Grace - Christ In You: Now

Victorious Christian living is not a method or technique; it is an entirely different, revolutionary principle of life.  It is the principle of an exchanged life--"not I, but Christ liveth in me" (Gal. 2:20b).

The true spiritual content of our gospel [is] not just heaven one day, but Christ right now!  Christ in you, on the grounds of redemption--this is the gospel!

That is the work of God.  It is your living faith in the adequacy of the One who is in you, which releases His divine action through you.  It is the kind of activity that the Bible calls "good works", as opposed to "dead works".

From The Saving Life of Christ, Major W. Ian Thomas, pp. 23-24

When I talk to a believer, there's usually one point I try to get across more than any other.  That is the unity between them and Christ.  Whether we're talking about "Christ in you" or "You in Christ", the point is the same:  that believers begin to understand this amazing life we have in/through/with/because of Christ.

I ask myself sometimes:  How can a Christian--someone whose very faith, hope, and trust rest on the supernatural resurrection of a man 2,000 years ago--not believe in God's power for today?  Oh yes, I understand that their faith has been watered down to "God gives me the strength to make decisions and go through life's difficult situations", but honestly, while that is necessary and good and well, it's so far beneath the potential of Christ's life.

Do you know why the vast majority of Christians will never literally hear a word for someone from God or lay their hands on a sick person and see them healed?  It's because they lack biblical faith.  It's an uncomfortable answer, especially for someone who has never done those things, and especially for someone who doesn't believe it's possible today, but's it the truth.  It's not their fault, though.  It's what they've been taught.  It's what we've all been taught, what we ourselves taught, and maybe even are still teaching!

The mixture of Moses' Covenant and Jesus' Grace has put limits in our minds on God's goodness toward us.  The Law imparts neither life nor righteousness and when our thinking is based on either a law mentality or a mixture between law and grace, the miraculous is hard, the supernatural unnatural and difficult, and our faith formulaic and powerless.  This actually feeds our doubts and fears on all that we would like to be possible in this world.  This inoculates us from the reality of life in Christ and His power toward those who believe.  (There's a verse right there for you!  If you can't produce the power, it's probably because you don't believe!  Ouch!)

But the answer really is this simple:

Is Christ in You?  Does Christ have life?  Does His life conquer death?  If you answered "Yes" to those three, simple questions, then let His life in you release His divine action through you.  Take a risk, be willing to look foolish to a dying world, and see the salvation of the Lord (which includes healing--physical, emotional, and spiritual).

Grace=Peace,

Jeremy