IN Relationship
In our western society today when a couple has made a commitment to each other as partners, an announcement is placed on social media using the words “In a relationship.”
We know that just because someone has been introduced to someone else does not mean they are in a relationship. When spending time with someone you learn who they are, and a deeper relationship is formed. The same is true regarding our relationship with Christ. The more time we walk with him and learn who he is the deeper our trust in him becomes. The apostle Paul addresses being IN relationship with Christ throughout his writings. For example.
Eph.1:3-4 “Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in the heavenly realms with every spiritual blessing IN Christ. For he chose us IN him before the creation of the world to be holy and blameless IN his sight.”
Eph.1:11-14 IN him we were also chosen, having been predestined according to the plan of him who works out everything in conformity with the purpose of his will, in order that we, who were the first to put our hope IN Christ, might be for the praise of his glory. And you also were included IN Christ when you heard the message of truth, the gospel of your salvation. When you believed, you were marked IN him with a seal, the promised Holy Spirit, who is a deposit guaranteeing our inheritance until the redemption of those who are God’s possession – to the praise of his glory.
Paul’s words speak to both a legal position and an active relationship between God and man. A relationship that would not exist at all if God had not initiated it. We love him because he first loved us. 1 Jn.4:19
A follower of Christ is chosen by God. The word “chosen” in the Greek means “to be selected out of something.” That person has been redeemed out of darkness and brought into light. What an incredible testimony of what love is. Humanity has done and can do nothing to warrant his love. God’s choice to love us is absolutely a gift. A gift that should never be taken for granted.
The word IN is a preposition. It is defined as, “something that is or appears to be enclosed or surrounded by something else.” As an adverb “it is the expressing movement with the result that someone or something becomes enclosed or surrounded by something else.” As a noun “IN is a position of influence with someone powerful or famous.”
All of these definitions are very accurate of being IN relationship with Jesus. The follower is absolutely surrounded and enclosed by someone who is unmeasurably powerful and famous. God Almighty! What an honor to be his child!
The apostle John wrote… “I am the vine; you are the branches. If you remain IN me and I in you, you will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing. If you do not remain IN me, you are like a branch that is thrown away and withers; such branches are picked up, thrown into the fire and burned. 16 You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you so that you might go and bear fruit – fruit that will last – and so whatever you ask IN my name the Father will give you.” Jn. 15:5-6
The word “IN” is used scores of times throughout the New Testament and especially throughout the verses I have highlighted in Ephesians and the Gospel of John.
The word “remain” is also a very important word. God chose us to be IN him, but we choose to remain IN him. The word remain in the Greek means “in a given place state relation or expectancy – to abide, continue, dwell, endure, be present, stand, and to tarry.” God’s promise is certain that he will never leave us. Mt.28:20b “And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.”
I really like the definition of abide; to continue, to dwell in, to stand, and to tarry. That means we are to live in this state every single day. And it is in that place that we experience and enjoy his presence and blessings.
According to Paul’s writings in Ephesians, we have already been blessed in the heavenly realms. Those blessings also are to be enjoyed on planet earth. You have already been chosen by God. God selected you! He selected you because he has a plan for your life and will use you to carry out his plan and purpose. As we surrender to his plan we discover the depth of his love for us. As we continue to abide or remain in him we will be fruitful. We are able to do that because it is his strength. He is the vine, and we are his branches. It is his life that gives life to the branches. The pursuit of trying to find life in anything or anyone else will never yield the blessings God has intended for us.
God loves us so much that he selected us. He has given you and I the volition to choose him. Being IN relationship with God is a choice made from our heart every single day. Choose to be IN relationship with God.
You are loved!
We know that just because someone has been introduced to someone else does not mean they are in a relationship. When spending time with someone you learn who they are, and a deeper relationship is formed. The same is true regarding our relationship with Christ. The more time we walk with him and learn who he is the deeper our trust in him becomes. The apostle Paul addresses being IN relationship with Christ throughout his writings. For example.
Eph.1:3-4 “Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in the heavenly realms with every spiritual blessing IN Christ. For he chose us IN him before the creation of the world to be holy and blameless IN his sight.”
Eph.1:11-14 IN him we were also chosen, having been predestined according to the plan of him who works out everything in conformity with the purpose of his will, in order that we, who were the first to put our hope IN Christ, might be for the praise of his glory. And you also were included IN Christ when you heard the message of truth, the gospel of your salvation. When you believed, you were marked IN him with a seal, the promised Holy Spirit, who is a deposit guaranteeing our inheritance until the redemption of those who are God’s possession – to the praise of his glory.
Paul’s words speak to both a legal position and an active relationship between God and man. A relationship that would not exist at all if God had not initiated it. We love him because he first loved us. 1 Jn.4:19
A follower of Christ is chosen by God. The word “chosen” in the Greek means “to be selected out of something.” That person has been redeemed out of darkness and brought into light. What an incredible testimony of what love is. Humanity has done and can do nothing to warrant his love. God’s choice to love us is absolutely a gift. A gift that should never be taken for granted.
The word IN is a preposition. It is defined as, “something that is or appears to be enclosed or surrounded by something else.” As an adverb “it is the expressing movement with the result that someone or something becomes enclosed or surrounded by something else.” As a noun “IN is a position of influence with someone powerful or famous.”
All of these definitions are very accurate of being IN relationship with Jesus. The follower is absolutely surrounded and enclosed by someone who is unmeasurably powerful and famous. God Almighty! What an honor to be his child!
The apostle John wrote… “I am the vine; you are the branches. If you remain IN me and I in you, you will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing. If you do not remain IN me, you are like a branch that is thrown away and withers; such branches are picked up, thrown into the fire and burned. 16 You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you so that you might go and bear fruit – fruit that will last – and so whatever you ask IN my name the Father will give you.” Jn. 15:5-6
The word “IN” is used scores of times throughout the New Testament and especially throughout the verses I have highlighted in Ephesians and the Gospel of John.
The word “remain” is also a very important word. God chose us to be IN him, but we choose to remain IN him. The word remain in the Greek means “in a given place state relation or expectancy – to abide, continue, dwell, endure, be present, stand, and to tarry.” God’s promise is certain that he will never leave us. Mt.28:20b “And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.”
I really like the definition of abide; to continue, to dwell in, to stand, and to tarry. That means we are to live in this state every single day. And it is in that place that we experience and enjoy his presence and blessings.
According to Paul’s writings in Ephesians, we have already been blessed in the heavenly realms. Those blessings also are to be enjoyed on planet earth. You have already been chosen by God. God selected you! He selected you because he has a plan for your life and will use you to carry out his plan and purpose. As we surrender to his plan we discover the depth of his love for us. As we continue to abide or remain in him we will be fruitful. We are able to do that because it is his strength. He is the vine, and we are his branches. It is his life that gives life to the branches. The pursuit of trying to find life in anything or anyone else will never yield the blessings God has intended for us.
God loves us so much that he selected us. He has given you and I the volition to choose him. Being IN relationship with God is a choice made from our heart every single day. Choose to be IN relationship with God.
You are loved!
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