I write this devotional in honor of a distant mentor, A. J. Gordon
In 1799 the Rosetta Stone was discovered, and it helped scholars at long last crack the code of hieroglyphics, the ancient Egyptian writing system. Like the famous Rosetta Stone, the simple words “in Christ” unlock all the mysteries of the Christian life. As great as is the mystery of these words are to some people, they are the key to every other doctrinal mystery. “In Christ” is God’s only plan for humanity and the entire created world. Those words let us into secrets that were “hidden from ages and from generations.”
All the great truths of our redemption: our regeneration, justification, sanctification, and glorification are summed up “in Christ.” How can it be otherwise? If a person is in Christ, that person must have regeneration, for how can the Head be alive, and the members be dead? If the person is in Christ, that person must be justified, for how can God approve the Head and condemned the members? If one is in Christ, they must have sanctification, for how can the spotlessly Holy remain in vital connection with one that is unholy? If you are in Christ, you must have glorification, for how can the Son of God be in glory and those in vital union with Him not participate in that glory. (When Christ who is your life is manifested moment by moment, you are manifested with him in glory, Colossians 3:4) If one is in Christ, they must have complete redemption (freedom and release from the old into the new).
From those simple words “in Christ,” we get profound insight into God’s method of salvation – “His plan” for the redemption of all things. “God does not work on a soul isolated from Him; such discipline as to gradually render it fit to be reunited to Him. He begins our Christian life by reuniting us to Himself, that through that union He may communicate to us His divine life and energy without which all discipline would be utterly futile.” The method of grace is precisely the reverse of the method of legalism. Legalism is holiness in order to gain union with God. Grace is union with God in order for us by Him to demonstrate holiness.