In Christ

I. Saved in Christ

A. We were predestined to salvation in Christ

B. Predestination

C. Predestination means to ordain ahead of time; God decrees something that will happen before it actually happens

D. Everything is predestined

E. Some teach that every event has been predestined by God—every sin and every act of righteousness As a result, God has also determined each individual who will be saved and lost; man has no choice in his salvation.

F. Some problems with this theory:

G. The scripture says God is no respecter of persons an shows no partiality but choosing individuals for salvation without their ability to choose or reject Him would violate this. It makes God the author of sin since He determined each action—good and evil. God would be unfair: All instances of God becoming angry with man for his wickedness would be senseless if God planned their actions of unrighteousness. It would be like me telling my kids to clean their room, locking their door so they could not go in, then punishing them for having a messy room. My anger would at the least be unwarranted and my punishment would be cruel.

H. God has predestined certain things

I. God determined certain events in order to bring forth the plan of salvation through the death of Jesus.

J. God chose to save those who are in Christ

K. God chose the condition upon which He would save men. God outlined the plan by which one could be in Christ God then left it up to man to choose to be in Christ or reject Him. This accords with scripture and harmonizes with all the Bible says about God, sin, and man’s responsibility.

L. Scriptural predestination

M. Ephesians 1:3-5 – God predestined us to salvation in Christ

N. God chose us in Him before the foundation of the world He determined that those in Christ should be holy and blameless He did it by His good will; not because we deserved it.

O. Romans 8:29-30 – Predestined called and justified us

P. He determined to save those who would conform to Christ’s life

Q. He called men to accept salvation through Christ

R. 2 Thessalonians 2:13-15 – chosen for salvation He calls men by the gospel to come to Christ Salvation is dependent on belief on the truth and remaining faithful1 Peter 2:9 – Called out of darkness into light Romans 6:3 – Baptized into Christ

S. Predestination in the scripture does not take away our free will; God chose the way, the relationship, and we must choose to accept the offer presented in the gospel.

II. We can become the righteousness of God in Christ

A. We come to God in Christ but God also comes to us in Christ

B. 2 Corinthians 5:18-20 – The Father worked through the Son to reconcile us to Him after we had rebelled through sin.

C. Ephesians 1:7 – redemption through His blood, forgiveness of sins

D. The apostles had the ministry of reconciliation: they had been given the responsibility to take the message of salvation to the world.

E. Matthew 28:19 – Commissioned to spread the gospel Mark 16:15-16 – The message is that of salvation God came to us in Christ so that we might come to Him in righteousness.

F. 2 Corinthians 5:21 – Righteousness of God in Him

G. “God made [Christ] who knew no sin to become sin for us”

H. Did Jesus become sin?

I. Sin is a transgression of the law; it is not a thing—an object. Sin also refers to the guilt or blame for transgression on our record When our sins are washed away, the marks against us are removed It does not make sense that Jesus became an act or a judgment of guilt. Did He become a sinner—no, He knew no sin.

J. What does it mean?

K. The word here in the Greek is sometimes used in the Greek Old Testament to mean a sin offering. God made Jesus who did not know sin to be a sin offering for us; He died so that His blood my cleanse us of our guilt.

L. God laid on Jesus the iniquity of all men

M. He had to pay for every sin that was or would be committed Just as animals in the OT had to die because of the sins of the one who offered the animal; so Jesus took our place. Jesus alone bore the responsibility of reconciling willing men to God through His sacrifice – If He failed our sins would remain with us and the penalty of eternal separation from the Father. Another way of looking at this, God treated Jesus who knew no sin as if He were a sinner so that we who are sinners could be treated as if we were righteous.

N. “That we might become the righteousness of God in Him”

O. We are considered righteous in Jesus though we are not righteous. We are treated as if we were sinless when we are in Christ.

III. Living in Christ

A. Since we have been predestined to be saved in Christ and we are treated as if we were righteous because we are in Christ then our life must reflect our relationship with Christ

B. Philippians 2:5 – Mind of Christ

C. Walk as Christ walked

D. Colossians 2:6-7 – walk in Him rooted and built up in Him1 John 2:5-6; 3:24 – walk in Him and abide in His commands

E. Work as Christ worked

F. Ephesians 2:10 – If we are in Christ, we are to do His work We are not in Christ to relax but to do Christ’s work on earth.

G. Security in Christ

H. Must not leave Christ or we will lose our security, as 2 Thessalonians (read earlier) states.2 John 1:9 – We must abide in Christ to enjoy salvation

IV. Title