Reflections
Christianity is, “Christ in you, the hope of glory.” (Col. 1:27) And IN CHRIST God has freely given us all things: He that spared not his own Son, but delivered him up for us all, how shall he not with him also freely give us all things? (Rom 8:32; also see,Eph. 1:3)
It is so easy to chop up Christianity into THINGS or doctrines. But in the end, Christianity is the Living Jesus Christ in us. Thus, Christian growth is the revelation of Christ to us, and the forming of Christ in us. Indeed, God has given us ALL things freely in Christ – in Christ is all that God HAS to give. As we grow to know Christ – and He is formed in us – all that God has given to us IN HIM unfolds.
Here we find the essential place of doctrine: Christ does not emerge from a list of teaching. Rather, teaching must emerge from Christ – the living Christ Who is IN US. This is exactly what scripture teaches, and the Bible will always agree with God’s revelation of Christ in us. Much error in Christianity is the result of departing from Christ as being the source of all to the believer.