When the Good News Is Really Heard

And you also were included in Christ

when you heard the word of truth,

the gospel of your salvation.

Having believed…[1]

What happens when people hear and believe the gospel of Jesus Christ?

Many things stay the same. The sun still rises in the east and sets in the west, and you still see the same face in the mirror.

But at the core of a person who hears and believes God’s good news, something radical takes place that changes their life forever.

Let’s touch on three questions about that radical change.

• Why is it needed?
• What are the changes?
• How does it happen?

Why do we need a radical change?

Here is some of the backstory to explain why we need radical change.

Although everything began as “very good” (Genesis 1-2), things went wrong in Genesis 3 with Adam’s act of rebellion against God.

Since then, each of us has been born ‘in Adam.’ As such, we do not differ from Adam and all that means. Of course, disparities in size, shape, sex, intelligence, temperament, ethnicity, and other traits continue to distinguish us. Yet we are each like Adam in our essential humanity.

The account of Adam’s earliest descendants echoes the mournful cadence of “…and he died,” “…and he died,” “…and he died” (Genesis 5). This death is a separation from the one true God of Creation and the flourishing life He provides.

Paul sums up the inevitable result of our situation:

… in Adam all die … (1 Corinthians 15:22)

… sin entered the world through one man [Adam], and death through sin, and in this way death came to all people … (Romans 5:12)

With this bleak background, one sympathizes with Shakespeare’s Macbeth. After he learns of his wife’s death, he reflects on the shortness and futility of life.

Tomorrow, and tomorrow, and tomorrow,

Creeps in this petty pace from day to day,

To the last syllable of recorded time;

And all our yesterdays have lighted fools

The way to dusty death. Out, out, brief candle!

Life’s but a walking shadow, a poor player,

That struts and frets his hour upon the stage,

And then is heard no more. It is a tale

Told by an idiot, full of sound and fury,

Signifying nothing.[2]

Sounds pretty hopeless.

What changes?

Earlier, I quoted the first part of 1 Corinthians 15:22. Here is the rest of that text:

For as in Adam all die, so in Christ all will be made alive.

We were all born ‘in Adam,’ but we do not have to remain under the sentence of alienation from God and His abundant life. We can experience a restored relationship and fullness of life ‘in Christ.’  

In this series, we have been exploring Ephesians 1:3-14 and some of the divine blessings given to every person who is ‘in Christ.’ Some of those blessings include:

• a new status — from death ‘in Adam’ to life ‘in Christ,’
• a new relationship — adopted by God,
• redemption — release from the penalty and power of sin,
• forgiveness of sins,
• a new future,
• and much more.

If you spend any time reading the Bible, you will realize more and more the riches that belong to those who are ‘in Christ.’

But how and when does this transfer or conversion from being ‘in Adam’ to ‘in Christ’ occur?

How to be included ‘in Christ’

As we come to Ephesians 1:13, we learn that

… you also were included in Christ

when you heard the word of truth,

the gospel of your salvation.

Having believed…

Upon hearing and believing the gospel, a person is included in Christ. That is good news!

Hearing and believing are frequently connected when it comes to salvation, being included ‘in Christ.’ Here are two examples:

After much discussion, Peter got up and addressed them: “Brothers, you know that some time ago God made a choice among you that the Gentiles might hear from my lips the message of the gospel and believe.” (Acts 15:7)

How, then, can they call on the one they have not believed in? And how can they believe in the one of whom they have not heard? And how can they hear without someone preaching to them? (Romans 10:14)

It is “When you heard… having believed,” that you are included in ‘Christ.’ 

If you are not yet ‘in Christ,’ I provide two resources (below) so you can hear and believe.

If you are already ‘in Christ,’ I encourage you to share the good news with others so they can hear and believe. You can use these resources to help with that.

Two resources

Here are the two resources. I hope you find these helpful. I encourage you to read or watch and take them to heart:

1. The Four Spiritual Laws[3] — Someone shared the message of this little booklet with me the day I received Jesus Christ. I hope it is as much of a blessing for you. If you are already ‘in Christ,’ you can read it with someone and ask if they grasp what they are reading. If they have questions, do your best to answer them. 
2. The video “From ‘in Adam’ to ‘in Christ’” (also, see the link below). Again, if you find it useful, you can watch it with someone and ask if they understand what they hear. As mentioned, this could start a good conversation about how they can be included ‘in Christ.’

Let me know your thoughts. What other resources have you found helpful? You can contact me by using this link. 

BACK TO Living Out Our Hope in Christ

Notes:

[1] Ephesians 1:13a from the New International Version (NIV).

[2] William Shakespeare, Macbeth, ed. David Bevington, 9th ed. (Boston, MA: Pearson, 2014), Act 5, Scene 5.

[3] The Four Spiritual Laws were written by Dr. Bill Bright of Campus Crusade for Christ, now known as Cru. You can access this booklet in multiple languages using this link.