For every man who is born again (born of water, and Spirit (John 3:3-5)), he is now in Christ. That man is no longer who he used to be. He has become a new creation in Jesus Christ. His old life is no more. He has received a new life.
It is a custom that when we get something new, we either read the manual that comes along with it, obtain information about it from online sources, or speak to our vendor or others around about this new product we have just gotten. The aim of all these inquiries is so that we can be adequately armed with the information we need to operate that product and get the best from it. This mode of operation also applies to the new life received by all who are born again in Christ. There is a need for us to understand the life that we have received by our being Christ (Romans 6:4) so that we can operate in it as we ought to.
What does it mean to live in Christ?
Living in Christ is a way of life anchored on a consciousness (understanding) of the new life we have received by being born again. The consciousness that powers this new life is faith. Faith in all the demands, perks, and disciplines that come with our acceptance of this new life. This faith is accessed by three guidelines:
Prayer
The Word of God
Fellowship with the Holy Spirit
It’s like a newly bought phone with specifications, such as maintenance guidelines, operation guidelines, etc. The maintenance guidelines contain instructions that help you maintain the phone’s integrity while using it. Without it, you would probably use your phone to the point of damage. While the operation guideline gives you an understanding of the perks that come with the new phone. It teaches you how to best operate the phone to meet your needs. The manufacturer put these guidelines into the phone pack to help you utilize your phone. You would be lost without them.
It’s the same with the guidelines of our faith. Each one of them has an important part to play in helping us better understand our new life in Christ.
Another parameter that we should take to heart is the importance of our obedience to every understanding we receive via the faith guidelines mentioned above. Our obedience to them is paramount to the consummation of the purpose of this new life that we have received.
Whatever we learn by “the faith guidelines” will not be able to come to manifestation in our lives as long as we are not walking in obedience to the demands that come by them.
Our faith and obedience have to work hand in hand for us to walk in the full experience of this new life that we have received. Take Abraham for example, he was destined by God to be a father of many nations, but he never became that instantly. He had to walk in faith and obedience to God’s instructions till what had been spoken concerning him became a reality. He went as far as almost sacrificing his son as proof of his obedience (Gen 22).
Today Abraham is the father of all who come to God through Christ.
Galatians 3:29
And If you are Christ’s, then you are Abraham’s seed, and heirs according to the promise.
His life is a huge blessing to all nations, and as promised he is in manifestation the father of many nations. All of this didn’t happen automatically, they happened by his faith and careful obedience to God’s instructions to him.
In the same vein we must be intentional about living in faith and obedience to all of God’s instructions to us as we pray, read his Word, and fellowship with his Spirit. We must be willing to commit ourselves to obeying His Word. This is what it means to walk in Christ experientially.
