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Originally Posted by Sons to Glory!
what about the phrase "In Christ" which appears nearly 100 times in the NT - what is the significance of the Holy Spirit using this so many times?
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The problem with this phrase is that those who use it (not the NT writers but the followers) may or may not be "in Christ", and the using doesn't make the reality. Those who say "we are the church" may be the Synagogue of Satan, and those who don't say anything of the sort may be the "church".
People being hearers of the word (and even speakers) are different from the doers of the word. Not that saying "in Christ" isn't true or real, but saying it doesn't make you "it". Mouthing platitudes does not equate to reality.
Now I base this on 2 verses. One where Jesus said, "I was sick and you cared for me" etc. Jesus is sick? I thought he was in glory?!? But his members are sick. They are lonely. They are hurting. They are in prison. And when Jesus sees them, he says, "This is me". So as you treat them, you treat him. But saying, "Be warm and be filled" as you walk by on your way to your church meeting doesn't mean you are in the reality, and are "dispensing" reality to them. So are you in Christ? I dunno. But I daresay that mouthing phrases doesn't do it.
Then, when Dorcas was helping the widows, she was helping Christ. She was "in Christ". But there is no record of her saying anything at all. No evidence of the phraseology she used. But it says she was full of good deeds toward others. This is the ticket to Jesus, helping others. Of course she had faith, but not just faith but a living that followed.
So "in Christ" may be true and real, and I daresay it is. But "in Christ" of itself is only words. Does your living reflect it? Does mine? What words we use hardly matter compared to what we do. And I speak for myself. All my posts mean very little in the scheme of things. All they really mean is that I'm not so easily caught by persuasive speakers as I once was. It's not hearing words that saves. Only Jesus saves. And the saving is in the doing. Confessing is good, necessary even. But living shows the confessing is real.