The Exchanged Life

The only one who ever lived a perfect Christian life is Jesus Christ; therefore, the way to "live the Christian life" is to let Jesus live through you. Jesus became as we are so we could become as He is. The following chart shows how we trade places with Jesus Christ.

Identification with Christ

One of the Apostle Paul's favorite phrases was "in Christ." Paul used this expression, or something similar to it, over one hundred times in his writings.

Being "in Christ" means being a new creation. When a person repents of their sin and believes in Jesus they are baptized into Christ and identify with His righteousness, crucifixion, resurrection, and ascension. For further study see Ephesians 2:5-6, 1 Corinthians 12:13, Romans 6:3-4, Colossians 3:1-3, Romans 6:11, Romans 8:1, Ephesians 1:3 and view the PowerPoint slide show below.

Spiritual Authority

Hollywood sensationalizes the spiritual conflict between human beings and the forces of darkness. But the Christian who understands their position in Christ has no cause for fear. Psalm 8 explains there are four levels of life. From highest to lowest they are as follows:

• God
• Angels (good and bad)
• Man
• Animals

God came down to man and took on human flesh, this is referred to as the incarnation. Jesus lived a perfect life, died a substitutionary death on the cross, arose from the dead on the third day, and then ascended back up into heaven. Every person who turns from their sin and self-righteousness and trusts in Jesus is immersed into Christ and identifies with Him. They are raised up into the heavenlies with Christ and are seated at the right-hand of the Father. Spiritual warfare waged from an earthly position is frightening. But when a Christian realizes they are in Christ "far above all principality and power and might and dominion" all fear is gone.

View the PowerPoint slide show below and study these scriptures: Ephesians 6:10, Ephesians 2:5-6, Ephesians 1:19-21, and Romans 16:20.