“God has now revealed to us His mysterious plan regarding Christ, a plan to fulfill His own good pleasure. And this is the plan: At the right time He will bring everything together under the authority of Christ—everything in heaven and on earth.” Ephesians 1:9-10 (NLT)
I have always been a fan of team sports. There is something significant about being a part of something bigger than yourself and working together to reach a goal that you couldn’t reach on your own. As a team, you are united in purpose. You work together. Win or lose, you stand together and fight for one another. You wear the same uniforms. The coach teaches the entire team strategies and plays that will help ensure victory for the whole. The team stands together, united as one.
I poured over these two verses from Ephesians for quite sometime before I was able to see this connection. In Christ, you are united with God. You are on His team. Apart from Christ, you are separated, alienated, and alone – a free agent, hoping to get picked up by someone. In Christ, God reveals His plan and purposes to you regarding Jesus. You’re given the inside information. Apart from Christ, you wander and wonder at the future – You don’t know the plan. In Christ, the hope of glory is secured. You have confidence in knowing that you’re on the winning team. Apart from Christ, hope is nothing more than a distant dream – You don’t know what awaits you on the other side of this life.
I don’t know about you, but being united to God in Christ thrills me. There is such confidence in knowing that He is on my side, that He fights for me, that He defends me, that He reveals His plans to me – that one day, every knee will bow in heaven and on earth and every tongue will confess that Jesus Christ is Lord!
But I will not be among those who are forced to bend the knee come that day; nor will I stand among those forced to confess that Christ is Lord, because I already do. I have been united with God in Christ. This is my identity. Is it yours?
Chosen.
Adopted.
Forgiven.
Favored.
United.
Remember this, friends. It is God Himself who determines our identity, and this is who He says we are in Christ.
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