I remember, as a young boy, I was given a model airplane box full of parts and instructions. I was so excited that I jumped in and started gluing it together without reading the instructions. An hour later, I was lost because I couldn’t understand where certain parts would go. I finally gave up in frustration and confusion and looking back; I see that the entire experience now seems profound. The instructions were not there to create an airplane. They were there because the entire airplane already existed. I simply needed to believe that by following the instructions.
In the same way, we can approach obedience and service in the Christian life as instructions to make us better, more complete Christians. Some often voice these ideas by saying things like this: “I need more of Jesus.” “God is building His character into me.” However, we see the opposite realities when we read the New Testament letters. Like that model airplane, exhortations to obey and serve are not there to create a better you. The great news is that we have already been recreated in Christ as a perfect and complete Christian from the moment we believe in Jesus Christ as our Savior! Once we believe this, we realize the instructions for obedience and service are, in fact, expressions of Christ in us and of who we are in Christ!
Are there Scriptures that explain this clearly? Yes! Here are a few from the NASB 2020 version. I have bolded words to emphasize this has already happened to us.
And in Him, you have been made complete, and He is the head over every ruler and authority. Colossians 2:10
For His divine power has granted to us everything pertaining to life and godliness, through the true knowledge of Him who called us by His own glory and excellence. Through these He has granted to us His precious and magnificent promises, so that by them you may become partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world on account of lust. 2 Peter 1:3-4
For by one offering He has perfected for all time those who are sanctified. Hebrews 10:14
The more we understand the beauty and power of the Union Life we have in Christ, we will choose to do what the New Testament letters tell us. As a result, the more we will mature as Christians. When we lack understanding of the first and therefore misunderstand or disregard the second, we will live independently of that union. The Bible instructs us that this is the flesh in operation, the opposite of who Christ is in us and who we are in Christ. This will hinder our spiritual maturity.
If you have been in the habit of living according to the flesh because you have forgotten the Union Life we have in Christ, please repent. The word repent means to change your mind from error to truth and, as a result, turn from fleshly living to Union Life living.
In our Father’s wisdom, the Christian life is an INSIDE OUT arrangement!
