{"id":14545,"date":"2026-09-17T16:21:18","date_gmt":"2026-09-17T20:21:18","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.garycombs.org\/blog\/?p=14545"},"modified":"2026-09-17T16:21:18","modified_gmt":"2026-09-17T20:21:18","slug":"life-in-christ","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.garycombs.org\/blog\/2026\/09\/life-in-christ.html","title":{"rendered":"LIFE IN CHRIST"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
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\u201cBlessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in Christ with every spiritual blessing.\u201d<\/em>
Ephesians 1:3<\/strong><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n

\"\"<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Who are you?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

It sounds like a simple question. But how we answer it shapes almost everything else about us.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

For much of human history, people tended to find their identity by looking around<\/strong> them. Your family, your community, your occupation, and your place in society helped tell you who you were.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Today, our culture increasingly tells us to look within<\/strong>. Discover your deepest desires. Follow your feelings. Decide for yourself who you are. Be true to yourself.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

But what happens when the people around us reject us or misunderstand us? And what happens when the feelings within us change, conflict, or lead us in the wrong direction?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Bible gives us another place to look.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

It tells us to look to Christ<\/strong>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Beginning September 20<\/strong>, we\u2019re starting a new six-week message series called \u201cLIFE IN CHRIST: An Exposition of Ephesians.\u201d<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

We\u2019ll be walking verse by verse through the first three chapters of Paul\u2019s letter to the Ephesians, exploring one of the most important questions we can ever ask:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Who does God say we are in Christ?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

The little phrase \u201cin Christ\u201d<\/strong> is one of the great themes of Ephesians. Paul uses some form of it again and again throughout the letter. In fact, it appears repeatedly in the opening verses alone.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Paul wants us to understand that the Christian life is not merely life for Christ<\/strong> or even life like Christ<\/strong>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

It is life in Christ<\/strong>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Everything we have, everything we are, and everything we hope to become flows from our union with Jesus.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

That means our deepest identity is not something we achieve through our performance. It isn\u2019t something we inherit from our family. And it isn\u2019t something we create by searching our feelings.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Our identity is something we receive by grace because we belong to Jesus Christ.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

That\u2019s why Ephesians begins not by telling us what we need to do<\/strong>, but by reminding us what God has already done<\/strong>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Before Paul gives commands, he gives us gospel truth. Before he describes our practice, he describes our position. Before he tells us how Christians should walk, he tells us where Christians stand. And where do we stand?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In Christ.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

The first three chapters of Ephesians describe our\u00a0position in Christ<\/strong>. When we return to Ephesians in 2027, Lord willing, chapters four through six will show us how that new position produces a new\u00a0practice in Christ.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

But first, we need to know who we are.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Over these six weeks, we\u2019ll explore what it means to live from the riches God has already given us in Christ:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    \n
  • 9\/20\/26 \u2013 #1 Our Blessings in Christ<\/strong>\u00a0\u2013 Ephesians 1:1\u201314<\/li>\n\n\n\n
  • 9\/27\/26 \u2013 #2 Our Enlightenment in Christ<\/strong>\u00a0\u2013 Ephesians 1:15\u201323<\/li>\n\n\n\n
  • 10\/4\/26 \u2013 #3 Our Transformation in Christ<\/strong>\u00a0\u2013 Ephesians 2:1\u201310<\/li>\n\n\n\n
  • 10\/11\/26 \u2013 #4 Our Peace in Christ<\/strong>\u00a0\u2013 Ephesians 2:11\u201322<\/li>\n\n\n\n
  • 10\/18\/26 \u2013 #5 Our Mission in Christ<\/strong>\u00a0\u2013 Ephesians 3:1\u201313<\/li>\n\n\n\n
  • 10\/25\/26 \u2013 #6 Our Strength in Christ<\/strong>\u00a0\u2013 Ephesians 3:14\u201321<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n

    We\u2019ll begin this Sunday with \u201cOur Blessings in Christ.\u201d<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

    And what a place to begin. Ephesians 1:3\u201314 is one long outburst of praise as Paul celebrates what the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit have done for us.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    The Father chose us<\/strong>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    The Son redeemed us<\/strong>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    The Spirit sealed us<\/strong>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    Paul says that in Christ we have been chosen before the foundation of the world, adopted into God\u2019s family, redeemed through Christ\u2019s blood, forgiven of our sins, given an inheritance, and sealed with the promised Holy Spirit.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    And notice what Paul does not say. He does not say, \u201cIf you work hard enough, you might earn these blessings.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    He says God\u00a0\u201chas blessed us in Christ with every spiritual blessing.\u201d<\/strong> They are gifts of grace.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    That changes the way we understand our\u00a0identity<\/strong>. It changes how we measure our\u00a0worth<\/strong>. It changes how we approach our\u00a0relationships<\/strong>. It changes the way we do our\u00a0work<\/strong>. And it changes the way we face our failures, our fears, and even our future.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    Some of us have allowed our failures to tell us who we are.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    Others have built our identity on success, achievement, reputation, possessions, relationships, or the approval of others.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    But all of those things can change. The gospel gives us an identity that is anchored somewhere far more secure.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    If you are in Christ, you are not ultimately defined by what others have said about you. You are not defined by your failures, your successes, your past, your possessions, or even by how you feel about yourself today.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    You are who God says you are in Christ.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

    And none of it begins with what we have done for God. It begins with what God has done for us. That is grace.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    Jesus Christ came for sinners who could never save themselves. He lived the life we could not live. He went to the cross and shed His blood for the forgiveness of our sins. He was buried, and on the third day He rose from the grave, defeating sin and death. He ascended to the Father where He reigns today. And one day He is coming again.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    Until then, He has given every believer His Holy Spirit as the guarantee that everything God has promised us in Christ will one day be fully ours.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    So here\u2019s how you can prepare for\u00a0LIFE IN CHRIST<\/strong> sermon series:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    \ud83d\udcd6 Read Ephesians 1\u20133<\/strong> and notice every time you see the words \u201cin Christ,\u201d \u201cin Him,\u201d<\/em> or a similar expression.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    \ud83d\ude4f Ask God to show you where you have been finding your identity apart from Christ.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

    \u2764\ufe0f Come ready to receive what God says is already true of those who belong to Jesus.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

    \ud83d\udc65\u00a0Invite someone to join you<\/strong>\u00a0who may be struggling with questions of identity, worth, purpose, or belonging. Remember, this coming Sunday, September 20th is our BACK TO CHURCH SUNDAY!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    We live in a world constantly telling us who we should be, what we should achieve, and how we should define ourselves. Ephesians invites us to begin somewhere else.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    Not with ourselves. With Jesus.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    Not with what we have accomplished. With what He has accomplished.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    Not with our performance. With His grace.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    Join us for LIFE IN CHRIST.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

    And perhaps this is the prayer we should pray as we begin:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    \u201cFather, teach me who I am in Christ. Open the eyes of my heart to see the riches of Your grace. Help me stop building my identity on what I do, what I have, what others think of me, or even what I think of myself. Teach me to live from what You have already given me in Jesus. And let my life be to the praise of Your glory. In Jesus’ name. Amen.\u201d<\/strong><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

    \u201cBlessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in Christ with every spiritual blessing.\u201dEphesians 1:3 Who are you? It sounds like a simple question. But how we answer it shapes almost everything else about us. For much of human history, people tended to find their identity by looking around them. […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":3,"featured_media":14547,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[3006,2061],"tags":[3011,3013,3014,2052,3012,2336],"class_list":["post-14545","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-jesus","category-religion","tag-abiding-life","tag-blessings","tag-ephesians","tag-jesus","tag-life-in-christ","tag-salvation"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.garycombs.org\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/14545","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.garycombs.org\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.garycombs.org\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.garycombs.org\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/3"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.garycombs.org\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=14545"}],"version-history":[{"count":7,"href":"https:\/\/www.garycombs.org\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/14545\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":14554,"href":"https:\/\/www.garycombs.org\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/14545\/revisions\/14554"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.garycombs.org\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/14547"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.garycombs.org\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=14545"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.garycombs.org\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=14545"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.garycombs.org\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=14545"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}