1 Corinthians 3:21-23 (ESV)
[21] So let no one boast in men. For all things are yours, [22]
whether Paul or Apollos or Cephas or the world or life or death or the present
or the future—all are yours, [23] and you are Christ’s, and Christ is God’s.
Paul
began this chapter by accusing the Corinthian believers of being “people of
flesh” (1 Cor 3:1) and “merely human” (1 Cor 3:4). He ended the chapter by
reminding them that in Christ they are so much more. Understanding those two
truths are critical. In Christ all things were theirs. They were divided over who
followed the best preacher. They were divided over who had the best gift. They
were divided over who was the most blessed. All of that is “merely human.” That
is not the Spirit of God. That is the flesh, but the truth is that no matter
how fleshly they acted, as believers they were so much more. They were in
Christ.
When
we make cleaning up the flesh the focus of our Christian life we will always
fail. When we make guilt and confession the basis of what it means to follow
God, we miss the whole point of the gospel. That Good News is that in Christ we
are new creations. The Good News is that as believers we are in the Spirit of
God and the Spirit of God is in us. The Good News is that we are victors in
Christ, but we will never live out our victory until we believe it. As long as
we believe that we cannot help ourselves, we have already made room for the
flesh. In Christ I am crucified, buried, and risen as a new person (see Romans
6 and Galatians 2:20). If you are a believer then you are in Christ. Believe
it. We don’t boast in ourselves. We boast in the fact that we “are Christ’s and
Christ is God’s” (1 Cor 3:23). I am in Christ and Christ is in me. Believe it.
Rest in it. Walk in it. I am Christ’s and Christ is mine. That is Good News.
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