## What we have "In Christ"

## Ephesians 2:1-10

Paul is writing to the church at Ephesus. He shares with them many wonderful truths which we so very often overlook. Paul writes in verse 6, "And hath raised us up together, and made us sit together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus." Now this is the part I want us to think about together, "In Christ Jesus."

I suppose we could spend many hours looking up and reading and discussing together such passages of the Bible which tell us of things Jesus has done for us. He has saved us from some things. He has saved us for some things. We have been saved by grace...by me blood...by grace. We are saved to some things.

You know it would be good to talk about the other things of God also: How our name is in His book...book of life. How we, as His children, are in the family of God. How we, as saved beings, are in the light.

How we, as saved beings, are made to sit together, in heavenly places. But if you notice ... all these are ours or we have the prospect of them because we are in Christ Jesus.

I. In Christ ... We Have Redemption and Forgiveness of Sin.

A. In Ephesians 1:7, "In whom we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of his grace."

1. No doubt, many Christians have never really realized just what it means to have God’s great redemption.

2. I mean by that many never really stop to think of:

a. The price He paid

b. The suffering He suffered

c. The shame He bore to make redemption possible for us

3. No doubt many children of the Lord never really stop to think of what it means to have forgiveness of sin.

4. How wonderful that when Jesus died, God laid on Him all my sins!

5. When I by faith trusted His Son as my Savior, God forgave me all my sin!

B. Not only redemption, but forgive- ness of sins.

1. God says, "I will put them (my sins) behind my back. " Not behind my back, but behind His back.

2. If they were placed behind my back they would follow me and dog my heels every step of the way.

3. Micah 7:19, "...and thou wilt cast all their sins into the depths of the sea. "

a. I am told that the sea on the Atlantic side is 28 200 feet deep and on the Pacific side is 36,614 feet deep in its deepest part.

b. When God said "I will put your sins behind my back" and "I will bury them in the sea" He meant He would bury them as deep as God could bury them...put them forever out of the way.

c. I have this in Christ.

II. In Jesus Christ We Have an Inheritance.

A. In Ep. 1:11 we read, ""In whom also we have obtained an inheritance, being predestinated according to the purpose of him who worketh all things after the counsel of his own will:"

1. When we talk about our riches in Christ folks, we are talking about something that is real! Not daydreaming!

2. My heavenly Father owns all the diamonds of this world ... gold ... silver ... every precious jewel ... all the cattle ... all the houses ... and all the land.

3. He is just letting you live in that house you call yours.

4. I have known of people being robbed of their inheritance, but not so as God’s child.

5. Jesus not only left a will, but He states that He is the Administrator of the will.

6. You who think the worldly have it made:

a. Just wait until my heavenly Father, says to the Son, go get my children.

b. Wait until He sets up His kingdom on earth to rule and reign.

c. Wait until we inherit the earth ... stars ... and everything the world has ever known by way of possessions.

B. In Him we are rich.

1. That is why some Christians can be so content with so little of this world’s goods.

2. They are looking past this life.

III. In Christ We Have a Seal.

A. Ephesians 1:13, "In whom ye also trusted, after that ye heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation: in whom also after that ye believed, ye were sealed with that holy Spirit of promise,"

1. This takes place the moment we are saved.

2. We are sealed not by the Holy Spirit, but with the Holy Spirit.

3. Every child of God has the Holy Spirit.

a. Paul said, "If any man have not the Spirit of Christ, he is none of his."

b. "Grieve not the Holy Spirit of God wherewith you are sealed until the day of redemption."

4. When we are saved God puts a seal in us and we are sealed with His Holy Spirit until the day of redemption.

5. You talk about being secure!

IV. In Christ Jesus We Have a Fellowship.

A. Eph. 2:22, "In whom ye also are builded together for an habitation of God through the Spirit."

B. Note also Acts 4:32a, "And the multitude of them that believed were of one heart and of one soul:"

1. This speaks of fellowship.

a. The fact that the saved are born of God says we have fellowship in Him with God.

b. 1John 1:7 reads, "But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship one with another, and the blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth us from all sin."

c. Now...if we do not have fellowship one with one another where are we walking?

d. If you do not come to the house of the Lord when you should, Where are you walking?

e. Not in the Light.

2. If you do not have a hunger to be with the people of God, something is wrong with you.

3. What fellowship has a believer with am unbeliever?

4. The fellowship is m His church and where you neglect your church you do not manifest a hunger for God and His Children.

V. In Christ We Have Access.

A. "In whom we have boldness and access with confidence by the faith of him." (Eph 3:12)

1. Access to what?

2. Access to the throne of God.

B. The saved have the right to come to the throne.

1. Example: It was said that little Todd Lincoln had a little broken toy and he came to a room in the White House where Abraham Lincoln was in a very important meeting with men from all over the country.

2. As he came with his toy some- one said, "You can’t go in there."

3. He replied, "Yes I can too."

4. The man said, "What makes you think you can go in there?"

5. "Cause, my father is in there"

6. The President spoke up... "Bring him here, He can get in."

C. Listen folks, thank God, I can come boldly to the throne of God’s mercy and grace because my Father’s there.

D. In Jesus Christ I have access.

-These are things we have in Christ. - One would say, "I would like to have those things." -Well claim them. - They belong to whoever comes to God by faith in Jesus. - Since these things belong to you child of God, live like you belong to Him.