Reflections
In him was life. (John 1:4)
If I put my faith upon Jesus Christ, I do not merely receive a THING called, “eternal life.” I receive Christ Himself — IN WHOM there is all life. Jesus Christ is THE LIFE. (John 14:6) Thus, if Christ is in me, I am alive – in Him. If He is not in me, then I am spiritually dead.
Many professing Christians limit salvation to what amounts to a new legal classification. Yes, the doctrine of justification by faith rightly states that because Christ died for us, that if we put our faith in Him, then not only are all of our sins imputed to Him, but all of His righteousness is imputed to us. This is legally correct. But there is more. If we place our faith in Christ, yes, God legally IMPUTES to us His righteousness. But more than this, God IMPARTS to us Christ Himself – Christ in us is why we are alive — He IS our life. Likewise, because Christ is righteous, He is our righteousness. In short, Christ in us is ALL to us.
Christ is our life – this is not merely some legal classification or doctrinal position. Indeed, the saint is to learn to live from out of Christ, instead of from out of themselves. Paul said, “The just shall live FROM OUT OF faith.” (Rom. 1:16) There is no life from God except it be received and lived out from the Person of His Son, Jesus Christ.