Hidden In Him

Remember those people-inside-people toys? No, not like the walking dead. The old-fashioned wooden toys where the smallest one went inside the next smallest and so on.  That is one of the greatest pictures of the Christian life: a life hidden inside God.

I John 4:13 says, “By this we know that we abide in Him and He in us, because He has given us of His Spirit.”

John explains the Christian life with this idea that we are in God and God is in us. Many people are into God. Being spiritual is somewhat noble these days. Nobody freaks out when someone says, “Hey, I am into God.” The problem is that just being into God is damning. Many are into God, but few are in Christ.

So what about you? Are you into God, or are you in Christ?

Let’s explain the difference before you answer. What does it mean to be “in Christ”? Being into Christ is spiritual; being in Christ is sanctifying. Being into Christ is religious; being in Christ is righteousness. Being into Christ is subjective; being in Christ is saving. Here is another word picture. Remember the people saved in the Genesis flood were not the people that came by once in a while and marveled at the ark. Not even the ones who prayed near the ark or could say ark in Hebrew. Only those that were inside the ark were saved.

So here is the key to being in Christ:

In Galatians 2:20, the Apostle Paul (who was into God for many years and then became in Christ on a dusty road) wrote, “I have been crucified with Christ and it is no longer I who lives but Christ in me.”

Bottom line, he said, I died the day I gave my life to Christ. On that day, I was placed in Christ and Christ in me. So my life is no longer about me. No longer about my will, my wants, and my wishes. It is His will to be done in my life. And I follow Jesus, not the other way around.

Paul said I am not just near Christ; my life is hidden inside His, just like the little people.