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Archive for the ‘In Christ’ Category

The famous Abraham Lincoln had a favorite joke: “If we consider the tail of a lamb as a leg, how many legs would a lamb have?” — His answer: “Four, considering it one doesn’t make it one!”

Except….whatever God considers is just that!

God considered something for Abraham:

Abraham “believed the Lord, and God counted it to him as righteousness”. — Genesis 15:5-6

God considered Abraham righteous though Abraham had done and continued doing some pretty stinky things! God considering him righteousness was all that was required!

King David, too! He wrote:

“Blessed is he whose sin is covered unto whom the LORD imputeth not iniquity.” — Psalm 32:1-3a

The word imputeth means to consider. He wrote about those to whom the judge of the universe looks at and says, “Not Guilty!” That is a blessing!! Where do you get that?!

The Bible says

“It was not written for [Abraham’s] sake alone … but for our sake also, unto whom it shall be reckoned (considered), who believe on him that raised Jesus our Lord from the dead, who was delivered up for our trespasses, and was raised for our justification. — Romans 4:23-25

Joining our lives to Christ enters us in that consideration.

So, If We consider five (5) unrighteousness men in a room as righteous, how many righteous men are in the room? — Five, if they have given their lives to Christ, God considers it so!

— fritz

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“He that dwelleth in the secret place of the most High shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty.” — Psalm 91:1

The Bible says God has a secret place.

Is this just a euphemism for God’s general care or is there, really, a place (physical or spiritual) not even suspected by most?  Is it just a euphemism for heaven or can the living person enter?

Psalms 31:20 calls it a “Pavilion” or “tent” saying it is a place of God’s presence, a place of safety from pride and strife of tongues. Job calls it a place of wisdom and that it is “hid from the eyes of all living” (Job 28:21) so at this point it sounds a bit like heaven, but not so fast! The New Testament, using the term “mystery”, says it is now revealed!

Paul said he discovered it and we could, too!

“By revelation [God] made known unto me the mystery; as I wrote afore in few words,  whereby, when ye read ye may understand…)”– Ephesians 3:2-4

He wrote the secret mystery is that God always planned to join himself with mere human beings — and actually does so in Christ! This mystery, he said, is “Christ in you” (Colossians 1:27) and that we actually enter into Christ like we enter our clothing (Galatians 3:27).

More than a euphemism, the Bible says our bodies actually become a physical part of Christ and that what we do in our bodies, both good and bad, is being done with and to Christ’s body. (1st Corinthians 6:13-17) This is why we need to do right things with our bodies. That same passage says those joined to Christ are one spirit, the human spirit infused and one with God’s Holy Spirit.

God’s secret place, his pavilion? Safe in Christ!

“God raised us up and seated us in the heavens with Christ Jesus … to show future generations the greatness of his grace by the goodness that God has shown us in Christ Jesus.” — Ephesians 2:5-7 (CEB)

Start reading the Scriptures from this perspective and a whole new world opens!

– fritz
Related Post: “Thin Places” — March 20, 2012

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But God, … quickened us together with Christ, … and made us sit together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus:…” — Ephesians 2:4-7

“But ye are come unto … the heavenly Jerusalem, and to an innumerable company of angels, to the general assembly and church of the firstborn … and to God the Judge of all, and to the spirits of just men made perfect, and to Jesus …” — Hebrews 12:22-24

“Thin Places” are where the boundary between heaven and earth is especially thin. The Jerusalem temple is considered by some to be a “thin place”. So are various other shrines. People seek these thin places to get in touch with the divine.

But the Bible says in Christ we have been raised with Jesus and are seated with him now!

Seems to me I don’t have to go to a thin place, I live in one!

— fritz

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