When first In Christ !

[svedbygrace]

Rom 8:1

There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit.

When are believers first in Christ ? They are first in Christ before the foundation of the WorldEph 1:4 and Paul writes of believers this blessed Truth 2 Tim 1:9

9 Who hath saved us, and called us with an holy calling, not according to our works, but according to his own purpose and grace, which was given us in Christ Jesus before the world began,

In The Purpose of God [which is a reality in His Own Mind] all believers in Christ were in Him BEFORE the foundation of the World, and this by an Election Union Eph 1:4

4 According as he hath chosen us[believers] in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before him in love:

God's Election gives us being in Christ, a virtual being in Him though not physically actual, much like how Levi was said, by the Purpose of God, to be in the loins of Abraham Heb 7:9-10

9 And as I may so say, Levi also, who receiveth tithes, payed tithes in Abraham.

10 For he was yet in the loins of his father, when Melchisedec met him.

This is a revelation of the Mind of God and His Purpose ! Also in the same way was all the elect in Adam !

Now this is a very critical point being made here , because without this Elective and Virtual Union in Christ and with Christ, that actually constituted the Elect in Him, Christ could not have died for their sins ! Understand 1 Cor 15:3

3 For I delivered unto you first of all that which I also received, how that Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures;

That can only be True of those who were in Him at the time of His Death !

Without being in Him,Christ could not have died for their sins, because there would not have been no legal basis before God's Law and Justice to have imputed or charged their transgressions upon Him for Him to Justly die for them !

Thats why Paul could say as well as any other true believer this Gal 2:20

20 I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me.

In the original it reads I was or have been crucified with Christ !

It means together with in the point of time, and that could only have been by Elective and Vitual and Legal Union with Him by the Purpose of God !

 

[And]

JEsus is the same yesterday and today and forever

He walks the same way now as then
nothing changes
he is perfect

so when you walk with him you walk his way
more that that
he walks in you

suddenly he ignores the commandments?
no/

suddenly you keep them cause you are in love

Rev 19:13 And he was clothed with a vesture dipped in blood: and his name is called The Word of God.

 

[Least]

9 Who hath saved us, and called us with an holy calling, not according to our works, but according to his own purpose and grace, which was given us in Christ Jesus before the world began,

In The Purpose of God [which is a reality in His Own Mind] all believers in Christ were in Him BEFORE the foundation of the World, and this by an Election Union Eph 1:4

I like the verses that you shared Savedbygrace,

There are so many examples of people who had found "grace in the sight of the Lord," from throughout the word.

Here are a few.

Genesis 6:8 But Noah found grace in the eyes of the LORD.

Ezra 9:8 And now for a little space grace hath been shewed from the LORD our God, to leave us a remnant to escape, and to give us a nail in his holy place, that our God may lighten our eyes, and give us a little reviving in our bondage.

Exodus 33:12 And Moses said unto the LORD, See, thou sayest unto me, Bring up this people: and thou hast not let me know whom thou wilt send with me. Yet thou hast said, I know thee by name, and thou hast also found grace in my sight.
Exodus 33:17 And the LORD said unto Moses, I will do this thing also that thou hast spoken: for thou hast found grace in my sight, and I know thee by name.

The Hebrew word of the Holy Scriptures that is usually translated as "foundation," pronounced yaw-sawed, was a builder's term that literally meant to consult i.e. the planning phase of a construction. It's hardly a coincidence that the Messiah was a "carpenter"

Strong's Exhaustive Concordance

bottom, foundation, repairing From yacad; a foundation (literally or figuratively) -- bottom, foundation, repairing

Isaiah 28:16 Therefore thus saith the Lord GOD, Behold, I lay in Zion for a foundation a stone, a tried stone, a precious corner stone, a sure foundation: he that believeth shall not make haste.

(Not everyone rejected the corner stone. Those who walked closest with God in the OT, knew about this as the above verse shows. In the NT, many rejected the corner stone, but not all did. (His disciples) among others believed Him.)

Mark 12:10 And have ye not read this scripture; The stone which the builders rejected is become the head of the corner:
Mark 12:11 This was the Lord's doing, and it is marvellous in our eyes?

 

[svedbygrace]

When first In Christ ! 2



And based upon that Legal, and Elective Union believers had with Christ, that constituted them in Christ as Per 1 Cor 1:30

30 But of him are ye in Christ Jesus[By Election], who of God is made unto us wisdom, and righteousness, and sanctification, and redemption:

There cannot be any condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus Rom 8:1 and why God does not charge them Rom 8:33-34

33 Who shall lay any thing to the charge of God's elect? It is God that justifieth.

34 Who is he that condemneth? It is Christ that died, yea rather, that is risen again, who is even at the right hand of God, who also maketh intercession for us.

Christ dying is because negates any charges being laid against them He died for, which is also God's Justification of them !

The condemnation the Elect incurred in Adam Rom 5:16 a,18 a

16 And not as it was by one that sinned, so is the gift: for the judgment was by one tocondemnation,


Therefore as by the offence of one judgment came upon all men to condemnation;

That condemnation was placed on Christ's account as their Surety Head, so that being the case no one in Jn 3:18 who are condemned already, could be anyone Christ died for, because all them He died for, were in Him, and there is no condemnation to those in Christ Jesus, which they were in Him by the Purpose of God before the world began 2 Tim 1:9

9 Who hath saved us, and called us with an holy calling, not according to our works, but according to his own purpose and grace, which was given us in Christ Jesus before the world began,

Believers were first in Christ Jesus by Purpose and Grace [Election] before the World Began !

 

[svedbygrace]

They pass from death to life !



Jn 5:24

24 Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that heareth my word, and believeth on him that sent me, hath everlasting life, and shall not come into condemnation; but is passed from death unto life.

All, everyone for whom Christ died, before they die, or the Second Coming, because of the Merits of His Death, shall pass from death to life; They having Him as their Last Adam 1 Cor 15:45

45 And so it is written, The first man Adam was made a living soul; the last Adam was madea quickening spirit.

Yes they were in the Last Adam before they were in the First man Adam, and so they must have Divine Life communicated to them, then because of Him and through Him they are passed from death to life.

They must have this Life given or communicated to them because He as their Shepherd they must hear His Voice.

The Elect / Sheep are given Spiritual and Eternal Life in order to qualify them, make them meet for the Call of the Gospel, which call is a Divine summon to the Fellowship of Christ, which Paul means here 1 Cor 1:9

9 God is faithful, by whom ye were called unto the fellowship of his Son Jesus Christ our Lord.

But it is only a quickened soul that is worthy or made meet to fellowship with Christ, for Christ is Light , but a unquickened soul is darkness Eph 5:8

8 For ye were sometimes darkness, but now are ye light in the Lord: walk as children of light:

And what fellowship and communion can Light have with darkness 2 Cor 6:14

14 Be ye not unequally yoked together with unbelievers: for what fellowship hath righteousness with unrighteousness? and what communion hath light with darkness?


The Gospel cannot call an unrighteous, unholy person into the Fellowship of an open marriage yoke with the Lord Jesus Christ.

Why would the Gospel sent by God call unholy and unsanctified people, dead in sins, in the darkness of nature to the Feloowship of His Son who is Light ? Why would He draw such to His Son Jn 6:37,44 who is Light ? Paul said to soe jews this:

Acts 13:46

46 Then Paul and Barnabas waxed bold, and said, It was necessary that the word of God should first have been spoken to you: but seeing ye put it from you, and judge yourselves unworthyof everlasting life, lo, we turn to the Gentiles.

They were unworthy in that they had not passed from death to life, they had no Divine Life in them worthy of Fellowship with the Son 1 Cor 1:9

9 God is faithful, by whom ye were called unto the fellowship of his Son Jesus Christ our Lord.

To be made worthy we must be passed from death to Life Col 1:12

12 Giving thanks unto the Father, which hath made us meet to be partakers of the inheritance of the saints in light: