In

From: "Grace Plus Nothing," by Jeff Harkin © 1990

Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc. All rights reserved.

We have already looked at Scripture such as 1 Corinthians 1:30 that speaks of believers as being "in Christ" and as having been put "in" by God himself. Yet many Christians get up in the morning, and without realizing what they are doing, they renew their struggle to get "in" with God by having a quiet time- a type of performance. They do not seem to realize that they are already "in." Often they do not feel spiritual. They do not feel God’s presence. So they feel "out"! Yet they are not out, they are in.

by StarBri

Concerning this struggle, I believe (if my memory serves me correctly) it was Watchman Nee who asked, "Can you imagine the frustration of trying to get into a room that you are already in?" Yes. Comical? Yes. But a fact of life for many Christians.

"In" and "if" seem like little words, hardly worth serious or extensive study. But, in fact, "in" and "if" are giants. "If" is central to Satan’s warfare on the church, as we saw in Chapter 63. "In" is central to understanding and experiencing salvation.

"In" is one word that must be understood in order to understand the letters of Paul. Paul used this word repeatedly, with extreme significance:

For as in Adam all die, so also in Christ all shall be made alive. (1 Cor. 15:22).

See, who you are in makes all the difference. You came to be in Adam through birth. And the Bible teaches that you came to be in Christ through birth; you are born again from above. Who you are in makes all the difference. Look how this little word in impacts your understanding of your relationship to the Lord: And in Him you have been made complete, and He is the head over all rule and authority; and in Him you were also circumcised with a circumcision made without hands. (Col. 2:10-11)

For he delivered us from domain of darkness, and transferred us to the kingdom of His beloved Son, in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins. (Col. !:13-14).

If you will take the time to read Ephesians 1:13-14, you’ll discover that it is in Christ, in the Beloved, in him, that you are seated in heavenly places; it is in him that you are chosen; it is in him that you are predestined to the adoption as a son or a daughter of God. It is in him that you have redemption and the forgiveness of sins. It is in him that you have an inheritance with the rest of the saints. And it is in him that you have been sealed by the Holy Spirit of promise.

If you have been born in, you must cease to strive to get in!

For all the promise of God in him are yea, and in him Amen, unto the glory of God by us. (2 Cor. 1:20, kjv)

In Christ all the promise of God are yea and amen. You can quit destroying your faith by trying to get into a room that you’re already in. Rather, abide, respond, rejoice, and proclaim. You are "in" in terms of birth , family, inheritance, and succession. And you are in with all the right people!