in Christ
“…that all of them may be one, Father, just as you are in me and I am in you. May they also be in us…” (John 17:21)
When I was growing up it was popular among the “born again bunch” to hear a question like, “When did you invite Jesus into your heart?” or “When did Christ come into your life.” A dominant metaphor of many Christians that I talk to is this metaphor of Christ coming into our lives. I have been thinking about this and I wonder if it is the most helpful picture. I know Paul uses it on one occasion that I can recall, “Christ in you, the hope of Glory” (Colossians 1:27), but is it enough to think in these terms. Is it enough for us; is God satisfied for us to go through our lives thinking in this manner - God in me.
If this is accurate then I am the host. In essence, I am still in charge. God is a guest. I have “invited Him in.” He is merely a part of my life. God is another aspect of my life which I must consider.
There is a greater metaphor at work in Scripture that we must understand (and help others to understand - especially those youth workers among us). It is the picture of us “in Christ.” That we don’t merely allow God into us - where we would like (where we can stay in charge and if we would like stay on the periphery) - but we are absorbed into Christ. The image of being in Christ moves us out of control. The image of being in Christ moves us from periphery or being the host of God to the place of surrendering to the Divine Center. It radically changes our relationship by changing the position of in from after Christ to before Christ. Being in Christ I think is the goal. For when we find ourselves resting or residing in Christ we become more fully integrated into the mind, will, mission and way of the God of the Universe.
How do you think of your relationship with God - is Christ in you; or are you in Christ? I think we need to think about both being true and both being integral to our understanding of the relationship between God and humans. Do you think it matters? Or am I making something out of nothing?
I always liked an illustration that Louie Giglio used, and I have since stolen, that uses a series of Tupperware containers… the first one, a small one marked Jesus, goes inside a larger one with my name one it. Those two go inside a larger container marked Jesus. All of these containers go inside a container that is even larger and is marked God. I think you get the point, but when I picture the in Christ, Christ in me argument, I think of Tupperware…
Thanks, now I am going to steal it!
And ti’s microwaveable so it can go through the heat right? Alright that’s a little corny. I’m stealing the idea as well.
Doug you are so right. So often we make it all about us when we say , “Christ is in me.” So often we don’t educate people that were are actually in Christ…that Christ is the focal point of the relationship and not us. Good stuff Doug thanks.
Yes. I agree this is an important distinction.
Too often we say Christ is in me like the Force is in Luke Skywalker. I agree with you. It’s wrong thinking. In actuality, we are to seek to be in what God is and what He is doing.
Thanks for the reminder.
Yep. This works. Good observation.
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