Do you realize that Christ is in you?

I am reading through a book called the Life-Study of Colossians, and today I read a  portion on Christ being applicable in our experience that really touched me.

“In 1:27 Paul speaks of ‘Christ in you, the hope of glory.’ Do you realize that Christ is in you? The Christ who is in us is the extensive, immeasurable, unsearchable One. How marvelous that such a Christ dwells in us!”

So many times I forget what it means to say that I am a Christian.  Yes, I have been redeemed (Romans 3:24, Ephesians 1:7) and forgiven of my sins, but I also have also received Christ, who is God, into me.  This is what it means to be born again (John 3:6).

It’s always good to be reminded that I haven’t received some kind of super-human ability to follow rules or maintain an impossibly high moral standard, but I have received THE GOD OF THE UNIVERSE into me.  How cool is that?!?!

Here are some verses telling us that Christ is in us as Christians:

Colossians 1:27 – “To whom God willed to make known what are the riches of the glory of this mystery among the Gentiles, which is Christ in you, the hope of glory.”

Romans 8:10 – “But if Christ is in you, though the body is dead because of sin, the spirit is life because of righteousness.”

2 Corinthians 13:5 – “Test yourselves whether you are in the faith; prove yourselves.  Or do you not realize about yourselves that Jesus Christ is in you, unless you are disapproved.”

But how do we know that Jesus Christ is God?

Romans 9:5 – “Whose are the fathers, and out of whom, as regards what is according to flesh, is the Christ, who is God over all, blessed forever.  Amen.”

1 John 5:20 – “And we know that the Son of God has come and has given us an understanding that we might know Him who is true; and we are in Him who is true, in His Son Jesus Christ.  This is the true God and eternal life.

John 20:26-28 – “And after eight days, His disciples were again within, and Thomas was with them.  Jesus came, though the doors were shut, and stood in the midst and said, Peace be to you.  Then He said to Thomas, Bring your finger here and see My hands, and bring your hand and put it into My side; and do not be unbelieving, but believing.  Thomas answered and said to Him, My Lord and my God!”

A question I found myself asking is “If I have received Jesus Christ into me as the ‘extensive, immeasurable, and unsearchable One’, how come I don’t experience Him as such an extensive, immeasurable, and unsearchable God?  I don’t know about you, but sometimes it just feels like God is way up in the heavens and I’m way down here on earth and there’s no contact between us.  I’m doing my thing and He’s doing His thing.

Well, I just finished the Life-Study of Joshua and a couple of sentences in that book actually answered my question.  It says “We gain Christ, experience Christ, and enjoy Christ according to what we are.  Therefore, someone who is diligent in pursuing Christ will experience a larger Christ than someone who is lazy in this matter.”

Wow.  That is really exposing.  God wants to be immeasurable to me in my experience, but I limit Him to the point that sometimes I even forget He’s there.  I want to be like Paul in Philippians chapter three who pursued toward the goal for the prize (v. 14) and stretched forward to the things that are before while forgetting the things that are behind (v. 13).  He was a real pattern in being diligent to pursue Christ.

O Lord Jesus!  Make me like Paul!  I want to be one that pursues You!  I don’t want to be lazy anymore!  I want to lay hold on You!  I want to gain You!  I want to know and experience You to the fullest extent!