Redemption factor - in Christ


THE BIBLICAL FOUNDATIONS OF MARRIAGE

STUDY TEN: IN CHRIST – A WHOLE NEW SET-UP

Copyright © Rosemary Bardsley 2004

In this study we dig into the very heart meaning of the Redemption, Regeneration, Reconciliation factor. We have already seen the cost of our Redemption in Study 9: that God redeemed us, that is, set us free, liberated us, by the payment of a price: the death of his Son.

Both the Old and New Testaments teach the concept of substitionary atonement. Both the Old and New Testaments teach the concept of a representative, mediatorial priesthood. In the Old these concepts are seen in animal sacrifices and the OT priesthood: in the New both have their final, absolute and ultimate reality in Jesus Christ.

These Scriptures teach substitution, representation and mediation. Study them privately or as a group.

Mark 10:45b; John 10:11; Romans 5:6-10, 15-21; 8:34; 1 Corinthians 15:22; 2 Corinthians 5:14; Galatians 2:20; 3:13; Ephesians 2:6; Colossians 3:3; Hebrews 2:17; 4:14; 7:24-25; 9:26-28a; 10:21; 1 Peter 2:24; 3:18; 1 John 2:1,2. 

 

When the Bible says that Jesus Christ died 'for us' it means that he died in our place, in our stead, as our substitute. Because he was our substitute God considers his death as ours. For this reason he tells us:

Because of this substitutionary death of Jesus Christ for us, and because Jesus Christ is our representative, our mediator, in his presence, God no longer relates to us as we are in ourselves. He relates to us always, ever and only in Christ.

 A. IN CHRIST – AN AMAZING, INCREDIBLE REVERSAL

Here we see a radical reversal of the results of the Sin Factor. Here we see that what we are in ourselves, 'in Adam', has no more relevance to God, and to our relationship with God.

Read the verses. Write in what they say about you as you are in yourself, and what they say about how God relates to you in Christ because of his substitutionary and representative actions on your behalf. If the verse doesn't include both, discuss what the logical opposite is, and write it in.
Scripture 
What we are in ourselves [in Adam]
What we are [or have] in Christ

Romans 6:11b

 

 

Romans 6:23

 

 

Romans 8:1

 

 

1 Cor 1:30

 

 

2 Cor 5:21

 

 

Gal 2:17

 

 

Gal 3:28

 

 

Eph 1:3

 

 

Eph 1:4,11

 

 

Eph 1:7 [X 2]

 

 

Eph 2:6

 

 

Eph 2:13

 

 

Eph 2:15

 

 

Eph 2:21,22

 

 

Phil 3:9

 

 

Col 1:14 [X 2]

 

 

Col 2:10

 

 

Col 2:11

 

 

Plus these verses below that don't use the terms 'in Christ' or 'in him' but do relate to this concept.

Romans 3:24

 

 

Romans 5:1

 

 

Galatians 3:13

 

 

Col 1:12

 

 

Col 1:13

 

 

Col 1:20-22

 

 

Now go through your above lists and circle those which are actually a reversal of the results of the Sin Factor of Genesis 3. [Go back to Studies 3 to 5 if you can't remember].

 

For those who genuinely believe in Christ, who have been reunited to God by receiving his Son Jesus Christ as Lord, and who by that faith have been given eternal life in Christ on the basis of his atoning death, many of the effects of the Sin Factor:

Look at the facts you circled in your list above. These are the changes that God has made in the way he relates to you and your marriage partner because he now sees you only 'in Christ' and never again relates to you as you are in yourself. Discussion points:

If God has reversed these impacts of the Sin Factor, what changes are necessary in our self-perception?

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

If God has reversed these impacts of the Sin Factor, what changes are necessary in our attitude to our marriage partner?

Identify possible changes to your relationship if you always viewed your partner as he/she is 'in Christ'?

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

B. IN CHRIST – THE ONLY WAY TO SEE A CHRISTIAN

In 2 Corinthians 5:16, having stated in verse 14 that if one died for all then all have died, Paul states:

'So from now on we regard no one from a worldly point of view. Though we once regarded Christ in this way, we do so no longer.'

The 'from a worldly point of view' inadequately translates the Greek kata sarka, which, literally, is 'according to flesh'. Paul is saying that because we have died in the death of Christ our substitute we no longer regard [the Greek is actually 'know'] other Christians as they are in themselves. He used to know Christ that way, before the Damascus road conversion; before that time he viewed Jesus as a blasphemous man, and condemned him and his followers, but from that point forward Paul knew that this viewing people 'according to flesh' could no longer apply, that Jesus was not just a man, he was the Lord God. In the same way, Paul says, he has stopped looking at people as they are in themselves; he now regards them as they are 'in Christ'.

It is in this context that we find the oft quoted 2 Corinthians 5:17:

'Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has gone, the new has come!'

The Greek reads literally: 'if anyone is in Christ – new creation'. It is not just that this person is a new creature in Christ, but, importantly, that there's a whole new set up, a whole new ball game, a whole new world – a whole new way of relating to each other.

On the basis of this truth Paul spends the next five verses stressing the Reconciliation Factor. We need to remember here that Paul is not writing to unbelievers. He is writing to Christians, people who are 'in Christ', and exhorting them to live in the brand new reality of that reconciliation.

Phrase from
2Cor 5:17 – 6:1
Meaning
Discuss these truths.
Note anything that is significant to you.

'the old has gone, the new has come'

Because of the substitutionary death of Christ God no longer relates to us on the basis of our performance [the old]; he relates to us on the basis of Jesus Christ [the new].

 

'God reconciled us to himself through Christ'

The division and enmity between God and man that began in Genesis 3 has been removed by the death of Christ. This includes all the fear, guilt and shame and being banned from his presence that we looked at in Study 4.

 

'gave us the ministry of reconciliation'

'committed to us the message of reconciliation'

We have to communicate this tremendous message – not only by preaching the message, but by helping people to live in the light of it in every moment and circumstance of their lives.

 

'God was reconciling the world to himself in Christ, not counting men's sins against them'

God counted our sins against Jesus – this is what happened at Calvary. Because God counted our sins, and our marriage partner's sins, against Jesus he will never again pay us out or count our sins - past, present, and future - against us. And he will never again count our marriage partner's sins against him/her.

 

'We implore you ... be reconciled to God.'

Paul is imploring the Christians he is writing to to live in the reality of this reconciliation, to take on board the mindset that sees oneself and one's fellow believers always, ever and only in Christ, and never as an isolated person. They are reconciled to God, that is a given fact of their salvation: they should also be reconciled to God – they should think and live with the liberating peace and joy of implications of this reconciliation.

 

'God made him to be sin for us so that in him we might become the righteousness of God'

An incredible exchange has taken place: Christ was debited with our sin so that God can credit us with his righteousness. Our debit file has been permanently deleted; in our credit file is the righteousness of Christ. God regards us in Christ as guilt free. God sees us clothed and covered with the righteousness of Christ. [ See Additional Note #11]

 

'I urge you not to receive God's grace in vain'

The Christian is a person who, in receiving Jesus Christ as their God, has received also God's grace – God's unearned, unmerited acceptance. But many Christians live out their lives as though God is still relating to them on the basis of their own performance, rather that seeing themselves, and other believers, only in Christ. So Paul begs us not to receive God's costly grace 'in vain' in a meaningless, powerless, empty way.

 

These truths open up a whole new world – a radical, life-changing paradigm shift of massive proportions. If we embrace this paradigm shift, if we cease, as Paul ceased, to regard people as they are in themselves, and begin to relate to them only as God sees them in Christ, we and our marriages, indeed all our relationships, will literally never be the same again. It is this mindset shift that will enable us to love and forgive one another as Christ commands.

C. THE RADICAL AND LIBERATING IMPLICATIONS FOR MARRIAGE

This 'in Christ' factor is very poorly understood by many Christians. Because it is poorly understood its radical and liberating implications are lost. We continue to relate to ourselves, to each other and to God, as if the Sin Factor and its devastating results were still in place, instead of relating to God, each other and ourselves from the perspective of the Reconciliation Factor. We think and live as though Reconciliation was not now in place. We think and live as though each of us still have to bear the burden of our sin and guilt, despising and counting of no-effect the sin-bearing, substitutionary death of Christ. We have received it, but we have received it in an empty, meaningless, powerless way.

Let us repent of this practical rejection of the death of Christ. Let us cease to disbelieve his promises. He has born the guilt, gaining for us total freedom from condemnation. He has paid the penalty for all our sins, gaining for us complete and permanent forgiveness for all our sins. He has reconciled us to God, gaining for us uninhibited and eternal access into the very presence of God. And he has done all of this for our Christian partner.

The attitudes in the left column express the mindset of the Sin Factor. Discuss: How are these mindsets out of sync with the Reconciliation/in Christ Factor? What would be the new, 'in Christ' mindset, to replace these old 'as-we-are-in-ourselves' 'in Adam' mindset?
Old 'in Adam' mindset.
Impact of Reconciliation-in Christ Factor
New 'in Christ' mindset.

Living with a personal burden of personal guilt

 

 

 

Using words, actions or attitudes to make your partner feel guilty.

 

 

Feeling guilty because you think your partner is not pleased with you