Rich Man, Poor Man
I love Jesus! I love what happened to us when He came. I love that He interrupted the old way of existing and the old way of relating to God.
I love the fact that Jesus reconciled us to God, uniting God and man in His own body and being. And I love that we live in Him, we move in Him, and we have our very being in Him.
The mystery of being "in Christ" is a wonderful and joyful thing! We believe we were "in Adam" (in Adam all were dead). We know what it is to feel separated from God, as in Adam. We know what it is to strive for some sense of reaching God in some way, whether through good works, sacrifices, or religious calisthenics.
But Adam died, crucified in Christ. Jesus the new man lives forever, and we are alive forever in Him, with Him, and through Him. It's all Jesus, Jesus, Jesus! If we just let all of our very existence rest in Him and His wonderful finished work, we enjoy the sweet fellowship of closeness with our Father. We know what it is to be loved and cared for. We suffer no sense of separation or lack. God is the fullness that fills everyone. You realize a life of "I shall not want." The human race that once felt destitute, has become the rich man in Christ, for in Him is all the fullness of the Father.
We are all wrapped up, hidden In Him, like slipping a dollar bill into a book. Whatever happens to the book also happens to the dollar. Set the book next to God, and the dollar is next to God. We are always together. We are secure, full of life, righteous and holy.
"And put on the new man, which after God, is created in righteousness and true holiness." - Ephesians 4:24
"But put on the new self, which is being renewed in knowledge after the image of Him who created it, the One who is the Author of all." - Colossians 3:10
In these verses, the Greek meaning of "put on" is to "sink into". Sink into the new man. Just be. Be reconciled. Be loved. Be so alive that death itself does not intimidate you. Be in Christ.
Wow. Thank you, thank you, thank you, Jesus!