Yes, union with Christ is the truth according to the Scriptures. It is not feelings, not an experience. So, let your life portray the truth.
Every Christian is in union with Christ according to the Scriptures. The life of the believer should therefore reflect or demonstrate this vital union with the Lord and head of the body. Christ should, and now lives His life through those who believe in Him.
Are you a Christian, not just in name, but in both faith and practice?
Is your daily living affirming your faith and honouring the Lord Jesus Christ?
Are you journeying alone or have the sense that you are alone?
The Christian journey is not a one-person walk. It is an individual race run in company of others who are also running their own race. You should be aware of your co-racers but not be distracted by them.
You do not run this race in your own strength. It was designed to be run with the strength available with and in the Lord. Are you able to renew your strength or you are almost spent and exhausted? This will only happen if you have not learnt to wait upon the Lord.
Are you availing yourself of the Lord’s presence?
The Lord promised His own His presence.
Christ said,
“Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, except it abide in the vine; no more can ye, except ye abide in me.” (John 15:4).
Further, He said,
“If a man love me, he will keep my words: and my Father will love him, and we will come unto him, and make our abode with him.” (John 14:23).
Believers in Christ are sanctified through the truth of God, and the truth of God is the Word of God. Christ is the word of God. The Word also acts as a washing (John 17:17; Eph. 5:26). As we are informed,
“In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. The same was in the beginning with God. All things were made by him; and without him was not anything made that was made.” (John 1:1-3).
The basic truth is that those who belong to Christ are united with or in union with Him. They abide in Him and He abides in them. This is the truth that must be proclaimed to all.
From the foregoing, union with Christ is not just an experience, but the truth that believers must accept, and appropriate.
Take the Lord at His word: If you belong to Him, you are in union with Him, He abides in you and you abide in Him. His spirit dwells in you too, otherwise you don’t belong to Him (Rom 8:9).
This is very important in our time when people put so much weight or emphasis upon feelings and experience at the expense of truth. While our emotions may waver or swing from one extreme to another, the truth of God stands solid at all times, and in and through all ages.
The spiritual growth of the believer in Christ thus depends upon a clear understanding of truth rather than feelings or an experience.
Remember, it is,
“Ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free” (John 8:32).
It is NOT, you shall have feelings or an experience.
It is truth that sets free not feelings or experience.
“God is a Spirit: and they that worship him must worship him in spirit and in truth.” (John 4:24).
The Father was seeking those who will worship Him in Spirit and in truth (John 4:23).
Jesus has found you and brought you in union to the Father through Himself. He has given you His Spirit.
You are to believe this truth and act accordingly, not waiting for or depending on some feelings or an experience.
Do remember that,
“grace and truth came by Jesus Christ (John 1:17).
And the Lord Jesus Christ Himself said,
“I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.” (John 14:6).
Further,
“they that wait upon the LORD shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run, and not be weary; and they shall walk, and not faint” (Isa 40:31).
And the Lord has promised never to leave or forsake His own (Heb. 13:5).
What are you waiting for!
You are in union with the Lord, begin experience the life of victory that is yours in Christ now. Begin to obey the Lord’s command, serving Him according to where His Holy Spirit have gifted, and placed you within the body of Christ (1Cor 12:8-11; Eph. 4:7, 11-16), and with the measure of faith you have been dealt (Rom 12:3).
You will be surprised at the power available to you through His presence.
Please, note that Christ was speaking to those who had put their trust or faith in Him as their Saviour and Lord.
Ø Those who had believed that He was the Son of God who came, not to teach us how to live a good life, but that He came to die for our sins, and the sins of the whole world.
That He came physically into the world through the virgin birth,
lived a sinless life, though He was tested in all points like any man but He did not sin,
He was falsely accused with trump up charges, denied justice, beaten and scorched, and nailed to the cross on Calvary.
He died on the cross, was buried, He rose again from the dead on the third day.
After His resurrection, He showed Himself to and taught His disciples over a period of forty days,
and in plain sight of them ascended into heaven, where He is now at the right side of God.
He is coming the second time.
These are those described as being born-again or saved.
If you do not belong in this group, that is, if Jesus Christ is not yet your Saviour and Lord, you have no part in Christ yet.
A Christ-less life is a crises-filled, hell-heading life on a brakeless but fast-moving vehicle.
You need to get out of that vehicle now before it is too late, and it crashes headlong into hell.
So, you should act fast and NOW: Repent, that is, change your mind about what you think of God, Christ, sin and the purpose in life.
Perhaps you are wondering what to do; thinking “how do I become born again?”
The Scriptures say that:
1. “All have sinned and come short of the glory of God” (Romans 3:23).
This means that in God’s opinion, we fall short of His standard.
2. “For the wages of sin is death” (Romans 6:23).
Our sin has earned a deserved wage which is death or separation from God in Hell.
3. “But God commendeth His love towards us in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us” (Romans 5:8).
Even in our sin, God continued to show us His love and demonstrated this love by sending Jesus Christ to die on the cross for us. He thus gave Jesus Christ to the whole world (John 3:16).
4. There is only One step that must be taken:
1. “If thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved. For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation.” (Rom 10:9-10).
“For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved” (Romans 10:13).
All that appropriate the sacrifice of Christ are acceptable to Him. For He Himself extended the invitation to all:
“Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.” (Mat 11:28-30).
Why don’t you confess the Lord Jesus Christ NOW?
How you ask? Step 5
5. Arise now and confess with your mouth that the Lord Jesus had come in the flesh and died for your sins, confess that He is now your Saviour and Lord, and, believe in your heart that God had raised Him from the dead. Confess your sins to the Lord now. That is what it means (and for want of a better way to say it), to accept Jesus Christ as your Saviour and your Lord.
If you have done that sincerely, then you are now a born-again child of God, follower of Christ. It is not about what or how you feel, but what the word of God says. Still saying you need help as to what to pray?
You may pray like this:
Dear Lord Jesus, I now know, accept, and confess that I am a sinner. I deserve to pay the penalty for my sins, but realize that I don’t have the means to pay. I accept, and confess that You came to the world and died in my place and thus paid for my sins. I believe in my heart that God had raised you from the dead. From this moment, I put my trust in You as my Saviour and my Lord. I will continue to Trust in, Depend on, and Obey You in everything for the rest of my life. Thank you my Saviour and my Lord. In Jesus’ Name I pray. Amen.
That is it!
Again, I repeat: If you have done that sincerely, then you are now a born-again child of God, follower of Christ. It is not about what or how you feel, but what the word of God says. You are now a born-again bona fide child of God.
CONGRATULATIONS!!!
Ø But please understand that becoming born-again is the beginning of a New You in a New Life.
Ø It is the beginning of an eternal relationship with the Triune God.
Ø It is the beginning of a life-long journey of faith in and with the Lord Jesus Christ, and in company of other believers in Christ.
6. To continue earnestly on your New journey, and to nurture and grow in your relationship with the Lord, I encourage you to start along with the following:
Ø Look for a bible-believing church around you to be attending.
Ø Fellowship with other believers as you have opportunity
Ø Pray daily for others and for yourself.
Ø Read your bible daily asking for the Holy Spirit to explain the word of God to you.
Ø Witness to others about Jesus Christ
May our God guide and uphold you in Jesus’ name, Amen.