January 21st, 2025
Dear First Church family & friends,
As Christians, we have “invited Christ into our lives.” And perhaps even prayed what is called the “sinner’s prayer.” We often have a very limited and personal view of salvation. In Ephesians, Paul has a larger, more cosmic understanding of salvation.
Paul wrote God was was going "to bring unity to all things in heaven and on earth under Christ” (Eph1:10). The authority lost in Eden by Adam when he fell into sin is being restored by “the mystery of God’s will” (Eph. 1:9) made successful through Christ.
Paul contrasted those two men: Adam, representing the “old man” and Jesus, representing the “new man.” Everyone is born genetically and spiritually connected to Adam, and therefore under Adam’s judgment. However, in Christ, the new Adam (cf. Rom. 5:17-18), we are born again and share in Christ’s authority. We were united in Adam in his death, but we are united with Christ in his resurrection. Hallelujah!
Paul wrote, “As in Adam all die, so in Christ shall all be made alive” (I Cor.15:22). Put another way, in salvation we get out of Adam and get into Christ. Adam was judged at the cross as were we as being in Adam. That's the bad news – judged, condemned, with no future and no hope. But Jesus took our judgment to the cross. When Christ was raised from the dead, we were raised "in" Christ and share in Jesus’ new life. That’s the good news – restored, forgiven, having a future full of hope in God’s very presence!
Paul declared, “Everyone who is in Christ is a new creation; the old is gone, and the new has come" (2 Cor. 5:17). Through Christ we are given the opportunity to be part of the new creation "in Christ." This means being united with God's family in heaven (the cosmic dimension), and his new family on earth (the personal dimension).
God's plan is much bigger than just having your sins forgiven. It is to be united to Christ, to enjoy everything that Adam lost – paradise and intimacy with God. Paul wrote, “For God raised us from the dead along with Christ and seated us with him in the heavenly realms because we are united with Christ Jesus” (Eph 2:6). Being “seated with Christ” is not just a future blessing, but a reality we enjoy now as we are "in" Christ, the ultimate life giver, who holds all authority over heaven and earth.
That is so much more exciting than floating on a cloud and playing a harp. In Christ we are going to experience everything God had planned for life from the beginning. We get to return to Eden in all of its fulness.
I can never think of salvation the same way, now that I understand I have been disconnected from Adam and connected to Christ. Talk about security. We are as secure in the Father as Jesus is. How? We are united with Jesus forever. His future is our future, and that brings an understanding of the mystery of being “in Christ,” the fulfillment of God's plan birthed “before the creation of the world” (Eph. 1:4). Praise God!
Blessings,
Pastor David
As Christians, we have “invited Christ into our lives.” And perhaps even prayed what is called the “sinner’s prayer.” We often have a very limited and personal view of salvation. In Ephesians, Paul has a larger, more cosmic understanding of salvation.
Paul wrote God was was going "to bring unity to all things in heaven and on earth under Christ” (Eph1:10). The authority lost in Eden by Adam when he fell into sin is being restored by “the mystery of God’s will” (Eph. 1:9) made successful through Christ.
Paul contrasted those two men: Adam, representing the “old man” and Jesus, representing the “new man.” Everyone is born genetically and spiritually connected to Adam, and therefore under Adam’s judgment. However, in Christ, the new Adam (cf. Rom. 5:17-18), we are born again and share in Christ’s authority. We were united in Adam in his death, but we are united with Christ in his resurrection. Hallelujah!
Paul wrote, “As in Adam all die, so in Christ shall all be made alive” (I Cor.15:22). Put another way, in salvation we get out of Adam and get into Christ. Adam was judged at the cross as were we as being in Adam. That's the bad news – judged, condemned, with no future and no hope. But Jesus took our judgment to the cross. When Christ was raised from the dead, we were raised "in" Christ and share in Jesus’ new life. That’s the good news – restored, forgiven, having a future full of hope in God’s very presence!
Paul declared, “Everyone who is in Christ is a new creation; the old is gone, and the new has come" (2 Cor. 5:17). Through Christ we are given the opportunity to be part of the new creation "in Christ." This means being united with God's family in heaven (the cosmic dimension), and his new family on earth (the personal dimension).
God's plan is much bigger than just having your sins forgiven. It is to be united to Christ, to enjoy everything that Adam lost – paradise and intimacy with God. Paul wrote, “For God raised us from the dead along with Christ and seated us with him in the heavenly realms because we are united with Christ Jesus” (Eph 2:6). Being “seated with Christ” is not just a future blessing, but a reality we enjoy now as we are "in" Christ, the ultimate life giver, who holds all authority over heaven and earth.
That is so much more exciting than floating on a cloud and playing a harp. In Christ we are going to experience everything God had planned for life from the beginning. We get to return to Eden in all of its fulness.
I can never think of salvation the same way, now that I understand I have been disconnected from Adam and connected to Christ. Talk about security. We are as secure in the Father as Jesus is. How? We are united with Jesus forever. His future is our future, and that brings an understanding of the mystery of being “in Christ,” the fulfillment of God's plan birthed “before the creation of the world” (Eph. 1:4). Praise God!
Blessings,
Pastor David
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