Galatians 1:15-16. 15But when he who had set me apart before I was born, and who called me by his grace, 16was pleased to reveal his Son to me, in order that I might preach him among the Gentiles…
Galatians is one of the oldest Christian documents in existence (in the New Testament, only 1-2 Thessalonians and James were written earlier). It is in this early Christian letter that the doctrine of our union with Christ is first introduced (obviously, Jesus himself introduced the idea and the Holy Spirit brought about the reality, but this is where it is first written about in Christian history).
You might be asking, “Where in verse 16 does our union with Christ appear?” I’m glad you asked. Every New Testament scholar recognizes that the little Greek word en, translated as “to” in verse 16, could also be translated as “in.” God was pleased to reveal his Son IN us.
What an incredible truth! Not only the truth of Christ in us, but also the truth of God’s pleasure in us. What makes God happy? Jesus in us and us revealing Jesus to the world. Paul just gave us the wholeness of the gospel that, sadly, many Christians never fully embrace. Jesus died FOR me – yes, I understand and appreciate that. But Christ is revealed IN me, from the inside – out? I’m not sure most Christians understand much less embrace this.
Why not? One reason is that many Christians are still waiting for God to reveal Jesus TO them. A quick Google search will reveal all kinds of advice and spiritual platitudes on how to get God to reveal himself to us. The problem is that God has already revealed himself to us fully in the Living Word, Jesus Christ. Beyond this, he has revealed Christ IN us. That’s what we need to understand and appropriate. Christ IN you is freedom, but waiting on Christ to be revealed TO you is bondage. Bondage to a “spiritual experience” that we must manufacture ourselves.
There’s another form of bondage at risk here. When we fail to move from Christ died FOR me to Christ lives IN me, you end up living your life from the “gratitude or love motivation,” rather than from a “faith motivation.” When we only acknowledge that Jesus died for us, we end up living from a “debtor’s ethic” – Jesus did so much for me now I must do so much for him. But that’s not faith, it’s bondage to our own efforts to pay God back. Christ revealed in me takes us beyond indebtedness and even beyond gratitude or love. It takes us into a life of faith.
You: Are you living from Jesus died for me, or Jesus lives in me? Explain.
You in Christ: How does living from union with Christ require faith?
Christ in you: In what way might living from “Christ is revealed in me” produce freedom in your life?
Pray: Father, faith pleases you. Christ in me pleases you. Help me to have faith in the truth that your Son lives in me and I can reveal him to the world. Amen.
To Live is Christ 