To Live Is Christ

Last week we began our discussion on the three part purpose of our continued existence in this body in this world. We looked at Paul’s words to the Philippian church:

Philippians 1:21-24 ESV — For to me to live is Christ, and to die is gain. If I am to live in the flesh, that means fruitful labor for me. Yet which I shall choose I cannot tell. I am hard pressed between the two. My desire is to depart and be with Christ, for that is far better. But to remain in the flesh is more necessary on your account.

Once we come to believe and know Jesus, to depart from these bodies is going to be far better, but you and I have a three-part mission:

To demonstrate Christ
To produce godly fruit
To benefit others

Let’s take a moment to think about Jesus Christ. Close your eyes and think about words you would use to describe Him. Pause and meditate for a moment. What comes to mind? What’s a word or phrase that describe’s Jesus?

Paul said, “To live is Christ.” What does that mean? We don’t attach Christ to our previous life. He’s not an add-on or an accessory. When we come to faith in Jesus Christ, our old selfish worldly life, along with all of its motivations, is dead. And we receive His abundant life.

Galatians 2:20 ESV — I have been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me. And the life I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.

I think all of us have heard this scripture and we would say we agree with this, but have we truly chewed on it, been immersed in it, and applied it to our daily lives. The first step in my salvation is recognizing and believing that Jesus loves me and gave Himself for me. Do you agree with this? Do you also recognize and believe that the BC (Before Christ) you is dead? And do you truly believe Christ is alive in you?

Recently I had the opportunity to spend a couple days with my older brother because we were invited to preach together. After our speaking engagement, I was ministering to people, and my brother seemed surprised as he told my wife, “Matt’s good at this.” She responded, “He’s been doing this for nearly as long as you.” He said, “Yeah, but I always see him as my little brother.”

Even Jesus’ family and hometown neighbors struggled with seeing His Christ-hood because they were stuck in their view. We often have people who have known us for a long time, but they can’t see Christ in us because they can’t release their paradigm of us. We probably all have people like this in our lives, and we most likely do this to others. We lock people in the past by how we view them, and then we can’t see and experience the new life that’s coming through them. We miss the Christ who lives in them.

1 Corinthians 2:2 ESV — For I decided to know nothing among you except Jesus Christ and him crucified.

Paul here is talking about how he could have wowed the church in Corinth with his vast knowledge and speaking topics. But he made a conscious decision to only focus on Jesus. Notice the words Paul uses: “I decided.” You and I must make that same conscious decision when viewing our brothers and sisters in Christ. We must decide to see nothing except Jesus. Though they may sometimes do un-Christlike things, we have already determined to focus on the Christ in them.

I’ve been talking about how we view our saved siblings and how others view us, but even more important is how we view ourselves. When I realized that my brother’s view of me was stuck, I wondered, “Am I doing this to myself? Do I truly see Christ in me, or do I view myself as a broken little boy still trying my best to act like Jesus?” How do you view yourself?

We’ve been taught WWJD (What Would Jesus Do?), but when we think like this we often become actors attempting to portray Jesus. Actors are hypocrites and fakes. They pretend to be something they aren’t. But I don’t have to act like Jesus. I need to change my paradigm and see Christ in me.

In Philippians 1:21, Paul said, “For to me to live is Christ.” In Galatians 2:20, he said, “It is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me.” In 1 Corinthians 2:2, he said, “I decided to know nothing among you except Jesus Christ.” By my decision in faith, I will see Jesus Christ living in myself and my spiritual siblings. Many of us know we’re suppose to agree with this and we love quoting that we are new creations, but we continue viewing ourselves as the sum of our years past and present. I am now solely identified by Christ in me. And I have decided to see you the same way. Will you make that conscious decision today?

Back in Galatians 2:20, Paul said, “And the life I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.” To see Christ is to see His love and sacrifice. If I see Christ in me, I see His love and sacrifice for me. If I see Christ in you, I see His love and sacrifice for you. This becomes our paradigm, and we then operate and engage with one another according to His love and sacrifice.

If we’re going to truly demonstrate Christ, we must see Christ in ourselves. Once we see Him, we will naturally show Him. His love and sacrifice will be on display.

It’s time to stop being actors and become true Christians. Today we recognize that Jesus Christ loves us and gave Himself for us. Today we freshly declare that we are crucified with Him, that our old life is dead and we are reborn as new creations through faith in Jesus. Now He lives in us. Our present lives in these bodies is Christ, the Anointed One. Today we make a decision to see Jesus Christ in ourselves and in one another. We see His love and His sacrifice among us. He is living in us and among us, and therefore our lives demonstrate Him.

Seeking His face!
Matt