Christ In You.

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The New Testament states that Christ in us is the hope of glory, and the mystery of the Gospel. It is amazing, isn’t it, that for two thousand years this mystery, this hope, has not been emphasized. The emphasis has been on the Christ of history, the Christ of Calvary, or Christ with us. However, the essential aspect of the Gospel of the Kingdom is Christ in us, not Christ with us or the Christ of history.

(10/21/2007) Well, Christ in us, our hope, still is a mystery, isn’t it? But now, in our day, God is explaining the mystery.

Notice carefully the following verse:

But in the days when the seventh angel is about to sound his trumpet, the mystery of God will be accomplished, just as he announced to his servants the prophets. (Revelation 10:7)

When the seventh angel is about to sound his trumpet, the mystery of God, which is Christ in us, will be accomplished, or fulfilled, or finished.

There can be no doubt that we now are in this period. The mystery is being explained and brought forth in those believers who are following Christ closely.

The fifth chapter of Micah, the last chapter of Isaiah, and the twelfth chapter of the Book of Revelation speak of the travail that will bring forth Christ in His Church.

Those of us who are involved in s church work, as I am, being a pastor, are occupied with numerous activities, aren’t we? But you know, these all are scaffolding, as it were. The truly important accomplishment is that Christ come forth in us. They are what to do until the Doctor comes, so to speak.

Satan is not afraid of any church activity. Satan is afraid only of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit of God; not of our hymns, our liturgies, or our musical "specials," no matter how much we are blessed and inspired by them.

There are two primary aspects of Christ being in us. The first aspect is the forming, or birth, of Christ in us. Paul wrote, "My little children for whom I travail in birth again until Christ is formed in you." Paul wrote these words to the Christians in Galatia who were becoming occupied with circumcision.

Notice that Paul was in a travail until Christ was formed in the believers. So it is that the ministries of the churches are to travail until Christ is formed in the people.

When Christ is formed in us there is a new creation. Are we still present? Yes. We never lose our identity as a person. But now there is a new creation, a creation that never has been in existence before. That new creation is an eternal blend, or whatever you want to call it, of Christ in us. Is it still us? Yes. ;Is it Christ? Yes. It is a new creation.

Paul is still Paul even though it is Christ who is living in him.

Such is the first aspect of the mystery of the Gospel. According to the three passages I mentioned, the fifth chapter of Micah, the last chapter of Isaiah, and the twelfth chapter of the Book of Revelation, it is quite clear, I think, that in the closing days of the Church Age there is going to be an unprecedented emphasis on the bringing forth of Christ in the members of the Church.

I think the wheat of righteousness will come to maturity alongside of the weeds of wickedness. Christ will be formed in the sons of the Kingdom. Perhaps Satan will be formed in the sons of the evil one. It certainly looks like this is happening in America as we see the unbelievable moral decline that is taking place.

So the first aspect of the mystery of the Gospel is the bringing forth of Christ in us.

The second aspect is the coming of the Father and the Son from Heaven to dwell in that new creation. The Father’s House is Christ. God will dwell only in Christ. It is only as Christ is formed in us that we become a room in the eternal House of the Father.

Jesus replied, "If anyone loves me, he will obey my teaching. My Father will love him, and we will come to him and make our home with him. (John 14:23)

So we see there are two main aspects of the mystery and hope of the Gospel. The first aspect is the forming of Christ in us. The second aspect is the coming of the Father and Christ to make Their eternal home in our new personality.

Some may wonder, "How can I go about having Christ formed in me so I can be the eternal Home of God? First, ask God in Jesus’ name to form Christ in you. Remember, the Galatians were believers, the Seed of Abraham, but Christ had not been formed in them as yet.

Second, confess clearly to the Lord each and every area of spiritual darkness in your personality that the Holy Spirit points out to you, all that is not in the moral image of Christ. As you do, God will forgive you and cleanse you from all unrighteousness. In the future you will discover, to your delight, that you now have the power to resist that behaviour and put it to death.

Third, every time you are tempted to act in a way you know is not godly, pray earnestly for help from the Mercy Seat. Ask Christ to strengthen you. Each time you do this, Christ will feed you with the "hidden manna," with His body and blood, which are our eternal resurrection life.

As you sincerely and diligently take these three steps, getting up and pressing forward if you should stumble in some manner, Christ will be formed in you. Guaranteed!

In so doing you are preparing yourself for the resurrection, the redemption, the making immortal of your mortal body when the Lord appears.

I have not figured out as yet whether God and Christ make their home in us in increasing measure as Christ is formed in us, or whether there is going to be a grand coming in the future to those who have become new creations.

Whether a gradual coming of the Landlords, or a sudden grand occupying after we receive the resurrection of our body, I am not certain.

However, I am absolutely certain of one thing: If we do our part, God will do His part.

This is as sure as the written Word of God!

You can hear the morning sermon at morning. http://www.wor.org/audio/audio.htm

You can hear the evening sermon at evening. http://www.wor.org/audio/audio.htm

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