Christ Alone

Knowing this, that our old man was crucified with Him, that the body of sin might be done away with, that we should no longer be slaves of sin.  For he who has died has been freed from sin.  Now if we died with Christ, we believe that we shall also live with Him, knowing that Christ, having been raised from the dead, dies no more.  Death no longer has dominion over Him.  For the death that He died, He died to sin once for all; but the life that s lives, He lives to God.  Likewise you also, reckon yourselves to be dead indeed to sin, but alive to God in Christ Jesus our Lord.  Therefore, do not let sin reign in your mortal bodies, that you should obey it in its lusts.
Romans 6: 6-12 NKJV

The common theme in most of christian teaching today concerning the life and times of Jesus is that Jesus came, preached and was thereafter crucified, only to rise again three days later.  After this, He ascended into heaven to be seated at the right hand of His heavenly Father.  Of course, this is indeed a true telling of the story of Christ Jesus, but I believe that through this truth we often find a misconception of just who Christ is to us today.  Yes, Jesus gave His life that we might be saved from the sin nature which we were born into, but there is significance in His resurection as well.  For the purpose of the resurection of Jesus was not just that He would ascend into heaven, but that He would remain among us today.  It is here where the disconnect might occur in the minds of some.  At least it did for me.  From the pulpits we hear the story of how Jesus, after His death on the cross, rose again to be with God.  We celebrate His resurection each easter Sunday.  This is the story I was told of Jesus from my sunday school days into adulthood.  It is widely accepted that this is where the story of Christ Jesus ends.  From this point of view we see our Lord Jesus as sitting in heaven at the right hand of God the Father looking down upon the creation He gave Himself to save.  It is here, with Jesus afar off from Gods creation where the disconnect occurs in our thinking and teaching.

"I do not pray for these alone, but also for those who will believe in Me through their word; that they all may be one, as you, Father, are in Me, and I in you; that they also may be one in Us, that the world may believe that You sent Me.  And the glory which You gave Me I have given them, that they may be one just as We are one: I in them, and You in Me; that they may be made perfect in one, and that the world may know that You have sent Me, and have loved them as You have loved Me.  Father, I desire that they also whom You gave Me may be with Me where I am, that they may behold My glory which You have given Me; for You loved Me before the foundation of the world.
John 17: 20-24 NKJV

There are plenty of places in Gods word which proclaim to us the truth of Christ Jesus today, but somehow some have missed this prompting.  This is exactly where I found myself in my search for the truth of Jesus.  To me, it seemed that Jesus was nothing more than a disconnected savior watching from His home in heaven.  In this scenario, I was indeed alone as I faced the trials of this world.  Yet I would continue to hear the call from the pulpits that we, as christians, needed to be "Closer to God."  This teaching perpetuated the belief that there was a seperation between Gods children and He.  One scripture which opened my eyes to the truth of Christ Jesus today was Galations 2:20, which I have referenced often.

"I have been crucifed with Christ; it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself for me."
Galations 2:20 NKJV

It is here where the apostle Paul lays out the case for the truth of our Lord Jesus.  For not only was Jesus crucified, but He remains today in us!  There are two key points in Pauls letter to the Galations.  For "We" have been crucified with Christ, it is no longer I who live, but "CHRIST LIVES IN ME!"  Now, I don't recall dying, but this is what Paul was trying to get across.  For it was not our physical flesh that was nailed to that cross with Jesus, but our "Old man" of sin into which we were born.  This is that part of us which needed to be put to death in order for Jesus us to live out our lives here on earth as Christ who is in us.  There is no seperatiion.  We are not alone, but it is through Christ alone in which we now live.

~Scott~