Alive in Christ

Introductory Thoughts

* Before I was in the Air Force, I was not in the Air Force. I was in civilian life. Even though I am a civilian now, on the surface, I am still officially in the Air Force, because of my regular commission, and will be until my 60th birthday.

* Before I was in the Air Force, I was not responsible to the Air Force, I had no duties to the Air Force, nor did the Air Force owe me anything. There was no covenant relationship binding us.

* However, when I was about to be drafted, I “volunteered,” and after all the paperwork and exams, I was placed IN the Air Force. At that point, and up through today, a covenant relationship existed between the Air Force and Charley Buntin: I had responsibilities and obligations, and I was different from those who are not IN the Air Force, and the Air Force had made a covenant with me, to keep certain promises.

* Summary of the relationship:

** I was out, then I was in.
** Something caused me to transition from out to in.
** There were effects from being in: I had benefits, I had a mission, I was trained and disciplined to do certain things, and being in the Air Force changed me greatly.
** There were implications that flowed from being In the Air Force. There were things that flowed from being in, there were facts about my life that were forever changed, all from being IN the Air Force.

* When we think about our salvation, when we think about being In Christ, it is something like the relationship between the Air Force and me.

** You are either in or out—You can’t be halfway** If you are in Christ, something caused you to be In Christ.
** If you are in Christ, there are effects from being IN Christ.
** If you are in Christ, you are in a Covenant relationship with Him, and there are implications for you.

1. The Contrast between “In Adam” and “In Christ”—"But not as the offence, so also is the free gift.

a. In Adam, All Die
(1) Adam’s sin killed all the human race… through the offence of one many be dead,
(2) It was his sin alone that condemned us. 16 it was by one that sinned
(3) The judgment against his sin was condemnation of the human race. the judgment was by one to condemnation…
(4) Death reigns supreme over lost human beings, because of Adam’s sin. “.. by one man's offence death reigned by one
(5) This disobedience of Adam made all of us sinners…. 5:19
(6) God’s law did not help our sin, but it showed us the depth of our sin and our complete inability to save ourselves. 20 Moreover the law entered, that the offence might abound
(7) Death and sin, co-rulers of the human race, with all men and women condemned to their rule. …. sin hath reigned unto death

b. In Christ, shall all be made alive… (1) Just as everyone who is in Adam is bound by death, sin, and Adam’s grip, there is another group, those who have received the free gift of God’s Grace. much more the grace of God, and the gift by grace, which is by one man, Jesus Christ, hath abounded unto many.
c. No matter the depth and number of our sin, Grace takes care of them all. “……..the free gift is of many offences unto justification;
d. In Adam, death reigned, in Christ, life reigns—much more they which receive abundance of grace and of the gift of righteousness shall reign in life by one, Jesus Christ.)
e. All men were made sinners by the offense of Adam, but in Christ, the righteousness of God is available to whosoever will believe, by faith. even so by the righteousness of one the free gift came upon all men unto justification of life.
f. The effects of Adam’s sin made us the hideous sinful creatures that we are, but we are created in Christ Jesus unto good works, and it is His obedience and holiness which will make us into the children of God He wants us to be. so by the obedience of one shall many be made righteous..
g. The Law showed the exceeding depth of sin, and it showed man’s inability to save himself—the Law demonstrates our guilt and inability and shuts our mouths, but grace can handle the Law, grace can handle sin, and all sin—But where sin abounded, grace did much more abound:
h. Sin reigned, death reigned, the Law reigned, and for those in Adam, sin, death, and Law still reign. but in Christ, grace now reigns, righteousness reigns, and eternal life reigns, because of the righteousness of Christ, because of His Person and Work—even so might grace reign through righteousness unto eternal life by Jesus Christ our Lord."

2. Cause—Effects—Implications Being “In Christ”— Col 1:27 “…Christ in you, the hope of glory:"

a. Note the Order, which is always the order of things in salvation. even so might grace reign through righteousness unto eternal life by Jesus Christ our Lord."

(1) Grace is first—God’s plan, God’s acts to fulfill His plan, His Sovereign Grace is always first.
(2) Righteousness—wrought by Christ on the Cross, applied to the sinner when the Holy Spirit applies the preached Word to the heart, God creating faith within the sinner, who believes and receives justification before God.
(3) Eternal life—there is no intervening state of being for the saved sinner between justification and eternal life. John 5:24
(4) By Christ— by Jesus Christ our Lord

(a) Our works cannot save us nor keep us saved.
(b) It is not our faith that saves us, nor can faith keep us saved.
(c) It is Christ who saves us, He is the Savior, and He it is who does all the work and gets all the glory—Rev 5:9-10
(d) God is sovereign in salvation—God Saves Sinners!

b. What are the causes for us being “in Christ.”

(1) The Sovereign Grace of God—Eph 1:3-4, 2 Tim 1:9, Eph 2:10

(2) The preaching of the Word, the Conviction of the Spirit, and the confession of Faith— Romans 10:14-21

(i) The Holy Spirit awakens the lost sinner to his terrible condition, and reveals Christ to him.
(ii) The awakened, convicted, lost person believes--Acts 16:30-31
c. What are the effects of being IN Christ?

(1) Peace With God, reconciliation, justification, salvation, security. Rom 5:1, Rom 8:1-2,Rom 8:39
(2) A New Man—2 Cor 5:17, Ep 4:24

d. What are the Implications of Being IN Christ?
(1) We belong to Him, we are not our own—1 Cor 6:19-20
(2) We are to walk in Him— Col 2:6
(3) We are to be discipled and built up in Him—Col 2:7
(4) We have a mission from Him—Mat 28:19-20
(5) We are to abide in Him and obey Him—1 John 2:28, 1 John 3:24
(6) We can go to Him at any time—1 John 5:14
(7) We Have Victory in Him—2 Cor 2:14