The Bible teaches that there is a place of rest for the soul. The Bible speaks of a place of refuge, where protection or safety from adversaries may be enjoyed. There were six Hebrew cities that were appointed as cities of refuge (Josh. 20:7-9) where one who unintentionally killed someone could find safe haven from a retaliator pending a judgment in his case by the elders of the city. He could continue to live in the city of refuge if he was found innocent of deliberate murder (Num. 35:6-28; Deut. 19:1-13).

          The six cities of refuge were a shadow of our relationship in Christ. “That by two immutable things, in which it was impossible for God to lie, we might have a strong consolation, who have fled for refuge to lay hold upon the hope set before us: Which hope we have as an anchor of the soul, both sure and stedfast, and which entereth into that within the veil; Whither the forerunner is for us entered, even Jesus, made an high priest for ever after the order of Melchisedek” (Heb. 6:18-20). Being in Christ is like being in protective custody.

          God has “blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places in Christ” (Eph. 1:3). Where are all spiritual blessings found? In Christ. Only in Christ. Notice throughout the first chapter of the Epistle of Ephesians the emphasis that Paul gives to being in Christ: “Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who hath blessed us with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ: According as he hath chosen us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before him in love: Having predestinated us unto the adoption of children by Jesus Christ to himself, according to the good pleasure of his will, To the praise of the glory of his grace, wherein he hath made us accepted in the beloved. In whom we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of his grace; Wherein he hath abounded toward us in all wisdom and prudence; Having made known unto us the mystery of his will, according to his good pleasure which he hath purposed in himself: That in the dispensation of the fulness of times he might gather together in one all things in Christ, both which are in heaven, and which are on earth; even in him: 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: That we should be to the praise of his glory, who first trusted  in Christ.” (Eph 1:3-12). 

          The price for the sin of God’s children was paid by the death of Christ. “For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.” (Rom. 6:23) Death—both physical death, and spiritual separation from God—is the penalty for sin. When Adam sinned, death entered the world and death spread to everyone else.  “Wherefore, as by one man sin entered into the world, and death by sin; and so death passed upon all men, for that all have sinned” (Rom. 5:12)  The curse of death is upon everyone who is not in Christ, for sin brings this curse, and all are sinners.  “For as many as are of the works of the law are under the curse: for it is written, Cursed is every one that continueth not in all things which are written in the book of the law to do them.” (Gal. 3:10).

          Jesus came into the world to save us from death. He saves us from physical death, in that our bodies will be raised to life again. But the emphasis of the gospel is that He saves us from the worst kind of death, separation from God, which results in eternal death in hell. Those who are in Christ do not have to suffer this fate. “Moreover, brethren, I declare unto you the gospel which I preached unto you, which also ye have received, and wherein ye stand; By which also ye are saved, if ye keep in memory what I preached unto you, unless ye have believed in vain. For I delivered unto you first of all that which I also received, how that Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures” (1 Cor. 15:1-3) “But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.” (Rom. 5:8). 

          The blessing of eternal life in heaven comes to us for one reason:  Jesus died for our sins. The price has been paid. “Who his own self bare our sins in his own body on the tree, that we, being dead to sins, should live unto righteousness: by whose stripes ye were healed.” (1 Pet. 2:24) “For Christ also hath once suffered for sins, the just for the unjust, that he might bring us to God, being put to death in the flesh, but quickened by the Spirit” (1 Pet. 3:18).

          To be in Christ means to be a part of Him. All who are Christ’s are one with Him. “Whoever is joined to the Lord is one spirit with Him” (1 Cor. 6:17). Christ is our federal head, and we are “in Christ” if we belong to Him. We are His, and He is ours. In Him, we have redemption through His blood. Union with Christ is the answer to every spiritual question. 

          If we are in Christ, then what is true of Him is true of us. His life is our life. His death is our death. His resurrection is our resurrection. His ascension is our ascension. We are in Christ where all spiritual blessings are found. In Christ we are united with Him in every way. 

          What are the ramifications of this? It means, if we will think about it long and deliberately, that when the Father considers us and our ways, it is Jesus He has in mind. That is obviously an act of choice on the part of God, for we know that He has not forgotten who we are or what we have done. What it means is this: He has chosen, on the basis of His overwhelming grace and mercy, to count us as though we, like Jesus, had never sinned. Another way of considering the matter is that He has taken the righteousness of Christ and has imputed that to us. It is ours. We didn’t achieve it; we didn’t earn it. He has given it to us. If we are in Christ, what is true of Him is true of us. 

          God is not interested in how good we can be on our own. He is interested in how much of His Son’s power we allow to flow through us and how much we become like His Son. “For whom he foreknew, he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son, that He might be the firstborn among many brethren.” (Rom. 8:29

          God has predestined us to be changed into Christ’s image. This happens in our lives as we consider Jesus and His perfection, keeping our faith in Him and what He has done (2 Cor. 3:18). The image of Christ in all its perfection and glory arises within us as we continually yield more and more to the “new man which is renewed in knowledge after the image of him that created him” (Col. 3:10). The old man reflected the image of the world in all its horror and ugliness. But in Christ, all is made new (2 Cor. 5:17). 

          Make it your number one priority each day to spend time in fellowship with God, asking Him to make you more like His Son, always considering in faith what it means to be in Christ.

Bryan Dunaway

Grace and Peace Ministries

www.gandpministries.org