Tuesday, July 15, 2025

You Have, If You Are In Christ

You Have, If You Are In Christ 
by David Brenneman

"For consider your calling, brethren, that there were not many wise according to the flesh, not many mighty, not many noble; but God has chosen the foolish things of the world to shame the wise, and God has chosen the weak things of the world to shame the things which are strong, and the base things of the world and the despised God has chosen, the things that are not, so that He may nullify the things that are, so that no man may boast before God. But by His doing you are in Christ Jesus, who became to us wisdom from God, and righteousness and sanctification, and redemption, so that, just as it is written, “Let him who boasts, boast in the Lord.” 1 Corinthians 1:26-31.

"From the standpoint of the gospel they are enemies for your sake, but from the standpoint of God’s choice they are beloved for the sake of the fathers; for the gifts and the calling of God are irrevocable." Romans 11:28-29.

"Therefore, holy brethren, partakers of a heavenly calling, consider Jesus, the Apostle and High Priest of our confession;" Hebrews 3:1.

"There is one body and one Spirit, just as also you were called in one hope of your calling; one Lord, one faith, one baptism, one God and Father of all who is over all and through all and in all. But to each one of us grace was given according to the measure of Christ’s gift." Ephesians 4:4-7.

"Therefore I, the prisoner of the Lord, implore you to walk in a manner worthy of the calling with which you have been called, with all humility and gentleness, with patience, showing tolerance for one another in love, being diligent to preserve the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace." Ephesians 4:1-3.

In Ephesians Paul writes "worthy of the calling with which you have been called".  

We who have come to Christ for salvation are the called. We heard His voice and came to Him to be saved, and saved us He most certainly did. Satan's first thing to do to them who have heard and did come is to convince you that it never happened, that you and I weren't worthy, that on some level we just didn't cut it.  

Once saved always saved is what the Bible does tell us concerning those who are indeed saved in Christ. The seal of the Spirit of God in Christ is upon all who are saved. Our salvation is not dependent upon our worthiness but on His grace and mercy because all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.

So, as Paul also said, since we have so great a salvation, walk according to our calling in Christ Jesus. Walking with Jesus in everything. The Disciples certainly walked with Jesus in everything.  

The thing is there's absolutely no Scriptural basis to show that salvation is a ticket to Heaven only. It it the beginning of our transformation, Romans 12, towards becoming like Christ, since we are His workmanship, Ephesians 2, created in Christ Jesus for good works that we might walk in them. 

Our lives are then in Christ.  
Our lives are then to glorify Jesus Christ the One who gave His life in our place, taking on what we deserved that was the wrath of God towards all who remain in their own sin. 

We come to Christ for salvation, we also get the things that come with it. All who desire to live godly in Christ Jesus will be persecuted. We're going to have troubles in this world. 

As ironically put as the movies are, the Matrix actually does a fairly decent job at showing what goes on, although in NO way is this an actual Christian comparison to truly walking in Christ. I absolutely am NOT drawing parallels between Christianity and the prospect presented in the movies. It's to only show what goes on between the Spiritual world and the physical. Satan's schemes include deceptions of every single kind both imagined and as yet unimagined. As happened in the movies, such happens in this real world we live in. The enemies of God want to silence those who are in Christ Jesus.

Satan's out to cause destruction and at minimum divisions in families, in the Church. To get Believers to believe even the most subtle of lies in order to prevent the Word of God from being effective in their lives and to help others in Christ with their own persecutions that they face. 

All those who have been saved have a calling in Christ Jesus. All will be transformed into the image of Jesus Christ. All will have something to be doing in the body of Christ. All who are saved are the branches as He is the Vine.

"I am the vine, you are the branches; he who abides in Me and I in him, he bears much fruit, for apart from Me you can do nothing." John 15:5.

By ourselves we are going to be guessing at our calling. We need the rest of the body of Christ to help us understand what our part is.

Rest assured, in Christ, you my Dear Reader, if you have placed your faith and trust in Jesus Christ alone for salvation, have a calling in Christ to fulfill. 

At our minimum we are called to be doers of the word and not just hearers only who delude themselves. 

We are going to have a Godly evaluation by Jesus for the things we did in our physical body for Christ some day. There IS that day of accountability coming to all who believed.   

With such things before us, is doing our own thing really going to go well for us in that day?

Seek first His kingdom and His righteousness and all these things will be added unto you. 

Trust in the Lord with all your heart And do not lean on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge Him and He will make your paths straight. 

The mind of man plans his ways but the Lord directs his steps. 

Love the Lord your God with all your heart, mind, soul and spirit. 

Love your neighbor as yourself. 

Pray for those who persecute you. 

If indeed you are saved and you haven't been living a life out of respect for all He did for you to save you...you have some time to get that rectified. To make that right.  

There will evidently be many who will enter into Heaven by the literal skin of their teeth. Nothing to show in appreciation for all that Jesus did for them to save them. The Bible speaks of that fact.  

It's another reason to not forsake the assembly of the Church of Jesus Christ. We need others who are more mature in Christ to help us understand our calling in Christ. 

Don't go by your known talents and abilities. Steven Curtis Chapman sang a song called "Whatever". You should look it up on YouTube.  

For all that Jesus did and went through to save you, whatever He calls you to do for Him is for you to be doing. In Colossians we read "Whatever you do, do your work heartily, as for the Lord rather than for men, knowing that from the Lord you will receive the reward of the inheritance. It is the Lord Christ whom you serve. For he who does wrong will receive the consequences of the wrong which he has done, and that without partiality." Colossians 3:23-25.
Every single person has a physical body that, when healthy, has every single body part doing what God designed for it to be doing. Your eyes do their part. Legs, hands, arms, stomach, liver, their own parts. 

In the same way in the body of Christ each part is to be doing their part as the Spirit directs, as He sees fit.   

In this world we have hospitals and extended care facilities to show what happens when a physical body isn't working as God designed it. 

Be sure of your salvation then be sure of your calling in Christ Jesus. We are here still rather than immediately going to be with Jesus because our first calling is to be a witness to the power of God in Christ Jesus unto salvation. So that others might be saved. That they see our good works and glorify our Father in Heaven. While here we are called to grow in Christ. To become more like Christ. We are called to be alert because the devil prowls around like a roaring lion seeking someone to devour. We are called to put on the whole armor of God. 

There's plenty to know about in our calling in Christ Jesus after receiving the free gift of salvation through Jesus Christ our Lord and Savior.  

Ask, Seek, Knock.
All NASB Scripture Excerpts used by permission. 
New American Standard Bible 
(C) 1960, 1962, 1963, 1968, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1977, 1995 by the Lockman Foundation. 
A corporation not for profit.   
La Habra, CA All rights reserved 

No comments:

Post a Comment