Identity

For as many of you were baptized into Christ have put on Christ.  There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free, there is neither male nor female; for you are all one in Christ Jesus.
Galations 3: 27-28

If there  is one aspect of the christian faith that I have struggled alot with is my identity in Christ.   The word clearly states that we who believe are one in Christ.  We have been crucified with Jesus, therefore he dwells in our new creation.  1 Corinthians 6:19 goes as far as to tell us that our fleshly bodies are the temple of the Holy Spirit who we have received from God.  So, if we are to trust in Gods word, and there is absolutely no reason we shouldn't, the crucified Christ resides in all of us.  Ok, now that we know this it opens up a whole  new gambit in regards to our thoughts and behavior.  Think about it, all of our senses sight, touch, hearing, smell, are all connected to Christ who is in us.  Instead of viewing that internet pornography, should we ask ourselves "Jesus...is this something you'd like to see?"  Stop and think the next time your angry at someone "Jesus, my savior, will you approve of the angry words I'm about to say?"  Can you see where I'm going with this?  Gods word clearly says that Christ resides in each of us.  So, what we see, Jesus see's.  What we hear, Jesus hears.  What we say to others, well, you get the idea.  Now, I'm not saying that the God of all creation can't see all that we do anyway, but  we now share our bodies with him.  How much closer to Jesus can we be?  Each and every day we walk in companionship with Jesus.  He is literaly as close as our next breath.  The relationship that God shared with mankind in the Garden of Eden has  been reestablished through Christ Jesus.  Now  the hard part, as it's been for me personaly.  We can read every scripture relating to Jesus residing within us, but do we believe it?  Do we trust Gods word as true?  If we do, it can shatter completely the image of ourselves that the world gives us.  No longer are we fat, ugly, slow, dumb or inferior to anyone.  We can then look in the mirror each and every morning knowing full well that we are no longer inferior, but a child of the LIVING God!  Yeah, we're still surrounded by a sinful "temporary" world that will bombard us with negative messages,  but God promises us that his one and only son resides in each of us.  I've never known God to lie.  

"Jesus removed our sins and guarantees we can be raised from the dead...I'm still waiting on someone to enlighten me on what story beats that one!"
Duck Dynasty Patriarch Phil Robertson