What Are We In This For?

OK, I'll bite.

Why am I a Christian? Because I love God and want to be with Him forever and with the One who died for me.

Why am I in Christ?

The following things are "In Christ":

-Redemption (Rom 3:24)
-Justification though grace (Rom 3:24)
-Eternal life (Rom 6:23)
-No Condemnation (Rom 8:1)
-The Love of God (Rom 8:39)
-One body (Rom 12:5)
-reason to glory (Rom 15:17)
-Sanctification (I Cor 1:2)
-Being a new creation (II Cor 5:17)
-Blessing of Abraham (Gal 3:14)
-All spiritual blessings (Eph 1:3)
-Redemption through His blood (Eph 1:7)
-Heavenly places where chriantians are sitting - Eph 2:6
-riches of His grace in His kindness - Eph 2:7
-brought near by the blood of Christ - Eph 2:13
-fellow heirs, of the same body, and partakers of His promise - Eph 3:6
-Forgiven - Eph 4:32
-saints - Phil 1:1
-consolation, comfort of love, fellowship of the Spirit, affection and mercy, - Phil 2:1
-saints and faithful brethren - Col 1:2
-Grace, faith, and love - I Tim 1:14
-promise of life - II Tim 1:1
-grace - II Tim 2:1
-salvation - II Tim 2:10

"in Christ Jesus you are all sons of God, through faith" - Gal 3:26 ESV

So in Christ, we are sons of God through faith. So how do we get into Christ?

There are only two verses that tell us specifically how one gets "Into Christ". The very next verse in Galatians - "For as many of you as were baptized into Christ have put on Christ." (Gal 3:27). The other is in Rom 6:3-4, which reaffirms this verse.

This is why (and how) I am in Christ.

 

I'm allergic to fire.

 

Psalms 16:11 Thou wilt shew me the path of life: in thy presence is fulness of joy; at thy right hand there are pleasures for evermore.

Jude 1:24 Now unto him that is able to keep you from falling, and to present you faultless before the presence of his glory with exceeding joy,

OK, I admit it...

I'm addicted to being around Jesus

 

The Westminster Shorter Catechism says it all:
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Q. 1. What is the chief end of man?
A. Man's chief end is to glorify God, and to enjoy him forever.
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He called me unto Himself in sustaining eternal grace. I am not sure that in myself I would have chosen the Christian life.

Cheers,

Jim

 

Good question. I suppose we all - me definitely included - if we're honest would not be able to put forward an altruistic motive; James_Newman's statement comes close to what I think. Perhaps it's just as well that we can't put forward a selfless reason for being Christians because if we were so able, we would easily fall into the sin of pride and take the glory away from God, where it all properly belongs.

I'm a Christian because Jesus Christ has saved and continues to save me. I can point to nothing intrinsically good within me - including motivation - as to why I am a Christian.

 

1. Because I wanted to fill the "God-shaped hole" inside me with reality.

2. Because I wanted to love and be loved for real.

3. Because I wanted the truth.

 

Some of these questions sound like the age old "What is the meaning of life, the universe and everything" question and for that I turn not to Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy, but to the conclusion of the one book in the scriptures dedicated to this question, Ecclesiastes.

 

There is a great controversy between God and Satan.

Satan, once Lucifer, was thrown out of heaven for wanting to take the place of God and for insinuating doubts against God's authority and Government, His Law. Once on earth, he began insinuating doubt in the minds of Adam and Eve about God's authority ... "hath God said?" "You can disobey God and thou shalt not surely die"

Since then it has been Satan's object to try to discredit God by aiming at destroying His commandments and warring against God's people who still keep His commandments. This is because Satan is well aware that if God's people keep His commandments then the world will know the truth about God. Hie Law was meant to be a shield to us to protect us from the devastating results of sin and disobedience towards God.


Rv:12:17: And the dragon was wroth with the woman, and went to make war with the remnant of her seed, which keep the commandments of God, and have the testimony of Jesus Christ.


God's people in ancient times were to reflect His character of love to the world through the keeping of His Laws:

Deut:4:
5: Behold, I have taught you statutes and judgments, even as the LORD my God commanded me, that ye should do so in the land whither ye go to possess it.
6: Keep therefore and do them; for this is your wisdom and your understanding in the sight of the nations, which shall hear all these statutes, and say, Surely this great nation is a wise and understanding people.

and it is still the same today, in New Testamet times:

Mt:5:16: Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven.


Now, in this light, read the entire passage.. it is what God created His church for:

Matthew 5:
14: Ye are the light of the world. A city that is set on an hill cannot be hid.
15: Neither do men light a candle, and put it under a bushel, but on a candlestick; and it giveth light unto all that are in the house.
16: Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven.
17: Think not that I am come to destroy the law, or the prophets: I am not come to destroy, but to fulfil.
18: For verily I say unto you, Till heaven and earth pass, one jot or one tittle shall in no wise pass from the law, till all be fulfilled.
19: Whosoever therefore shall break one of these least commandments, and shall teach men so, he shall be called the least in the kingdom of heaven: but whosoever shall do and teach them, the same shall be called great in the kingdom of heaven.
20: For I say unto you, That except your righteousness shall exceed the righteousness of the scribes and Pharisees, ye shall in no case enter into the kingdom of heaven.

Its too bad that so many Christians today think that all that matters is how they can end up in heaven. Representing God's haracter to the world doesnt seem to enter into their minds, but this is the reason why we are here.

Eccl:12:13: Let us hear the conclusion of the whole matter: Fear God, and keep his commandments: for this is the whole duty of man.

Claudia

 

The Gospel promise is "restored fellowship" Rev 3 (makes that clear).

The Gospel promise is that we go to heaven intead of hell - that Christ stands in our place paying our debt of "the wages of sin" the second death.
2Cor 5 makes that point for us as well as Isaiah 53.

The Gospel promise is that we are freed from slavery to sin - Romans 6 makes that point.

The Gospel promise is that in we turn from rebellion AGAINST the WAY the TRUTH and the LIFE to obedience and fellowship WITH the one who IS the WAY the TRUTH and the LIFE!

Our "walk in Christ" provides love, joy, peace... that is not found outside of Christ.

In Christ,

Bob

 

I am a Christian because God filled the emptiness in my life that nothing else can.

 

I agree with Jim. God found me. I didn't find Him.

 

Yes, I was the one lost but like the prodical son He saw that I wanted to come home so He took me in.

 

Gekko, to answer your first question, I can't honestly say I'm any happier as a Christian than as not, nor that I'm happier or that my life is qualitatively better than my non-Christian neighbour.