Christianity is not about us; it’s all about Jesus! How can I be so sure? Well, the Word of God makes it crystal clear in Colossians 3:3,4 which reads “For you died, and your life is now hidden with Christ in God. When Christ who is your life, appears, then you also will appear with Him in glory.” Well, there it is. The Bible clearly states we died. Therefore, Christianity cannot be about us; we are dead; it’s all about Jesus Christ. Remember Verse 4 said “Christ is our life.”
Now believing that you died and your life is now hidden with Christ in God and that Christ is your life is the pure truth of God’s Word. However, the temptation we have to add to this declaration of truth our successes, our abilities, our talents, and our contacts is at times overwhelming to us. Before we know it, it is no longer “Jesus Christ plus nothing”; it becomes Jesus Christ plus us and all of our good works.
In I Corinthians 15:10 Paul says “…I work harder than all of you, yet not I,…” Well then, who is it that is doing Paul’s work? Answer, it’s Christ. That is the mystery of Christianity. “Christ in you the hope of glory.” Colossians 1:27
Paul also wrote in Galatians 2:20a “I have been crucified with Christ, and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me.” If you are a born again believer, you have been given the very nature of Jesus Christ. You have been created in righteousness. It is not up to you to improve yourself, but instead to recognize and appropriate the truth concerning your new identity. For years I mistakenly believed that we should strive toward becoming more righteous by doing the things I believed were expected of us by God. But the fact is there is nothing we can do to become more righteous. It has all been taken care of by Jesus Christ. Our place is simply to receive His gift and then rest in the reality of His indwelling life.
But don’t we have to do our part? Of course, we do. Our part is to trust and obey. It is not a passive life style at all. If you think it is, I challenge you to try it. Trusting continues to be one of the most challenging aspects of our faith. It is easier for us to do something, to do anything than to trust. We are like Abraham when he thought going to Haggar made more sense than waiting on God to give him a child.
The Christian life is not a test. It is a rest! Rest meaning spirit-directed activity. Jesus died for us to give His life to us to live His life through us. That is why we are called the body of Christ. Christianity is not a religion; Christianity is a life, His life in our bodies.
Pastor Kent Delhousaye of Bethany Bible Church said it best to his congregation on November 7, 2010, in his sermon entitled “The Truth About Life”. He said “I’m not saying Christ is in your life. I’m saying Christ is your life.” Amen! Well, there it is “The Mystery of Christianity-Not I But Christ.”
I thank and praise God every day for your prayers and financial support as you partner with Growing in Grace Ministries for the glory of God. You are the best!
Growing in His Grace,
Len Baker
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