BECAUSE JESUS IS, I AM

Copyright 2006 Roger and Eileen Himes

The title of this article is taken from I John 4:17: “As Jesus is, so are we in this world." Translated, this says, "Because Jesus is, I am." Remember the purpose of the gospel is to transform our thinking, as Romans 12:1-2 says. It is designed to change our thinking from earthly thinking to eternal thinking. It is to transform our thoughts from human thoughts to God's thoughts.

Also, keep in mind that ‘eternity’ is much more than just future. It is the eternal past and future, which includes the earthly here and now. Ephesians 1:4 says God chose us before the foundation of the world. That is past tense. Hebrews 13:8 says Jesus is the same, yesterday, today, and forever.

The gospel of the finished work of Christ shows us is who we are in Jesus. Thus, the scripture we are looking at today tells us that as Jesus is, WE are. This is a big spiritual paradigm for most Christians to embrace. This is because our minds are consumed with who we are in the natural, not in the spiritual. But the truth is that if we will see ourselves in the spiritual, as God sees us, then we will become more spiritual, and less natural. “As a man thinks in his heart, so is he.”

The gospel is: (1) all God has done for us in the finished work of the cross of Christ, and (2) who we are in Jesus because of that finished work. With this in mind, let the seed of today’s scripture be planted deep inside you, and see it for what it says -- emphasizing each word. AS Jesus is, so am I in this world! As JESUS is, so am I in this world! As Jesus IS, so am I in this world! As Jesus is, SO am I in this world! As Jesus is, so AM I in this world! As Jesus is, so am I in this world! As Jesus is, so am I IN this world! As Jesus is, so am I in THIS world! As Jesus is, so am I in this WORLD!

When you think about it in the natural, this verse defies human logic. This is true of ALL the gospel. The gospel is ‘the wisdom of God,’ and it is very different from human or worldly wisdom we hear so much of. Thus the gospel is meant to transform our thinking from natural to spiritual ways of seeing. This is seeing with ’gospel eyes.’ As Paul says in II Corinthians 4:4, Satan will do anything to keep us from seeing spiritual reality with gospel eyes -- from God's perspective.

We are called believers. As such, our job is to believe what God says. Again, Jesus’ very first sermon was, “Repent and believe the gospel” (Mark 1:15). When we have faith in the gospel, Hebrews 4:2 says it is of untold PROFIT to us. Jesus says our ‘work’ is to believe what God SAYS, not what we THINK (John 6:29).

When we learn to think like God does, everything looks different. The purpose of the gospel is to transform our thinking, and allow us to see things from God's perspective. This is why the gospel is a revelation (Rom 1:17) -- an empowering revelation of spiritual reality!

Roger and Eileen's ministry shares living practical gospel Christianity -- how to live a powerful, practical life in peace and joy do to the working of the gospel within us. Visit our ministry web site: http://www.ThePracticalGospel.com Subscribe to our short twice a week newsletter. Send a blank E-mail to: GospelSnapshots@Royal-Responder.com

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