Last week we looked at the fact that we are accepted in Christ.
I made sure to tell everyone that those who are not in Christ cannot claim these passages of Scripture. If you are not in Christ and the Spirit of Christ is not in you, you have no part of the Kingdom. In reality you are not really a Christian at all.
So, as we begin this morning I want you to search yourself to make sure you are in Christ. If you have any doubts at all you need to take it up with God as soon as possible to make sure you are really in the faith.
The Scripture it-self tells us that we should test ourselves in this matter.
2 Corinthians 13:5
Examine yourselves to see if your faith is really genuine. Test yourselves. If you cannot tell that Jesus Christ is among you, it means you have failed the test.
Let’s get into the second set of 11 passages.
Today we will look at our security in Christ.
You are Secure in Christ.
Romans 8:1-2 (I am free from condemnation)
So now there is no condemnation for those who belong to Christ Jesus. 2 And because you belong to him, the power of the life-giving Spirit has freed you from the power of sin that leads to death.
Before a person comes to Christ they are condemned due to their sin nature and their sin actions. We must be purchased back into right standing with God by the shed blood of Jesus Christ.
We are all dead in our transgressions and sins. We must be resurrected to new life in Christ Jesus. Once we come to Christ we are reborn into a new life. This new life is generated by the life-giving Spirit. This Spirit is our guarantee of things to come.
John 3:18
Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe stands condemned already because he has not believed in the name of God’s one and only Son.
Far too many people today do not believe in Jesus Christ for their salvation. They have been led astray by teachers, preachers, priests, pastors and others that lie to them to keep them feeling good about themselves.
Condemnation is too high of a price to pay when there is a way of salvation. The way is through Christ Jesus.
Now there is no Condemnation for those who belong to Him.
Romans 8:28 (I am assured that all things are working together for good)
28 And we know that God causes everything to work together for the good of those who love God and are called according to his purpose for them.
It doesn’t take much study of the world around us to realize that it is full of evil and sin. We go as far as teaching self-centeredness and building people up in their unholy lifestyles.
But in all of this, God is at work. He is working in the lives of those that have been called to Him and are living according to His purpose for them.
I am one who happens to believe that God is calling everyone to Himself via the Cross.
John 3:16
“For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.”
God’s purpose is for us to be saved through His Son.
If we are unwilling to come to His Son, He is unable to work His purpose into our life.
This doesn’t mean that He is unable to work out His purpose. It means we have a responsibility to come to God in the way He has called us.
If we refuse to come to God on His terms, we are telling God that our way is better than His and He does not allow us to be God. We must submit to God’s way so that His purpose for us can be fulfilled.
Romans 8:33-34 (I am free from my accusers)
33 Who dares accuse us whom God has chosen for his own? No one—for God himself has given us right standing with himself. 34 Who then will condemn us? No one—Christ Jesus died for us and was raised to life for us, and he is sitting in the place of honor at God’s right hand, pleading for us.
This is a very powerful passage. In Christ we have right standing with God. No one can condemn us. We have been raised to new life. And Christ is interceding on our behalf. This is our position in Christ. It is what we have been chosen for. Now we are free from our accusers and free to live in right relationship with God thanks be to the work of Christ for us.
Romans 8:35 (I am not separated from God’s love)
35 Can anything ever separate us from Christ’s love? Does it mean he no longer loves us if we have trouble or calamity, or are persecuted, or hungry, or destitute, or in danger, or threatened with death?
Nothing can separate us from God’s love but this doesn’t mean that everyone is right with God. It doesn’t mean that everyone is saved. It doesn’t mean that everyone will have a great, wonderful and blissful afterlife.
Romans 8:38-39
38 And I am convinced that nothing can ever separate us from his love. Death can’t, and life can’t. The angels can’t, and the demons can’t. Our fears for today, our worries about tomorrow, and even the powers of hell can’t keep God’s love away. 39 Whether we are high above the sky or in the deepest ocean, nothing in all creation will ever be able to separate us from the love of God that is revealed in Christ Jesus our Lord.
Here is the saddest situation known to man. Although we cannot be separated from the love of God most would prefer not to accept, acknowledge or dwell in God’s love. Most would rather be away from God and present in their own misery doing all that they think they desire. They are blind to the truth and have been separated from God’s presence.
Could you imagine having the love of God revealed to you in Christ and His work at the cross, and then refusing to accept it? We separate ourselves from God’s presence by not accepting His work for us.
God loves us and desires the absolute best for us. But, we would rather have our sin-filled lives than to separate ourselves into His love.
How great is it to know that we cannot be separated from the love of God, that is if we are in Christ. Those not in Christ chose not to accept The love that is available to them.
2 Corinthians 1:21 (I am anointed and sealed by God)
Now it is God who makes both us and you stand firm in Christ. He anointed us, 22 set his seal of ownership on us, and put his Spirit in our hearts as a deposit, guaranteeing what is to come.
Once again we see that the Spirit is the key. If you do not have the Spirit of Christ you are no part of His but if you do you have a guarantee of what is to come.
1 Corinthians 11:25
In the same way, he took the cup of wine after supper, saying, “This cup is the new covenant between God and you, sealed by the shedding of my blood. Do this in remembrance of me as often as you drink it.”
The seal of the covenant is the shed blood of Jesus Christ. The seal of ownership is the presence of the Holy Spirit in us. All of this comes by faith. When we place our faith in Jesus Christ and what He has done for us God gives us a new Spirit which makes us a new creation in Christ and all things become new.
It is amazing what Christ has done for us.
Colossians 3:3 (I am hidden with Christ in God)
3 For you died to this life, and your real life is hidden with Christ in God.
This is a very hard concept for most to understand. We were dead to God due to sin all the while living in sin-filled world determined to satisfy our own self-will. Once we were awakened to our situation we died to this world and all of its sin. We were then raised to new life in Christ.
This new lie is hidden in Christ. This is your real life. Life in this world is a fantasy. All that is truly real is eternal. So your eternal life is in Christ. This is your real life for all eternity.
Philippians 1:6 (I am certain that God will finish His work in me)
6 And I am certain that God, who began the good work within you, will continue his work until it is finally finished on the day when Christ Jesus returns.
As you can tell your security is growing with each passage.
Here you see that God will complete the work He has begun in you. It is a part of the guarantee that comes with the Spirit seal.
If you are still here when Christ returns you will be taken up to be with him and the rest of the saints. If you have died in Christ you will return with Him and be joined with the rest of the saints in the sky. Either way you will be with Christ and at that moment all things will be complete in Him.
Philippians 3:20 (I am a citizen of heaven)
20 But we are citizens of heaven, where the Lord Jesus Christ lives. And we are eagerly waiting for him to return as our Savior.
Are you eagerly awaiting the return of Christ?
This is actually a sign of the inner workings of the Holy Spirit.
The Holy Spirit fills you with a desire for Christ and eternal things. Many people whom claim Christ have a greater desire for the things of this world than the things of Christ.
Since we have died to this world and been reborn as citizens of heaven our focus and desires should reflect or new position.
It amazes me how uninterested so-called “citizens of heaven” are in their future home and present relationship with the Lord. Maybe these uninterested people are not really in Christ after all.
2 Timothy 1:7 (I am powerful in God)
7 For God has not given us a spirit of fear and timidity, but of power, love, and self-discipline.
The Spirit of Christ in us gives us a powerful faith, trust and reliance upon the Lord. We become strong and powerful because we are relying upon the authority of Christ. As our faith grows fear and timidity fade away.
2 Timothy 3:1-5
You should also know this, Timothy, that in the last days there will be very difficult times. 2 For people will love only themselves and their money. They will be boastful and proud, scoffing at God, disobedient to their parents, and ungrateful. They will consider nothing sacred. 3 They will be unloving and unforgiving; they will slander others and have no self-control; they will be cruel and have no interest in what is good. 4 They will betray their friends, be reckless, be puffed up with pride, and love pleasure rather than God. 5 They will act as if they are religious, but they will reject the power that could make them godly. You must stay away from people like that.
False Christians are very difficult. They think they’re Christians but they do not have the Spirit. Since they lack the Spirit they act more like the people of the world yet think they are all right. This makes it almost impossible to bring them to a saving faith because they think they are saved for a million reasons other than their trust, faith, reliance and belief in what Christ has done for them.
They act religious but they deny the very power that can make them true children of God.
Hebrews 4:16 (I am allowed to approach God)
16 So let us come boldly to the throne of our gracious God. There we will receive his mercy, and we will find grace to help us when we need it most.
Today’s message might be sewing more doubt than encouragement. We need to know for sure that we are in Christ. If you are in Christ you can boldly approach the throne of God and all the rest of the promises are yours also.
Our position in Christ is a mighty place. We have more privileges and honors than we can wrap our minds around. It’s time we understand our position and start living up to it.
1 John 5:18 (I am untouchable by the evil one)
18 We know that God’s children do not make a practice of sinning, for God’s Son holds them securely, and the evil one cannot touch them.
This doesn’t mean that God’s children never sin. As a child of God we can confess our sins and God is faithful to forgive them. When a person confesses sin they realize it is sin and should then ask God for the power to overcome the sin. He has given you His Spirit to help you. Are you relying on His help?
God can hold you up and keep you secure in and through your times of temptation.
The evil one cannot touch you. The problem is we open the door by reaching out to the schemes of the devil. We play with the temptation. We entertain the thoughts and open ourselves up to the work of the evil one.
I hope you can see the security you have in Christ. I also hope you will make sure you are in Christ. These promises are way too important to take for granted. We must make sure we are in Christ and then walk boldly in the position God has so graciously bestowed upon those of us who believe.
