IN CHRIST
                                                          by Dwight Davis

"Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the One having once
then blessed us in every spiritual blessing in the heavenlies in Christ:
According as He for Himself once then chose us in Him before laying down the
foundation of the world, that we should ever be holy and unblemished before him
in love" (Eph. 1:3-4, Expanded Greek Translation – EGT).

First, Every Spiritual Blessing in the Heavenlies is In Christ
The Apostle Paul in his epistles alone uses the term in Christ at least 145 times.
It may be found in Paul's epistles also using synonym terms such as: in Him, in
Christ Jesus, in Jesus Christ, in the Lord, or in God. In fact, in the entire New
Testament, I have found 210 references to this in Christ statement. There is
much to understand about the finished work of Christ on the cross, bound in that
simple, but infinite statement of in Christ. The scripture clearly tells us that “all
spiritual blessings" (KJV) or "every spiritual blessing" (NKJ, NIV, NAS) in the
heavenlies is in Christ (Eph. 1:3). Our Father has birthed us by the Holy Spirit
placing the Spirit of His Son in us and us in Christ. Every spiritual blessing
comes through the truth that we are now a birthed son of God, while Israel was a
covenant son of God. Every member of the Church is a birthed son of God.
Israel was primarily promised temporal blessings. The church is primarily
promised spiritual blessings and they are all in Christ. This is where Paul
exhorts us to ever be "rightly dividing the word of truth" (II Tim. 2:15).

Second, All the Promises of God to the Birthed Sons are In Christ
Paul even goes further and tells the brethren that "all the promises of God are
Yes, and in Him Amen, to the glory of God through us" (II Cor. 1:20). Why? It is
again because we are a birthed son, no longer a covenant Son like Israel. We
have all the promises because we are birthed in Christ and we are one with them
in Him. Paul said, "In Adam all die, even so in Christ all shall be made alive" (I
Cor. 15:22). Every born again son is made alive because we are in Christ and
Christ is in us (I Cor. 12:13; I Pet. 1:23; Col. 1:27). Why indeed would we use
Old Testament applications from God dealing with His Covenant Sons to
translate them as promises for the Church? We are a new creation race (II Cor.
5:17). God is dealing with the Church in a much different way than any other
dispensation. Those in the Old Testament had the Holy Spirit working upon
them. A few were noted as being filled with the Spirit. Peter declares that it was
the Spirit of Christ working in the Old Testament Prophets (I Pet. 1:11).
Although, none in the Old Testament were eternally born again with His Son.

Third, The Father Placed All the Fullness of Truth in Christ
Paul declares, "For it pleased the Father that in Him should all the fullness once
then indwell" (Col. 1:19). It is the Father's plan that all fullness should be found
in Christ. Then, why would the Church look in other directions for anything? This
really makes the direction easy and clear for the Church. Is it in Christ? If not in
Christ, it is not a part of the eternal plan of God for the Church. If it is focused in
Christ, by Christ and through Christ – then it is in truth.

Fourth, We are Complete in Christ the Head with the Fullness of the Trinity
Paul shares another significant fact, "For in Him dwells all the fullness of the
Godhead bodily" (Col. 2:9). When you received Christ at the Spirit rebirthing,
you received the Holy Spirit and the Spirit of the Father, all in Christ. "We are
complete in Him, who is the head of all principality and power" (Col. 2:10). Why
do believers attempt to fight against Satan? We certainly know Satan is real and
don't want anyone to underestimate Him. However, do we not know that greater
is He that is within us, than he who is in the world (I John 4:4). Do we not really
know that we have the head of all principality and power living in us? Do we not
really know that we have all the fullness of the Godhead bodily living in us
through Christ, who is our life? It is Christ in us, who has already defeated Satan.

Fifth, In Christ are Hid All the Treasures of Wisdom and Knowledge
We have the Father to provide His will and direction to us. We have the Holy
Spirit to renew our mind, so that the same mind will be in us, that was also "in
Christ Jesus" (Phil 2:5). The Holy Spirit will let us know that our wisdom,
righteousness, sanctification or holiness, is all in Christ (I Cor. 1:30). Christ was
made all these things in behalf of us. Paul encourages us toward "all riches of
the full assurance of understanding" (Col. 2:2). Paul declares that "all the
treasures of wisdom and knowledge" are hidden in both the Father and Christ
(Col. 2:2,3). Again, Paul has declared that “all the fullness of the Godhead
bodily” dwells in Christ (Col. 2:9). As Spirit rebirthed sons, Christ now dwells in
us and we are complete in Christ (Col. 1:27; 2:10). This is why Paul can declare
that all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge are in Christ in us.

Sixth, The Holy Spirit Teaches and Reveals A Revelation of Jesus Christ
The Holy Spirit had been intensely teaching me for several years, as I intensely
sought more and more of the Lord. The Holy Spirit provided me His firm
foundation in the Word and the Spirit. I remember asking the Lord for some
answers to about 17 different questions. At that point in time, He began directing
me to go to a Bible College. I began taking a Theology course in the Book of
Ephesians. On September 17, 1974 – we were discussing Paul's prayer to the
Ephesians. "That the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory may give
to you the spirit of wisdom and the revelation in the knowledge of Him" (Eph.
1:17). I then reflected on having prayed that for myself for over a year. In about
five seconds, the Holy Spirit gave to me a revelation of Jesus Christ. It was like a
great open door in the Spirit had been opened up for me at that time. I now saw
Christ was my answer for every question that I had been asking. Christ is
wisdom and knowledge. Christ is truth. Christ is peace and my joy. Christ is
everything that I was searching for. Every answer was revealed to be in Christ.
My life has never been the same since. It was not a new revelation, but the Holy
Spirit revealed the same unfolding revelation given to the Apostle Paul.

Seventh, Christ is our Life, our Strength, our Fullness and Our All in All
The Father wants the Church to know the mystery of His will. It is according to
His good pleasure that He purposed His will to be in Himself (Eph. 1:9). In all the
fullness of times the Father is gathering "together in one all things in Christ, both
which are in heaven and which are on earth – in Him" (Eph. 1:10). Our liberty is
in Christ (Gal. 2:4). God always causes us to triumph "in Christ" (II Cor. 2:14).
For Christ is our life, our strength, our fullness, and our all in all (Eph. 1:23)!


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