What Is True of You When You Are 'in Christ'

Because of [God] you are in Christ Jesus, who became to us wisdom from God, righteousness and sanctification and redemption.1 Corinthians 1:30This is one of the most marvellous statements in the whole of the Bible. In earlier verses, Paul reminds us that God calls ordinary, unimpressive human beings like us, who have nothing very much to boast about.Then he says it is because of Him (God the Father) that you are in Christ Jesus (so this is a statement about what it means to be “in Christ”), who has become for us (now he lists four things) wisdom from God, that is our righteousness, holiness, and redemption.Notice that Paul is not speaking about everybody, but about those who are “in Christ.” God never forces anybody to be in Christ. That would be a denial of the freedom that is His gift to you. God allows you the choice of living without Christ. Nobody is born in Christ, but everybody is invited. The way that you come to be in Christ is through faith in the Son of God who loved you and gave Himself for you.People respond to this message in different ways. To some it is foolishness that one man who was crucified could open the doors of everlasting life for all who believe in Him (1:23). But to those who are being saved, the message of the cross is the power of God (Rom. 1:16).As you discover who you are, you will find a new freedom to be yourself in Jesus Christ. And the heart of what God has done for you in Christ is right here in this verse. In Christ you are clean, you are free, you are holy, and you are wise.When you think about these four things that are true of you when you are in Christ, order them from 1 (I least feel this is true of me) to 4 (I most feel like this is true of me).