BREXIT AND ALL THAT!!!
Brexit News (the majority in Great Britain have voted for it to sever it’s ties with European Union) doesn’t seem to be in any hurry at all to “exit” from the International Media headlines, even after other “seismic events” such as Istanbul terror attack have caught the World attention. Yes, the Markets lost more than $2 trillion on a “dark Friday” as a aftermath of Brexit (In India for instance at one point, fallout of the Brexit vote resulted in Sensex plunging over 1000 points). Now ironically after having opted to “come out” of EU, many in Great Britain are now expressing regret on Twitter with the #Regrexit hashtag and are proposing yet another referendum aimed eventually at “coming back into” the EU Fold. . A petition to force another referendum is gathering momentum with more than three million signatures (at the time of this message). Will there be another vote for rejoining EU for the Brits are slowly but surely realizing that the “economic benefits” of remaining in EU far outweigh the “social ones” which would come their way in opting out? The highly agitated Scots are atleast vigorously pressing for it for they fear “loss of many benefits” in the aftermath of Brexit. Be that as it may, have we (Christians’) ever contemplated with gratitude as to what are the priceless benefits that would accrue to us for simply being “in Christ”? In this message, Yours Truly has attempted to bring to the fore some of the “unique benefits” which accrue to all those who are “in Christ”.
Faultless…
There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus.-Rom 8:1
In Christ, all erstwhile sinners are declared “faultless” before the Almighty God, for Christ has already “paid” for their sins on the Cross (2 Cor 5:21). The moment we accept the redemption plan of God in Christ, we are pronounced “innocent” in the Heavenly Court whatever be our background till then (Col 1:22/ John 3:3). Simply amazing, one needs to experience it to believe it better. Didn’t somebody say that proof of the pudding is in the eating thereof? Yours Truly, truly experienced it on one Sunday…to be more precise on October 16th , 1983.
Conversely the greatest penalty is reserved for those who do not accept God’s redemption plan in Christ. For doesn’t their action of not accepting that great salvation (Heb 2:3)-taken to its logical conclusion- tantamount to treating Christ’s great sacrifice on the Cross as of “no value” at all!!! Can there be a greater sin than that??? Contextually, I am reminded of a saying “Sinners would be condemned on the great day of Judgment not so much for sinning as for not accepting the Saviour”. All of us inherit the fallen Adamic nature at birth and till our last moment on this Planet Earth the Divine loving invitation signed with Christ’s blood would always be hanging so to speak at the door of our hearts to accept the same. Here, I would like to herald not from roof tops but from mountain tops that God “would never condemn anyone who is born a sinner but would condemn only those who deliberately die as one”, having never accepted (throughout their lifetime) Christ’s invitation to be declared faultless in Him.
Father…
“So in Christ Jesus you are all children of God through faith,…”Gal 3:26
Not only, we are treated as “Faultless” in the eyes of God when we are in Christ, we are given the priceless privilege of at once becoming God’s children in Christ when we put our trust in the Saviour atoning work on the Cross (John 1:12).
While Jews came trembling to their Temple (in Biblical times) offering many sacrifices to appease God, while Muslims do not dare to call Allah as their Father, only Christians in Christ can come running and joyously to their Heavenly Father’s presence calling Him “Abba” ( there is a ring of warm informality to the term Abba…for in Aramaic language it is an equivalent of our contemporary Daddy or Papa…). Consider this Scripture…
…For you did not receive the spirit of slavery to fall back into fear, but you have received the Spirit of adoption as sons, by whom we cry, “Abba! Father!”-Rom 8:15
Where there is no needless frantic fear but only a deeply reverential fear for God in a Christian’s life, his whole life would then be one, long joyous walk with the Father (Philippians 4:4-7). Yes, in this journey, there may be some slip-ups’ in the life of Child of God and subsequently some painful discipline exercised by the concerned Father (Heb 12:5-11…which again is the proof of former’s sonship). However all said and done obedience to the Father for a Christian would not be a drag but a delight for rivers of joy would be flowing in his heart (John 7:37-38) perpetually all along in his spiritual journey, even as he fleshes out an “abundant life” in Christ (John 10:10). While on the subject, I am reminded …one of my favorite Preachers’ as a part of his outreach Ministry amongst Muslims titled his sermon “Allah or Abba”!!!
Family…
There is neither Jew nor Gentile, neither slave nor free, nor is there male and female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus.-Gal 3:28
Those who are God’s children are now part of God’s family called the Church. While there is a Universal Church comprising of all of God’s children, the Children of God gathering together to worship Him locally in a convenient place under the leadership of an anointed Child of God (read Pastor) constitute the Local Church. While corporate worship is the primary motive of the Local Church, it is also binding on it to “build up and encourage one another” (I Thess 5:11/Eph 4:16/Rom 12:15) even while extending Christ-like love to those outside its portals. While on the subject, let it be said that spiritual bonds are stronger than the blood ties for the former are eternal in nature while the latter are limited to this side of Eternity only (Matt 12:46-50).
Church in a way is a silent miracle by itself for therein men from diverse backgrounds with no pride whatsoever about their race, face or place (of their upbringing) meet together with one common agenda of experiencing their Heavenly Father’s Grace and exercising His will (Acts 4:32-33). While on the subject, let me also state never “exit” (unless there are some very, very compelling, valid reasons’) from that Church by whose Ministry you were saved and baptized for there is a Sacred Covenant (in the eyes of the Lord) between you and that Church Elders that they would all that is within their strength to further your spiritual welfare and you on your part would co-operate with them in this regard (Heb 13:17).
Fruit…
“I am the vine; you are the branches. Whoever abides in me and I in him, he it is that bears much fruit, for apart from me you can do nothing.”…John 15:5
Remarked a Wise Saint “Christian life is not my responsibility but rather only a response to His ability”!!! How true that all our good deeds of loving and caring for one another in the Church and outside the Church, sharing our testimonies and the Gospel subsequently (Acts 8:25) both in the Church (aimed at transforming the nominal souls) and outside the Church stem solely from our relationship with Him and not from our own finite strength (Zech 4:6). That’s why Apostle Paul notes in his epistle to the Galatian Churches’…”… It is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me….” (Gal 2:20). Then again, it comes as no surprise that in the middle of his amazing, unparalleled Fruit-bearing Ministry when the Wise Apostle declares… “For I am the least of the apostles, unworthy to be called an apostle, because I persecuted the church of God. But by the grace of God I am what I am, and his grace toward me was not in vain. On the contrary, I worked harder than any of them, though it was not I, but the grace of God that is with me.”
So there we are Dear Friends…in the Christian realm what we are actually depends on where we are and who is with us and in us? Say Reader are you in Christ? Hmmm…finally the privileges one has of being in Christ far outweigh the privileges Brits would lose for opting out of EU. So let’s persevere in Christ…displaying some old Bull dog Brit grit in doing that would do no harm!!!
Suresh Manoharan
