C-H-R-I-S-T-I-A-N

Notes of an Address

A Christian is Christ’s ane or one. As a Christian I belong to Christ. He has bought me and I am no longer my own but His. His precious blood has cleansed me from all my sins and it has claimed me for Himself.

Are you a Christian? Christ is knocking at the door of your heart and wants to come in and make your life happy and useful. He knocks. You open. As surely as you open the door so surely He comes in. You do not see Him come in. You do not feel Him come in. But He does come in and comes in to stay in and to be your friend and helper all along life’s way.

If you drop out the letter A from the word CHRISTIAN you will find that you have two words now.

“CHRIST IN.”

Now that is a Christian, one who has let Christ in. Have you done this? If not do it now. Christ is willing to come in. Are you willing to let Him in? He has a right to come so that it is wrong and sinful to keep Him out. When He comes in He brings forgiveness and peace and blessing.

If you let Christ in He will give you power and will enable you to act like Him so that others will see that there is a change and that you are a CHRIST IN boy or girl, that Christ now lives in you.

Did I ever tell you of a little girl who was asked where the Lord Jesus lived now. It was expected that she would say “In Heaven” which is of course true. Instead of that she answered “He lives down our Court.” A young woman named Bessie had been converted and was seeking to follow and serve the Lord Jesus Christ. She was kind to the little children, she went errands for those who were not able to go themselves, she swept out a room and tidied up for a sick person and other kind things. She was like Christ in her ways and so it was that she pleased Christ, and she was seen to be “CHRIST IN” GIRL and made her little friends say Christ lives down our Court. Does Christ live down your Court or Lane or Street or in the house where your home is. If you let Him in He will help you if you look to Him so that you may be to His praise and glory as well.

But now let us change about the two words. Reversing them we shall find

“IN CHRIST.”

That is another way in which a Christian may be looked at. He is seen by God now “in Christ” that is, As Christ (Rom. 8:1). “There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus.” The one who receives Christ as Saviour and Lord, who lets Him in to the heart is made accepted in the Beloved. Christ is God’s beloved Son. See Matthew 3:17, 17:5. And God takes us who believe upon the Lord Jesus into His place. He sees us as He sees Him. Is not that a wonderful thought. We could never have gained such a place or made ourselves worthy of it. God gives it to us in His grace and for the glory of the Lord Jesus. In Christ’s death our sins have been put away and all that we were in our sin has been ended in the sight of God and now God moves us from what we were “in Adam” as sinners and puts us “in Christ” and loves us as He loves Christ.

These are wonderful things. But God wants us to believe them and to enjoy all that He has made us to be before Him.

Soon we are to be with Christ and we shall be like Him then. We shall have bodies of glory like Christ’s too, and so shall we be fit to be His companions for ever.

Now let Christ in as once more He knocks. Then all blessing will be yours and you will be able to be a blessing to others.

I.Fleming

Scattered Seed 1928, p. 29