IN CHRIST

The Bible teaches that there is a place of rest for the soul, a place of refuge, where protection and safety from the adversary may be enjoyed. There were six Hebrew cities in the Old Testament that were appointed as cities of refuge (Joshua 20:7-9). Here 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 (Numbers 35:6-28; Deuteronomy 19:1-13).

The six cities of refuge were a shadow of our relationship in Christ. “So God has given both his promise and his oath. These two things are unchangeable because it is impossible for God to lie. Therefore, we who have fled to him for refuge can have great confidence as we hold to the hope that lies before us. This hope is a strong and trustworthy anchor for our souls. It leads us through the curtain into God’s inner sanctuary. Jesus has already gone in there for us. He has become our eternal High Priest in the order of Melchizedek” (Hebrews 6:18-20 NLT). Being in Christ is like being in protective custody.

God has given us every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places in Christ (Eph. 1:3). Where are all spiritual blessings found? In Christ. Only in Christ. Read the first chapter of the Epistle of Ephesians and see the emphasis that Paul gives to being “in Christ” (Ephesians 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.” (Romans 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 (Romans 5:12). The curse of death is upon everyone who is not in Christ, for sin brings this curse, and all are sinners (Galatians 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. Those who are in Christ do not have to suffer this fate.

Dewayne Dunaway