{"id":413,"date":"2015-03-26T22:09:26","date_gmt":"2015-03-26T22:09:26","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/takingeverythoughtcaptivetoobeychrist.wordpress.com\/?p=413"},"modified":"2015-03-26T22:09:26","modified_gmt":"2015-03-26T22:09:26","slug":"in-christ-all-things","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/themajestysmen.com\/joshuajenkins\/in-christ-all-things\/","title":{"rendered":"In Christ, All Things"},"content":{"rendered":"

“Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in Christ with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places.” + Ephesians 1:3<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

In Christ, God, our Father holds nothing from us. We receive EVERY spiritual blessing in the heavenly places. He keeps no good thing back. Freely he has given us all things in Christ.<\/p>\n

The depths of our Father’s gracious goodness toward us in Christ is unfathomable and will delight us for all eternity.<\/p>\n

The “in-ness” of the gospel is so exhilarating and secure – we are “in Christ.” We aren’t simply<\/em> God’s people; we aren’t simply<\/em> God’s children; we aren’t simply<\/em> Christians; we aren’t simply<\/em> saved; we are IN-CHRIST. Us in Christ and Christ in us. What a marvelous mystery of grace. And oh how secure this “in-ness” in Christ is. No one takes out that which is in Christ.<\/p>\n

This is just the reason God gives us every spiritual blessing He owns. He gives to us just as He gives to Christ!<\/em> All that is Christ’s is ours. And this is all because Christ earned all – on our behalf.<\/p>\n

Christ’s finished work on the cross gives us forgiveness of sins, His\u00a0perfect righteousness, and places us in Him – giving us all things from God.<\/p>\n

So it truly does not matter what you have or don’t have in this world. It does not matter if you are poor and have nothing – that may be better even. For in Christ you have everything from God that matters – the only things that matter – the only eternal things that will last.<\/p>\n

And it doesn’t matter if you have great material wealth here on earth. All the wealth of this world is literally worthless junk compared to the riches of God in Christ and all that He freely gives to His children. This is one reason God gives no promise or guarantee of physical health or wealth – because those things are nothing since God has already\u00a0given us every spiritual blessing possible in Christ.<\/p>\n

And the greatest spiritual blessing that God gives in Christ is God Himself. Gives gives us God – and that is everything.<\/p>\n

And really, every spiritual blessing is a means to God Himself. Forgiveness of sins is wonderful, but it is wonderful only because through forgiveness of sins can we be united with God. Christ’s imputed righteousness to us is too good! But it is only good because it unites us with God. Eternal life and heaven are good. But they are only good because they unite us with God. These things are not ends. Forgiveness, redemption, eternal life, etc., are not ends. They are means to the greatest end – God.<\/p>\n

Friends, through, in, and because of the work of Jesus, God gives us all things, namely, Himself. Be amazed, be in awe, marvel, rejoice!<\/p>\n

In Christ, all things.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

“Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in Christ with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places.” + Ephesians 1:3 In Christ, God, our Father holds nothing from us. We receive EVERY spiritual blessing in the heavenly places. He keeps no good thing back. Freely he has […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":685,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_genesis_hide_title":false,"_genesis_hide_breadcrumbs":false,"_genesis_hide_singular_image":false,"_genesis_hide_footer_widgets":false,"_genesis_custom_body_class":"","_genesis_custom_post_class":"","_genesis_layout":"","jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"wds_primary_category":0,"footnotes":""},"categories":[25],"tags":[205,212,274,277,442,474,557,679,1039,1174],"class_list":{"0":"post-413","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","6":"category-faith","7":"tag-bible","8":"tag-blessing","9":"tag-christ","10":"tag-christian","11":"tag-ephesians","12":"tag-faith","13":"tag-god","14":"tag-jesus","15":"tag-religion","16":"tag-spiritual","17":"entry"},"jetpack_featured_media_url":"","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack-related-posts":[{"id":409,"url":"https:\/\/themajestysmen.com\/joshuajenkins\/by-the-will-of-god\/","url_meta":{"origin":413,"position":0},"title":"By the Will of God","author":"Joshua Jenkins","date":"March 23, 2015","format":false,"excerpt":"\"Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus by the will of God\" - Ephesians 1:1a Simple, yet profound word choice Paul uses in the greeting of his letter to the church at Ephesus. Paul is an apostle of Christ Jesus, by the will of God. Paul is who he is, because\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Faith"","block_context":{"text":"Faith","link":"https:\/\/themajestysmen.com\/joshuajenkins\/category\/faith\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":2337,"url":"https:\/\/themajestysmen.com\/joshuajenkins\/come-thou-fount-part-1\/","url_meta":{"origin":413,"position":1},"title":"Come Thou Fount Part 1","author":"Joshua Jenkins","date":"June 29, 2017","format":false,"excerpt":"\"Come, thou Fount of every blessing, tune my heart to sing they grace; streams of mercy , never ceasing, call for songs of loudest praise. Teach me some melodious sonnet, sung by flaming tongues above. Praise the mount - I'm fixed upon it -\u00a0mount of God's redeeming love.\" Come Thou\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Music"","block_context":{"text":"Music","link":"https:\/\/themajestysmen.com\/joshuajenkins\/category\/music\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/themajestysmen.com\/joshuajenkins\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/37\/2017\/06\/large_come-thou-fount-of-every-blessing-usxmcczc.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/themajestysmen.com\/joshuajenkins\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/37\/2017\/06\/large_come-thou-fount-of-every-blessing-usxmcczc.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/themajestysmen.com\/joshuajenkins\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/37\/2017\/06\/large_come-thou-fount-of-every-blessing-usxmcczc.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/themajestysmen.com\/joshuajenkins\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/37\/2017\/06\/large_come-thou-fount-of-every-blessing-usxmcczc.jpg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/themajestysmen.com\/joshuajenkins\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/37\/2017\/06\/large_come-thou-fount-of-every-blessing-usxmcczc.jpg?resize=1050%2C600&ssl=1 3x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/themajestysmen.com\/joshuajenkins\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/37\/2017\/06\/large_come-thou-fount-of-every-blessing-usxmcczc.jpg?resize=1400%2C800&ssl=1 4x"},"classes":[]},{"id":418,"url":"https:\/\/themajestysmen.com\/joshuajenkins\/sons-through-the-son\/","url_meta":{"origin":413,"position":2},"title":"Sons, Through the Son","author":"Joshua Jenkins","date":"April 2, 2015","format":false,"excerpt":"\"In love [5] He predestined us for adoption as sons through Jesus Christ, according to the purpose of His will.\" + Ephesians 1:5 Christian, God is not angry with you. He is not mad at you. He is not upset with you. He is not disappointed with you. He doesn't\u2026","rel":"","context":"In \"Adoption\"","block_context":{"text":"Adoption","link":"https:\/\/themajestysmen.com\/joshuajenkins\/tag\/adoption\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":1037,"url":"https:\/\/themajestysmen.com\/joshuajenkins\/million-dollar-gospel-pt-2\/","url_meta":{"origin":413,"position":3},"title":"Million Dollar Gospel, Pt. 2","author":"Joshua Jenkins","date":"June 29, 2016","format":false,"excerpt":"In my previous post I talked about some gospel that I saw in the movie,\u00a0Million Dollar Arm.\u00a0There is one more gospel picture in the movie that I wanted to write on. I didn't feel that it fit with my last post, thus I've given it it's own post. In the\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Film"","block_context":{"text":"Film","link":"https:\/\/themajestysmen.com\/joshuajenkins\/category\/film\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":4363,"url":"https:\/\/themajestysmen.com\/joshuajenkins\/the-vine-and-the-branches-fruit-or-fire\/","url_meta":{"origin":413,"position":4},"title":"The Vine and the Branches: Fruit or Fire","author":"Joshua Jenkins","date":"February 22, 2021","format":false,"excerpt":"4\u00a0Abide\u00a0in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit by itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in me.\u00a05\u00a0I am the vine;\u00a0you are the branches. Whoever abides in me and I in him, he it is that\u00a0bears much fruit, for apart\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Commentary"","block_context":{"text":"Commentary","link":"https:\/\/themajestysmen.com\/joshuajenkins\/category\/commentary\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/themajestysmen.com\/joshuajenkins\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/37\/2021\/02\/vine-and-branches.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200},"classes":[]},{"id":425,"url":"https:\/\/themajestysmen.com\/joshuajenkins\/god-is-for-god\/","url_meta":{"origin":413,"position":5},"title":"God is for God","author":"Joshua Jenkins","date":"April 6, 2015","format":false,"excerpt":"\"to the praise of His glorious grace, with which He has blessed us in the Beloved.\" + Ephesians 1:6 In my previous blog (Sons, Through the Son) I talked about verse five in Ephesians chapter one. 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