Sermon Tone Analysis

Introduction: So far we have seen that we are all creatures who are dependent on God and accountable to God.

For many this is where their identity ends.

Sadly, it may be that there are some in this room where this sermon series has already ended because unless were are in Christ there is nothing else to us.

We are created beings and for the unsaved the story ends there.

However, we are going to move forward because of the hope that those who are in Christ will be strengthened by the truth that Christ has redeemed them from valuing themselves according to the standards of the world.

We will also press forward and pray that the hope of being in Christ would move some who are not yet in Christ to place their trust and value system in Him.

The question for us tonight is, “Who am I because I am in Christ?”

The phrase “in Christ” is one of the apostle Paul’s favorite expressions and he used it more than 160 times in his letters.

In fact being in Christ is foundational to New Testament theology and is foundational in forming the way a Christian views themselves and the world they live in.

When Paul uses the phrase “in Christ” it means “to be united to Christ.”

Paul clearly explains what this concept means in and 15:45.

What Paul is getting at in these two verses is that God deals with humanity according to their relationship and identification with two men, Adam and Jesus.

Before God, we are all represented by either Adam or Christ.

“In Adam”

Spiritually Dead

In Paul is pretty clear about the result of being “in Adam” or “united to Adam” or “represented by Adam.”

Those who are represented before God by the actions of Adam all die.

This idea is more completely developed in .

David acknowledged this truth in .

David is not saying that he was the result of an adulterous relationship.

Instead, he was saying that even when he was in the womb as far back as his conception he was a sinner.

It was his nature.

How can this be?

Because David descended from Adam he was represented by Adam’s actions in the garden and through the disobedience of Adam David was made a sinner.

Picture Adam and Christ standing before God.

God is going to deal with both men according to their actions, and behind each man stands the rest of humanity.

The rest of humanity can only belong to one of two groups and be united to only one of these two men.

We all begin life represented or united to Adam and because of that relationship Paul describes us this way:

Ephesians

Objects of Wrath

In Adam we all began our lives in this way.

We were all spiritually dead, we were all slaves (to the world, the devil, and our own sinful passions), and we were all objects of God’s wrath.

To be in Adam is to be an object of God’s wrath.

Under the Curse

One more thing can be noted concerning Adam’s rebellion.

When God created Adam he created Adam in his own image, and just as God is the sovereign of the universe God appointed Adam to be the sovereign over the earth.

In other words, not only did Adam represent humanity, but he also represented the kingdom of earth as its ruling head.

,

So, when Adam sinned God cursed the earth itself.

Romans

So then what it means to be in Adam is that we were all born into the world spiritually dead, objects of God’s wrath, and into an environment that is under the curse of God.

“In Christ”

Representative Union

When Paul writes of Christ in he refers to Him as the last Adam.

Paul’s purpose in referring to Christ as the last Adam is to point out that he is the second and final representative.

The first representative was a total failure, but because of the last Adam we have a reason to hope (define hope).

God

Just as Adam represented all of humanity, the last Adam represents all those who trust in Him.

The work of Christ totally contrasts with the work of Adam.

To be clear, Adam’s representative work led to the death of all men.

Christ’s representative work led to the offer of life for all men, however, not all men will choose to accept the offer.

There is universal condemnation.

Because of Adam all are made sinners; because of Christ all have a way of escape, but not all will escape.

Again in verse 19, the disobedience of Adam led to all being made sinners, but by the obedience o

In Moses sets before the Israelites two alternatives: obedience and disobedience.

He tells them that obedience will bring tremendous blessing while disobedience will bring horrible curses.

The blessings and curses he refers to are specifically referring to the nation of Israel in the Promised Land, and helps us understand where the Israelites got the idea that if you live righteously you will be blessed but you if you live a hard life of sickness or handicap it must be because of disobedience.

However, it also give us a glimpse into how God operates: blessing come from obedience while cursing comes from disobedience.

As human beings we are all represented by the disobedience of Adam and must put up with the resulting curse.

This is one of the differences between Jewish and Christian theologies.

They believe that specific curses are the result of specific sins.

Christians believe that the curse exists because all are sinners in Adam.

Then came Christ, and by his perfectly obedient life Christ earned the blessings of God.

By his death on the cross He experienced the curse for disobedience.

As the last Adam and final representative all that Christ did in His life (obedience) and His death (propitiation) brings about the free gift of salvation.

By choosing to place your trust in Christ and be united or represented by Him you have access to all the blessings that Christ earned for you and you have access to the payment that Christ made for you.

By placing your trust in Him and uniting yourself with Him you place yourself before the judgment seat of God where you are now represented, not by Adam, but by Christ.

Living Union

There is another aspect of what it means to be united to Christ.

This living union is best describes by Jesus in .

Just like the branches of a vine share in the life of the vine, as believers we share in the life of Christ.

This living union is made possible by the Holy Spirit who lives within us and who gives us the power and life of Christ.

1 Corinthians

How often have you thought of your relationship with God as a long distance relationship?

Every once in a while you get to make a phone call - sometimes you get through and sometimes you don’t.

Reality of long distance relationships is that you don’t share a life with that person.

You both have independent lives and you make the effort to intersect those independent lives.

That is not what it means to be in Christ.

To be in Christ is to have His Spirit and to literally be connected to the life of Christ.

Just like we place our trust in Christ by faith we must also live by faith.

We cannot live passive lives.

As created beings in the image of God He has given us a mind to think and a will to exercise, and it is our responsibility to participate in the life of the vine by faith.

In other words, we must seek Christ for our spiritual nourishment every single day.

Conclusion: So, this evening I want to draw two applications.

For those who are not in Christ, I want you to think about what it means to be in Adam because that is where you are right now.

If you’re not in Christ you are in Adam which means you are spiritually dead, you are an object of God’s wrath, and you live under the curse.

However, if you make the choice to be in Christ you can pass from Adam’s death to Christ’s life, and you can partake in the life and the privileges of a branch on the vine.

For those who are Christians - since you are in Christ - 1). how often do you thank Christ for submitting himself and taking on the form of a servant so that he could represent you before God?

How thankful are you for his obedience and His propitiation which He performed on your behalf?

2).

How do you represent Christ?

Since you are a branch on the vine, since you are a part of the body, how do you act out your living union with Christ?

Can you rejoice that you represent Him well?

Or do you need to humbly seek help so that you can represent His life with honor?