Mandi Cornett

From out to In: Thoughts Based on Our Position "In Christ" Mandi Cornett

?In? is such a small yet powerful word. Have you ever really taken the time to think about what ?In? really means? I?ve spent my whole life being ?In? and trying to get ?In? to various things: in a family, in a room, in trouble, in a good mood, in a group of friends, in a relationship, in a position of control, in the right restroom. You get my point. We are ?In? and ?Out? of things all the time. That is one of the reasons I find the phrase ?in Christ? so fascinating. It doesn?t mean what so many of my pursuits and experiences of ?In? mean?that every ?In? has a corresponding ?Out.? Instead, ?in Christ? is a totally secure and complete change of position and standing; and nothing, absolutely nothing, can change that standing. Once we are ?in Christ? there is no ?Out.? Here me loud and clear: We are not born ?in Christ? or magically put there. We are born ?Out? of relationship with God. But I?m getting ahead of myself. In our position of being ?in Christ,? there is no feeling, no circumstance, no pressure, and no person who can push us ?Out? once we are ?in Him? because our position of being ?in Him? is based on Him. I?m secure because He is secure. I fell in love with the book of Ephesians years ago; it?s where I first started to understand my position ?in Christ.? I?m still growing in understanding and frequently am in complete awe of who we are as the Body of Christ, in Him. It is simply astounding and life-changing. It is paradigm-changing; growing deep in the truth of who we are in Christ changes everything. It changes how we look not only at ourselves but also at our world, both our brothers and sisters in Christ and the lost and dying. He changes everything. This book is born from a heart that is slowly but surely being changed by His grace and transformed by the truth of the finished work of Jesus Christ and His Spirit. I?m attempting to connect some dots from the very beginning and shed some light on the truths in Ephesians. Have I mentioned that I love that book? Thank you for taking the time to read this. May you see Him and His redemption story?the greatest part played in all of history?a little more clearly. May you see Him, His plan, and who you are in Him in a deeper way. I pray for us as Paul prayed: ?. . . that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give you a spirit of wisdom and of revelation in the knowledge [true knowledge] of Him. I pray that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened so that you will know what is the hope of HIs calling, what are the riches of the glory of His inheritance in the saints, and what is the surpassing greatness of His power toward us who believe.? Ephesians 1:17?19 This is the same power and Spirit that raised Christ Jesus from the dead (Romans 8:11).