20 Dec 2022

We have noted that we are saved by the life of Jesus Christ, the death of Christ, and the resurrection of Christ. When we believe in Christ, we believe into Christ, that is, we are united to Christ, and we can appropriately say, we are IN CHRIST. It is also true to conclude that Christ lives in us.

What are then some of the implications of being in Christ, and Christ living in us?

The Apostle John wrote: “Dear friends, let us love one another, for love comes from God. Everyone who loves has been born of God and knows God. Whoever does not love does not know God, because God is love. This is how God showed his love among us; he sent his one and only Son into the world that we might live through him. This is love; not that we love God, but that he loved us and his Son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins. Dear Friends, since God so loved us, we also ought to love one another. No one has ever seen God; but if we love one another, God lives in usl and his love is made complete in us” (1 John 4:7-12 TNIV).

Here John made it clear that if we are born again, God lives in us, and the clear evidence of this reality is that we love one another. If we know God, and love Him, and live in Him, and truly appreciate His love for us in His atoning sacrifice for us through His Son, who lived perfectly for us, and died in our place for us, and destroyed death and the work of the devil on our behalf, then we cannot but love one another. John further added that love is from God; more than that, God is love! And if we say we know God and love God, then it cannot be that we do not love one another; our love for one another is the demonstration of the reality of our life in God, and the gratefulness to respond in love because God first loved us! Quite a mouthful – but John wanted us to know beyond all doubt that there is no such thing as a child of God who refuses to love others, particularly the fellow brethren.

In other words, living in Christ requires sustained love to Jesus, expressed in adoration and worship of Him for all that He is in Himself and thanksgiving and gratefulness to Him for all that He has done, for the world of lost humanity in general and for us sinners in particular. It requires sustained obedience to all His commands, up to the limits of our understanding of them (he who keeps His commands is he who loves Him). It requires constant watchfulness and vigilance against temptations to self-indulgence, and constant battling against sloth, laziness, and indifference to spiritual issues (hence the need to know and apply Scriptures in our lives).

It requires respectful and caring treatment of all others as persons created to bear the image of God, and self-denial at all points where self-absorption would conflict with and dampen down active neighbourly love. It requires holiness, from morning to night, a daily quest for opportunities to bear witness to Christ, and daily prayer for the furthering of Christ’s kingdom and the blessing of needy people.

“If anyone builds on this foundation (Jesus Christ) using gold, silver, costly stones, wood, hay or straw, their work will be shown for what it is, because the Day will bring it to light. It will be revealed with fire, and the fire will test the quality of each person’s work. If wha has been built survives, the builder will receive a reward. If it is burned up, the builder will suffer loss but yet will be saved – even though only as one escaping through the flames (1 Cor. 3:12-15).

Paul has in view half-hearted, opinionated, frivolours arrogant, disruptive people, destructive rather than constructive in their influence, such as become problems in congregations today. And the description of such individuals in the church surely does not describe believers who love God and love one another – if definitely does not describe those who serve sacrificially, gratefully, in honour of God and for His glory. In fact, the description fits those who are self-centred, selfish and proud, who care more for their self-glory rather than the glory and honour of God (demonstrated by love – loving one another is a feature of true disciples of the Lord).

The ‘loss’ Paul refers to is not specified, though it will not be the loss of salvation. Nonetheless, the loss will be real and grievous. The rewards, by contrast, are for faithfully contributing to the worshipping life and loving outreaching service of the church of Christ.