You Are In Christ

Jesus said in John 14:20, “When I am raised to life again, you will know that I am in my Father, and you are in me, and I am in you.”

The resurrection reveals more than the fact that Jesus is alive. It shows us something about relationship, identity, and union.

Jesus says that when He is raised to life again, His disciples will know three things. Jesus is in the Father. We are in Jesus. Jesus is in us.

This is called union with Christ.

That means salvation is not just Jesus forgiving you from a distance. It is not just God looking at you differently while you remain disconnected from Him. Jesus came so that you would be brought into Him, joined to Him, and made alive in Him.

One of the easiest pictures for this is marriage, which the gospel often alludes to. In marriage, two become one. They are for each other. They fight as one. If someone comes for one, they get both. They have each other’s back in all areas and at all times. Their highest allegiance belongs to each other.

That is only a picture, but it helps us understand what Jesus is saying.

Jesus came so that you would be in Him and for Him, and so that He would be in you and for you. This is not a small doctrine. Jesus declared it, and Paul helped reveal it.

Romans 6 shows us that we are united to Christ. We are crucified with Him. Buried with Him. Raised with Him. And seated with Him. His death becomes our death. His resurrection becomes our resurrection. His victory becomes our victory.

That is why the old hymn says, “Made like Him, like Him we rise. The cross, the grave, the skies.”

Colossians 1:27 says this mystery is “Christ in you, the hope of glory.” Not Christ near you. Not Christ around you. Christ in you.

And 2 Corinthians 5:17 says, “Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new.”

That is what union with Christ means. You are not who you used to be. You are not alone. You are not fighting by yourself. You are in Christ, and Christ is in you.

The resurrection proves that Jesus is alive.

But it also reveals where you now live.

You are in Him.