2 Corinthians 12:1-2 NASB
[1] Boasting is necessary, though it is not profitable; but I will go on to visions and revelations of the Lord. [2] I know a man in Christ who fourteen years ago-whether in the body I do not know, or out of the body I do not know, God knows-such a man was caught up to the third heaven.
“For this reason I have sent to you Timothy, who is my beloved and faithful child in the Lord, and he will remind you of my ways which are in Christ, just as I teach everywhere in every church.”
(1 Cor. 4:17 NAS95)
Christianity is all about the person of Jesus Christ and our inclusion in his life. Paul refers to himself in that first verse listed above as “a man in Christ.” This was Paul’s, and every Christian’s true identity. This is what makes you a new creation (New Creations in Christ). You are a person in Christ, and therefore your life is hidden with Christ in God, and Christ is now your life. Being placed into his life so that he can tell his story and live his life through us, is who we are and how we are called to live. We also all share a common calling, and assignment, which is to be conformed to the image of Christ, (manifest more and more of His life and likeness) and to bring heaven to earth as Jesus Christ lives his life through us. This is a most remarkable identity, calling, and assignment. This is the abundant life that Jesus promised us; the supernatural life, the very life of the risen Lord Jesus, lived out in us and through us by the person of the Holy Spirit. If we are allowing Jesus Christ to actually live his life through our yielded humanity then what will be manifested in and through us are “in Christ ways.” That passage in 1 Corinthians 4:17 says that Timothy would declare to the Corinthian believers Paul’s ways which are in Christ. What do in Christ ways look like? They look like love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, gentleness, faithfulness, goodness, and self-control. If that is not what you are experiencing, and exhibiting then you are not abiding in Christ, because if you were you would be realizing, and manifesting these in Christ ways. What are some of the other in Christ ways? Healing the sick, casting out demons, supernaturally loving the disenfranchised and broken, serving even if you’re not being served in return, signs and wonders of all kinds, all of these are in Christ ways. This is what Christ likeness looks like, on the inside and on the outside. These are the in Christ ways we should expect to enjoy, and to exhibit if we really understand our identity, our calling, and our assignment. Remember the last two flow out of a true understanding of our union with Christ. Every Christian is born from above in union with Christ, but sadly not every Christian understands that all that Jesus is, and all that Jesus has is their’s as their birthright to celebrate, and to manifest. No wonder Jesus told the listeners on the sermon on the Mount that Christians are THE salt of the earth, and THE light of the world.