Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new. 2 Corinthians 5:17 There is therefore now no condemnation to those which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit. Romans 8:1
What does it mean to be in Christ?
When God gave Moses the pattern for building the tabernacle in the wilderness - which was later replicated by Solomon on much larger and permanent scale, Moses was told to make it according to the pattern that was shown him in the mountain (Exodus 25:40). God took Moses up to Heaven and showed him what the real temple in Heaven looked like and then Moses constructed the earthly model.
First, there was an outer court where was the alter of sacrifice and then a laver of water where the priest were to wash their hands and feet before entering into the Inner Court or Holy Place. In the Holy Place, there was a seven branched lamp-stand that was to remain burning, a table with the "Bread of Presence" which bread could only be eaten by the priests and finally an altar of incense before a very heavy veil that covered the way into the final chamber - the Holiest of Holies. In this chamber there was a box that was overlaid with gold (as was all the furniture in the tabernacle). In this box, there were two tables of stones that contained the commandments of God written by His own finger, the rod of Aaron which budded almonds long after it had been cut from the life source, and finally a pot of manna (the bread which fell every morning for 40 years in the wilderness and fed the children of Israel). On top of the box was the Mercy seat and looking down on the seat were two cherubim carved of gold, having their wings stretched out over the Mercy seat.
The priest and the people could come into the outer court often with their sacrifices, but only the Levites could enter into the Inner Court (Holy Place). Only the High Priest could enter into the Holiest of Holies and that, only one day a year. On that day, their was much ceremony and protocol that must be followed before he was allowed to enter. He must be ritually pure, wearing special garments reserved only for the High Priest and he must bring blood for the atonement of all the sins of the children of Israel, as well as himself. If he failed in one point, he risked his life being forfeit in the Presence of the Almighty God, or as it is called in Hebrew - the Shekinah (the Abiding). The Ark of the Covenant was the very Throne of God on earth. Oh what a beautiful type of what is in Heaven, now. But time does not permit me to elaborate on all this, right now. God willing, I will share some of that in another posting.
But what does this have to do with being IN Christ? When Yeshua the Messiah (Jesus Christ), died on the cross, it is recorded in the Gospels, an earthquake shook the earth and the veil of the Temple was rent in two from top to the bottom. This was God's way of showing His people that the way into the Holiest of Holies was now open to one and all. The Great High Priest had entered into the Holiest with His own blood, not for His own sin, as He had no sin, but for the sins of the whole world. And by His blood, He had made the way for anyone to enter into the True Holiest of Holies, which is in Heaven.
To be IN Christ is to not stop in the outer court of the temple, nor in the inner court, but to come all the way into the Holy of Holies. Now, not just anyone can enter in. You must come by the blood of Yeshua. Just as the High Priest could only come in with the blood of the atonement, so must we come with the blood of the Lamb - Jesus the Messiah.
Just as the blood of the lamb was put on the door posts, at the exodus from Egypt (Exodus 12), the blood of Yeshua must spiritually be applied to our hearts by faith in His finished work at Calvary. In Ezekiel 9, we read a vision that the prophet had concerning God's judgement on Israel and Judah. In the vision, he saw that a man clothed in linen with a writer's inkhorn at his side was commanded to go through the city and mark all those who were crying (interceding) for the sins committed in the land. Then he was to execute the rest. This speaks to us of another marking that is spoken of in the book of Revelations. "And I saw another angel ascending from the east, having the seal of the living God: and he cried with a loud voice to the four angels, to whom it was given to hurt the earth and the sea, saying, 'Hurt not the earth, neither the sea, nor the trees, till we have sealed the servants of our God in their foreheads.'" Revelation 7:2-3 We are not just sealed with the blood of Jesus, but we must be also sealed with the Holy Spirit. "In Whom you also trusted, after that you heard the Word of Truth, the Gospel of your salvation: in Whom also after that you believed, you were sealed with that Holy Spirit of Promise." Ephesians 1:13
Jesus said that He is the door to the sheepfold and anyone who came any other way was a thief and a robber and the sheep would not listen to them. In Matthew 22, Jesus told a story about a wedding supper that was given for a king's son. After all that were invited declined, the king sent forth his servants into the highways and found those who were rejected by society and brought them into the banquet. But there came one in who didn't have on a wedding garment and the when the king saw him, he threw him out because he wasn't wearing the garments. When a rich man threw a banquet for a wedding, he gave a wedding garment to those who were invited. This is why the man was thrown out and arrested, because it was obvious that he had entered uninvited.
And so it is with us, any other way than through Jesus' blood is incorrect. Jesus said, "I AM the way, the truth, and the life: No man comes unto the Father, but by Me. John 14:6 He told Nicodemus that except a man be born again, he cannot see the Kingdom of God. When Nicodemus replied that he was too old and could not enter again into his mother's womb, Jesus explained that He was speaking of the spiritual rebirth. He said, "Except a man be born of the water and the Spirit, he cannot enter the Kingdom of God." John 3:5
If you do not know Jesus Christ, (Yeshua the Messiah) as Savior and Lord of your life, I beg you today, cry out to Him. Repent of your sins, ask Him to come into your life and be your Lord and Master. He will hear you and answer. And then ask Him for the baptism of the Holy Spirit, without which you are powerless to live your life pleasing to Him.
