Blessings of being "IN CHRIST"

Thank you, Trinity College of Florida for putting on this event tonight.  What a blessing to hear from Jerry Bridges tonight.  He was so encouraging.  He talked about the blessings that come from being "IN CHRIST" and how every growth we see in our spiritual life and in our ministry come from our union with Christ - a topic that never grows old.

He talked about the importance of realizing that Jesus Christ did not just DIE for us, He LIVED for us.  He lived perfectly for us.  That means that I lived a perfect life IN CHRIST.  Because I am in Christ, God the Father does not see me for all the sinful rebellious things I've done, He sees me as perfect - perfectly covered by the blood of Christ.

Jesus' intimate relationship with God the Father is MY intimate relationship with God the Father because I am IN CHRIST.  When He died on the cross, I died on the cross.  I am united with Christ!  I have been justified!  I have been adopted!  I am a new creation IN CHRIST!

This news never "gets old."  Jerry's message tonight could never get old because it was saturated with the news that I am IN CHRIST - the best news ever!  I've been a Christian most of my life and it still brings a smile to my face to hear that I am IN CHRIST and that I share in the in inheritance of Christ.  This is why, as Jerry said, we must preach the gospel to ourselves DAILY.  The gospel is not the message we hear in order to become a Christian.  It is the message we hear, live, read, and remind ourselves of everyday.  Jerry ended tonight's talk with saying that we must accurately put obeying the law of God (sanctification) with reminding ourselves of the gracious gospel message (justification).

Let's thank the Lord for the life and ministry of Jerry Bridges.  He's a pretty cool "old" dude, and I'm blessed that I got to hear from him tonight.