinthians 1
We are IN Christ, by and of Him. 1 Corinthians 1
Inside of Christ all are made alive. 1 Corinthians 15
We are established together inside of Christ. 2 Corinthians 1
It is inside of Christ that God always leads us in triumph. 2 Corinthians 2
It is inside of Christ that the veil of ignorance is removed. 2 Corinthians 3
Everyone and everything inside of Christ is the new creation. Inside of Christ old things are passed away and all things are made new. Inside of Christ, all things are of God. 2 Corinthians 5
God is inside of Christ, doing what God does, reconciling all things to Himself. 2 Corinthians 5
Inside of Christ we enjoy full liberty. Galatians 2
Our justification is inside of Christ, we enter there by faith. Galatians 2
The blessing of Abraham, coming also upon the Gentiles, is found only inside of Christ. Galatians 3
Inside of Christ we are sons of God; we enter by faith. Galatians 3
Inside of Christ we are utterly one, without distinction. Galatians 3
Inside of Christ, faith working by love is everything. Galatians 5
Inside of Christ we are blessed with all the blessings of God in the heavens. Ephesians 1
In the fullness of times, everything in heaven and earth will be gathered together into Christ. Ephesians 1
We are raised up and sit together with Jesus in the heavenlies (at the right hand of the Father) inside of Christ. Ephesians 2
All the riches, kindness, and grace of future ages are found only inside of Christ. Ephesians 2
We were created as a poem, as an epic story, by God inside of Christ – for good works. Ephesians 2
Inside of Christ, the Blood of Christ makes us part of the Israel of God. Ephesians 2
The promise of God is found only inside of Christ. Ephesians 2
God's eternal purpose is accomplished only inside of Christ. Ephesians 3
It is inside of Christ that God forgives us. Ephesians 4
Whatever our outward circumstances might be, even prison chains, they are found only inside of Christ. Philippians 1
The mind of humility is found inside of Christ. Philippians 2
The faith that makes us righteous is found only inside of Christ. Philippians 3
The high call of God is found only inside of Christ. Philippians 3
Our faith is inside of Christ. Colossians 1 (and others following)
Everyone inside of Christ is presented to God perfect. Colossians 1
The churches are inside of Christ. 1 Thessalonians 2
Giving thanks in everything is the will of God found inside of Christ. 1 Thessalonians 5
The promise of life is inside of Christ. 2 Timothy 1
The purpose and grace of God were given to us inside of Christ – outside of time and creation. 2 Timothy 1
We are strong in the grace that is inside of Christ. 2 Timothy 2
Salvation with age-abiding glory is found only inside of Christ. 2 Timothy 2
Living godly is found only inside of Christ. 2 Timothy 3
Every good thing is in us inside of Christ. Philemon
We are very bold inside of Christ. Philemon
– Now, these are the phrases that are specifically “in Christ.” I want to add the one's that say “in Whom.”
We are sealed with the Holy Spirit of promise inside of Christ. Ephesians 1
The temple, the dwelling place of God, is being formed inside of Christ; we are being built together inside of Christ. Ephesians 2
Redemption through His Blood and forgiveness of sins is found inside of Christ. Colossians 1
All treasures of wisdom and knowledge are hidden inside of Christ. Colossians 2
– Then, some that use “in Him.”
All the promises of God are “yes” inside of Christ. 2 Corinthians 2
We become the righteousness of God inside of Christ. 2 Corinthians 5
We are weak inside of Christ. 2 Corinthians 13
We were chosen by God inside of Christ – entirely outside of creation and time. Ephesians 1
All of the fullness of God is here with us inside of Christ. Colossians 1
We walk inside of Christ by faith. Colossians 2
– Finally, I want to bring in several of the “with Christ's.”
We died with Christ; we live with Christ. Romans 6
We are joint heirs of God with Christ; we suffer with Christ and are glorified together with Christ. Romans 8
We are already crucified with Christ. Galatians 2
We are alive together with Christ. Ephesians 2
We died with Christ to the principles of the world. – We are raised with Christ at the right hand of God. Colossians 2 & 3
Our life (Christ who is our life) is hidden with Christ inside of God. Colossians 3
The truth is, there are so many ways in which Paul, especially, worded our union with Christ that we would have to perform an exhaustive search, one verse at a time, to discover all the many ways we are joined together with Christ and all the wondrous things that are found, here, where we exist, only inside of Jesus.
It has always been important to me to write out every verse on a topic in this way. Why? Because we live by every Word God speaks. These words, as you read through them, are Spirit and they are life. These words come into us as Christ Jesus Himself made personal in us.
The sight of our eyes is ruled by the words that we speak. Therefore, we should speak ourselves into the knowledge that we are found only inside of Christ Jesus and nowhere else – faith.
One thing you might notice is that there is no distinction of superiority or inferiority inside of Christ, no male or female, no slave or free, no Judaic and no Gentile – except in this way, inside of Christ is the mind that places itself beneath of others, lifting them up, speaking blessing and goodness into them, forgiving and loving each one.
There is no control in Christ, only release.
And even our difficult circumstances are found only inside of Jesus.
Read through these lists again; create your own lists. Go through each verse from Romans to Philemon and and write out in your own words every way in which God through Paul places you together with Jesus, in Jesus, Jesus in you. Make each line personal inside of you and you inside of Jesus.
We live by these words. We live in Him. He lives in us.
You know, when people consider who might be a man or woman of God sent with power and authority to demonstrate God's will in the earth, they have a definite picture in mind. William Branham began his ministry by sharing how an angel of God came to him unexpectedly and commissioned him to start a mighty healing ministry and how, as he went out in that anointing, people just got healed miraculously in his services. And this was all true.
People look for fire called down from heaven or burning bushes or angelic visitations, something that marks this or that individual as obviously chosen by God and set apart, set above us lowly and half-baked believers. The tendency to view the men of the Bible as demigods, special humans set far above the rest of us fills Christian thinking. People also look for strong outward human capacity, great leadership ability, strength of face and assertive boldness.
Sam Fife was a little man in size, but he was intimidating, partly because of the fierceness of his utter, single-minded devotion to the word he preached, including community life. Yet by his stance other people existed primarily to serve the immense overwhelming vision he carried. Almost every other great “man of God” in Christian history carried a similar natural and spiritual demeanor.
You cannot build some great work without commanding the devotion of people, without making use of their belief that by devoting themselves to your vision, they are devoting themselves to God. Almost all Christian leaders you know carry a measure of what I am describing.
Now, for this in part age of in part Christianity, God uses those who have a natural leadership ability. There is a limitation for God, however, in the typical Christian definition of what makes a man or a woman of God.
Yes, Jesus loves and carries each of them.
But these natural leaders, for the most part, are con men, confidence tricksters. They don't really have the “in” with God everyone assumes they have, but they convince themselves and others that they do.
But what you do not find is a devotion of themselves, pouring their own lives out, to take each one who hears them all the way into the knowledge of Christ, all the way into the One who already fills each heart full.
Here is the problem for God's people. A man of great character and natural wisdom and leadership capacity presents himself to his congregation as an example to them of Christian character and maturity. The result is that all of those in his congregation who do not have his outward abilities are taught by him and just naturally BELIEVE that if they model themselves after this person and become like him, like his great Christian example, they will be closer to God.
And thus these natural human leaders, great men and women of faith and ability, turn the face of God's people away from the Jesus who already fills the hearts of the least and the littlest with all of His glory, and onto an image of outward human character and achievement – anointed by God, of course.
God has never commissioned me or given me any kind of “visitation.” God has never told me to write these letters or send them out to you. In fact, God has never told me to “do” anything. I write because I love to write, because when I write, I hear Jesus singing in my heart. I send out what I write because I am a writer and thus carry the vanity shared by all writers, the vanity of wanting to be read. I also send these letters out because I know that only as I do will Jesus keep singing Himself in me.
That's it. – Except that I do know His voice always inside of me, and I follow Him with all my heart.
Yet, if you were to spend time with me, you would soon see that I have no “man of God” leadership capacity. Men with strong foreheads assess me quickly, brush me aside as of no consequence, and go their way. If you were to ask almost all of those who were ministry over me in the Lord through the years I lived in community if they thought God could be speaking the truth of Christ and the direction He wants them to go through Daniel Yordy and all his unending and silly books, they would probably not respond with an answer.
Why am I saying all this? – I am convinced of this truth. God is after one thing only. All the turning of the ages rests on God finding one thing alone among human beings on this planet.
Faith in His Word.
Let me define Covenant. – Word/Faith married in fullness and in quiet simplicity.
Let me define Word. Word, for me, is first the text on the page, those statements of Paul and John that are the core of the gospel of Jesus Christ and confirmed by others in concentric rings out from Paul and John's statements of the gospel. By that I mean that I place the confirmation coming through Isaiah closer than the confirmation coming through Solomon, for instance –rightly dividing the word of truth. AND, Word, for me, is also the Lord Jesus Christ in Person, my Savior, the One who lives in my heart.
These two definitions of Word are not two different things, but all of one and all of the other in all ways at all times. And yet Word is also two other things. Word is Spirit and Word is Life. Word is Spirit means that I know these things written by Paul and John only as they come into me through the immediate presence of the Holy Spirit causing me to believe that what God says is true. And Word is Life means that this Word comes into me as a Seed to be planted in my earth, to bear and bring forth all the Life of God that is inside of it.
Let me define faith. – Faith is the simple, quiet, human decision that God, in the Covenant, is telling me the truth – disregarding all sight of the eyes and judgment of the human.
Go back and read through the list of statements from Paul's gospel concerning all that is in and with Christ, including ourselves. Read it with John 14:20 as your ruling verse. In that day(today) you know that I am in the Father and you in me and I in you.
This is not fire from heaven. This is not the demigod capacity granted to special people to write the Bible or to call down God visitation upon the earth.
This is nothing more than the simple heart granted to you and me, foolish and little people, who love Jesus, to believe that what God says in the Covenant, no matter how beyond all belief it is, to believe that it is true and to believe that it is true in us.
I believe that the Father lives inside of me by all that He is.
And in believing the Father, by the Word that He speaks, I simply presume, every moment, that I am visiting with Him, getting to know Him and He me – 100% by presumption – faith in what God says – in Christ.
And here is the most wonderful thing of all. You also are as much in Christ as I am, and I as you are. And Christ Jesus is all that we are. We don't have to be powerful. Because we are not sidetracked by our own abilities (we don't have any), we are free to know only this Christ in whom we live.
Simply faith – inside of Christ.