Another Musick-al note: 8/19/18 14
THE CRUCIAL WORDS
There are no more crucial words in the New Testament than these: “BEING IN CHRIST” for everything that is important to every individual when they leave this world hinges upon BEING IN CHRIST. One may achieve greatness in the world and be esteemed highly by everyone for their work and deeds. They may do magnificent things, be exalted, honored and adored for their exploits, work and heroism. They may be given devotion and trust by every acquaintance. They may have gained the whole world yet in the eternal sense they have utterly failed (Mark 8:36)!! Having many abilities, they used them for personal satisfaction without considering the fact that life on earth would end. They took no heed to the eternity that comes after death not knowing or caring that Judgment would come and that ETERNAL LIFE would depend upon the words – “BEING IN CHRIST”.
The New Testament writers reveal very specific words about being in him and doing his will. Note these: John 10:9 ‘I am the door, enter in and be saved’, Matthew 11:28 ‘come to me and have rest, John 15:1-8 ‘live in me and bear fruit’, Acts 4:12 ‘no salvation in any other name’, 2 Corinthians 5:17 ‘in Christ we have new life’, 2 Corinthians 5:21 ‘in him we are righteous’, Ephesians 1:3-13 ‘all blessings are in him’, ‘we are chosen in him’, ‘we are adopted in him’, ‘accepted in him’, ‘forgiven all sin in him’, he has promised to gather us together in him’, ‘God will give us our inheritance in him’, ‘sealed us with the Holy Spirit in him’ and Ephesians 2:18 ‘those in him have access to the Father’ and many other verses could be noted. Most people would agree and approve of these things.
The saddest thing is that most people ignore the verses that speak of “HOW” to attain the status of ‘BEING IN CHRIST’ and many preachers refuse to proclaim them!!! Jesus said that He is the way, the truth, the door, the gate to life and few find it and enter (Matthew 7:13-14, John 10:9, John 14:6) to have life. The Apostle Paul wrote about how one enters Christ (Galatians 3:26-27). We are made children of God through faith in Christ by being baptized into Christ to put on Christ. He also said in Romans 6:3-10 that being baptized meant we have died to sin, were buried with Him and raised with Him to walk in a new life so we must not sin. Paul himself was baptized to wash away his sins to call on the name of the Lord (Acts 22:16). If preachers don’t peach it and teachers don’t tell it, how can anyone prepare for eternity? If we are to heed the words of God and His Son, Jesus Christ, we must hear and know how to respond to His invitation to come and LIVE IN HIM.
Musick-al Notes 