THE BELIEVER PART 5. DEFINED BY THE TRUTH IN CHRIST

THE BELIEVER PART 5. DEFINED BY THE TRUTH IN CHRIST 

The man in Christ has Christ as his identity. He has the nature and vital principle of Christ.

2 Corinthians 5: 17  Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new

  We have seen several details of the identity of the believer from part one of this series. We have seen that any man that IS IN CHRIST becomes another man, the new creature. This new creature has the fullness of God, he has all of God. It will be unbelief for him to ask more of God. 
What is the identity of this NEW CREATURE? 

1 John 5

20  And we know that the Son of God is come, and hath given us an understanding, that we may know him that is true, and we are in him that is true, even in his Son Jesus Christ. This is the true God, and eternal life.
In Christ, we are the true nature of God and we see our true identity. The word true as use in the above scripture is from the Greek word  alēthinos. It means reality. That which is opposite the of imperfect. It has to do with the ideal. It is beyond true and false. It means that it is the only reality. This reveals to us that the identity we see in Christ is the only identity.  The truth we are suppose to be identified with is Christ. This means that anything that cannot be seen in the person and the works of Jesus cannot be seen in the believer.  Here lies the important of learning our true identity. 
This identity is what the world cannot understand. 

1 John 3

1  Behold, what manner of love the Father hath bestowed upon us, that we should be called the sons of God: therefore the world knoweth us not, because it knew him not.

2  Beloved, now are we the sons of God, and it doth not yet appear what we shall be: but we know that, when he shall appear, we shall be like him; for we shall see him as he is.

It is for lack of words and classification that makes the world to group men in Christ under Christian religion just like other religions. For our identity is beyond religion. Many times we allow people in the world define us because of our experiences. We are in the world but not of the world. Our genealogy and identity is in God through Christ . We seem to look like every other man because of our mortal body but the truth is that we are in Christ and we have his identity.  Now that we have put on His identity,  we should  be defined by His nature.  Anything that cannot be seen in Christ cannot be seen in the believer. 

THE MAN IN CHRIST HAS CHRIST AS 

HIS LIFE; 1John 5:9-12

HIS RIGHTEOUSNESS ; 1 Corinthians 1:30, 5:21

HIS SPIRIT;  Romans 8:9

And all that Christ is we are even in this world. What a great love that God became man so has to make men to have His identity in Christ. 
For more details on what the truth is read THE TRUTH ONLY PART ONE , PART TWO AND PART THREE

THE PLACE OF KNOWLEDGE FOR THE BELIEVER
Now that the new creature has received all of God by the spirit of God in him, what does he has to do? HE HAS TO LEARN THE TRUTH OF HIS IDENTITY IN CHRIST. This is what makes a difference between a matured  believer and an immatured believer. Jesus told his followers to MAKE DISCIPLES BY TEACHING THEM.

TRUE DISCIPLESHIP

Matthew 28

18  And Jesus came and spake unto them, saying, All power is given unto me in heaven and in earth.

19  Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost: note

20  Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world. Amen.
Jesus after His ressurection  met His disciples and gave them this fundamental instruction to make disciples out of men. It is to teach men the truth that God is in us via His spirit. This knowledge encompasses all that Christ has done and who we are in Him. 
   WHO IS A DISCIPLE
A disciple  is a pupil and a learner.  True discipleship is in learning. Every believer ought to be a  disciple. Being a believer doesn’t mean you are a disciple. It only guarantee you the opportunity  to be a disciple. Knowledge is key and everything to being in Christ.  In part four , we saw that God has done everything and has giving the believer  all of Him. So OUR  responsibility is to be true discipleship to learn. Reading through the epistles we see  so much emphasis placed on knowledge. It is lack of knowledge that will make a believer to start praying for what he has already. For example a believer praying to be righteous or to have power when all these are part of His identity in Christ.  It is lack of knowledge that will make a believer to be worshipping the devil as God. When the devil attacks him, he will think it is God teaching him lesson with evils. All these are lack of the true knowledge. Remember we are not just admonished to learn but to LEARN THE TRUTH in Christ . 

THE ROLE OF PASTORS AND OTHER MINISTRY GIFTS

Knowledge is so important that it is a key important of ministry gifts. The prophet Jeremiah  prophesied thus: I will give you pastors according to mine heart, which shall feed you with knowledge and understanding. (Jeremiah 3:15).  Notice  the emphasis on the fact that pastors are to feed you with knowledge. The pastors’ greatest and main responsibility is in imparting knowledge not in other things like attending marriages, visiting  you, being sociable. All these are good but  not in the same rank as knowledge.

NO GREATER LOVE FROM A MINISTRY GIFT THAN KNOWLEDGE

John 21

15  So when they had dined, Jesus saith to Simon Peter, Simon, son of Jonas, lovest thou me more than these? He saith unto him, Yea, Lord; thou knowest that I love thee. He saith unto him, Feed my lambs.

16  He saith to him again the second time, Simon, son of Jonas, lovest thou me? He saith unto him, Yea, Lord; thou knowest that I love thee. He saith unto him, Feed my sheep.

17  He saith unto him the third time, Simon, son of Jonas, lovest thou me? Peter was grieved because he said unto him the third time, Lovest thou me? And he said unto him, Lord, thou knowest all things; thou knowest that I love thee. Jesus saith unto him, Feed my sheep

Jesus told Peter if he loves Him, he is to feed his sheep. It is an honour to be called to shepherd others . We must therefore as pastors be given to teaching people. Many times , we have misplaced priority in our gatherings. We see some believers who value pastors who call them and give them money than those who labour in hours of teachings for them. The question  is , WHY IS THE PERSON YOUR PASTOR ? To teach you or to rub your back?  To teach you or to attend your birthday ? Imagine you went to the hospital to be treated of a disease and the doctor instead of treating you start giving you motivational talks. Won’t you get angry and use the door? Even if he has to give you motivational talks it should be an addition after treating you . The Same thing should apply for a pastor. He is your pastor to give you knowledge not to entertain you. All of that you can get without him.

Ephesians 4

11  And he gave some, apostles; and some, prophets; and some, evangelists; and some, pastors and teachers;

12  For the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ:

13  Till we all come in the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, unto a perfect man, unto the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ: note note

14  That we henceforth be no more children, tossed to and fro, and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the sleight of men, and cunning craftiness, whereby they lie in wait to deceive;

20  But ye have not so learned Christ;

21  If so be that ye have heard him, and have been taught by him, as the truth is in Jesus

We have pastors, Apostles, prophets, evangelists , and teachers for the thorough furnishing of the saints to do the work of ministry.  Verse 12 to 14 explains the essence and scope of ministry gifts. The word perfecting(Greek word katartismos )  used in verse 12 means thorough and complete furnishing. It has to do with an equipping,  a fitting just the way we do for a house. The believer already has everything in himself. Christ in His wisdom called out some among the believers to teach others the knowledge of the son of God which is the unity of Faith. The unity of Faith is not the unity of denomination. It is in knowledge. We have seen earlier that we have the fullness of Christ.  God now set some out to teach us HOW FULL ARE WE IN AND OF CHRIST.  Any knowledge that makes the believer to lack something is not the truth.  When pastors do their work and other believers submit themselves to be discipled, the result is verse 14. Not tossed to and fro by every doctrine. This means the believer will has a stand . He will not hear tomorrow  that one man went to hell  and saw another man there who is in Christ and starts panicking . He is not carried by rumours.  He is established beyond deception. This learning is TILL CHRIST COMES. We cannot finish the course. Christ is the content. We are learning Him. Notice verse 20, we have not so learned Christ.  Verse 21 clearly states that THE TRUTH IS IN CHRIST. This means that we have a work to do to LEARN Christ.  

Acts 5

42  And daily in the temple, and in every house, they ceased not to teach and preach Jesus Christ.
The disciples were given to learning Christ daily and in every house. We must never tell ourselves that we have arrived in knowledge. We have arrived in Christ but we have to keep learning the details of this Jesus Christ in whom we are now. 

KNOWLEDGE IS ONE MAIN REASON FOR BELIEVERS’ GATHERINGS 

YOU COME TO CHURCH PRIMARILY TO LEARN 

1Timothy 3

15  But if I tarry long, that thou mayest know how thou oughtest to behave thyself in the house of God, which is the church of the living God, the pillar and ground of the truth.
Paul told Timothy  how to behave in Church.  Notice the description of the church as the pillar and ground  of truth. It is not the pillar and ground of entertainment or business. It is part of apostolic tradition to spend long hours in teaching in Church.  Notice in Acts 6, Peter was teaching while Ananias came in Acts 5. After three hours the wife came Peter was still on. Let’s look at this incidence of Paul also. 

Acts 20

7  And upon the first day of the week, when the disciples came together to break bread, Paul preached unto them, ready to depart on the morrow; and continued his speech until midnight.

8  And there were many lights in the upper chamber, where they were gathered together.

9  And there sat in a window a certain young man named Eutychus, being fallen into a deep sleep: and as Paul was long preaching, he sunk down with sleep, and fell down from the third loft, and was taken up dead.

10  And Paul went down, and fell on him, and embracing him said, Trouble not yourselves; for his life is in him.

11  When he therefore was come up again, and had broken bread, and eaten, and talked a long while, even till break of day, so he departed.

12  And they brought the young man alive, and were not a little comforted

Notice, Paul started preaching from the day into an All night. Notice the emphasis on the length of the teaching . Paul was LONG PREACHING verse 9. So it was not a short message. No one becomes an expert in something without spending adequate time on it even in earthly things. Many times, people get angry when emphasis is placed on spending long hours for teachings. This is how to grow. It takes discipline to LEARN.  Knowing that knowledge is every thing we must give  our all to it. 

WHERE IS THE KNOWLEDGE OF THE TRUTH FOUND

The truth is in Christ as documented in the Bible. We must be given to reading the Bible. It is the only one book that we are told to study. Also, we are blessed with men. As believers we must be given to attending believers’ gatherings and listening to messages and reading. That is how to grow. It is intentional. There are five  ways to study the Bible according to Rev. Eghosa Alvin Osunde, BIBLE READING, BIBLE MEDITATION,  BIBLE STUDYING,  BIBLE MEMORIZATION AND BIBLE HEARING. All of these must be a custom for the believer. Remember you are not just told to KNOW but to know the TRUTH which is in Christ.  Having the wrong knowledge is the same if not worst than not knowing at all. They are all forms of ignorance. We are given to having accurate knowledge of the truth in Christ.  
Knowledge is so IMPORTANT THAT ALL THE PRAYERS MADE FOR MEN IN CHRIST are centred on Knowledge and expression of who we are. We were never prayed for to HAVE. This is because WE HAVE ALL ALREADY in Christ.  Some of these prayers are ; 

Ephesians 1:  16  Cease not to give thanks for you, making mention of you in my prayers;

17  That the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give unto you the spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of him: note

18  The eyes of your understanding being enlightened; that ye may know what is the hope of his calling, and what the riches of the glory of his inheritance in the saints,

19  And what is the exceeding greatness of his power….

The prayer here is to know how rich is the inheritance in us the saints in Christ. This also includes knowing the power in us. It is the power that exceeds targets. We are to pray to come to accurate and precise knowledge of all of these.

Ephesians 3: 14  For this cause I bow my knees unto the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ,

15  Of whom the whole family in heaven and earth is named,

16  That he would grant you, according to the riches of his glory, to be strengthened with might by his Spirit in the inner man;

17  That Christ may dwell in your hearts by faith; that ye, being rooted and grounded in love,

18  May be able to comprehend with all saints what is the breadth, and length, and depth, and height;

19  And to know the love of Christ, which passeth knowledge, that ye might be filled with all the fulness of God.

Philippians 1: 9  And this I pray, that your love may abound yet more and more in knowledge and in all judgment; note

10  That ye may approve things that are excellent; that ye may be sincere and without offence till the day of Christ; note note

11  Being filled with the fruits of righteousness, which are by Jesus Christ, unto the glory and praise of God.

Notice the emphasise on knowledge again here in prayers. 

Collosians 1: 9  For this cause we also, since the day we heard it, do not cease to pray for you, and to desire that ye might be filled with the knowledge of his will in all wisdom and spiritual understanding;

10  That ye might walk worthy of the Lord unto all pleasing, being fruitful in every good work, and increasing in the knowledge of God;

11  Strengthened with all might, according to his glorious power, unto all patience and longsuffering with joyfulness;

In summary, seeing that our identity is in Christ and that we are to KNOW THIS IDENTITY TO ENJOY IT ON EARTH, what manner of men should we be ? We should be given to studies and we should never allow experiences  or the world to define us. Christ  defines us. He is the truth that is OUR identity.  All we have to do is to keep learning  Him.
BY EMEKE MODESTY OBIAZIKWOR 
www.emekemodesty.com

Leave a Reply