Forside Articles “Christ in You, the Hope of Glory” (Col. 1:27)
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Skrevet af Alan Navaratnam   
Tirsdag, 31. januar 2023 15:52

I remember a close friend in my early days in the U.S. who with radiant enthusiasm kept saying to me, “Rejoice! Christ with all His fullness  and glory lives in you!”  I sometimes thought his enthusiasm was too emotional.  My own emphasis at that time was the teaching of our position or standing in Christ, but I was boringly lopsided I admit.

But my friend whose name was David didn´t go too far.  I needed his  dynamic emphasis and I need to learn through many humiliations.  Our position in Christ is a healthy doctrine taught in Ephesians in particular, for we have to understand, how occupied we often are with our own wretchedness (Rom. 7:24) that can´t be removed nor improved. Never.

However, alongside with the freedom of seeing yourself “perfect in Christ Jesus” (Col. 1:28) we recognize the truth of  being not only “crucified with Christ” but  we´re taught about the new joy of having Christ living in us (Gal. 2:20) despite our extreme weakness. (2 Cor. 12:9-10) and my waking up at dawn feeling “dead as mutton”.  Then and there the freedom in Christ for me and in me should be applied by faith with joyful worship.

In my frequent dealings with Lutheran church goers I like to share with them that their Lutheranism may be okay, but it badly needs the ignition of the Spirit in and outside the church with all that goes with it. 

So what about facing somebody that hates you (or vice versa) whom you can´t love.  Of course you can´t, but Christ can!  If that “Christ in you” experience doesn´t work we immediately need the aid of the Holy Spirit. “Do you not realize that Christ is in you?  Unless, of course, you fail the test!” (2 Cor. 13:6).

Alas there´s with us a lot of sober “statement-of-faith- Christianity”. However, all that dry gunpowder needs but one thing – fire!  As we all know, fire cannot be taught, it must be caught!  (See also Luke 12:49)

Dec.30, 2022 - jn

 
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