“But of Him you are in Christ Jesus, who became for us wisdom from God—and righteousness and sanctification and redemption—”
In verses 30 and 31, God gives the reason why He uses lesser folks to advance His kingdom. Our identity is an unadulterated gift from God in Christ. God’s wisdom pivots around the believer’s position in Christ. This kind of wisdom produces righteousness, sanctification, and redemption.
But of Him you are in Christ Jesus,
“But” shows a contrast to the previous section—God’s salvation comes from God, in contrast to those who seek God by human methods.
“Of Him” is literally out of Him—God the Father is the source of what follows. God is the original cause of our salvation in Christ. Salvation comes from God, not from something we do.
“In Christ Jesus” is the sphere where the Father chose our righteousness, sanctification, and redemption. This is God’s kind of wisdom. Everything in this passage is from the divine standpoint. We cannot boast in our understanding; we can only boast in God’s wisdom. We are what we are is due wholly to God. We share Christ’s acceptance with God.
who became for us
Christ “became unto us [for our eternal gain].” The word “became” means to become something he was not before. What Christ was before was eternal God. Then He stepped foot on earth into a human body to die for our sins. By Christ’s incarnation, death, and resurrection, He became our source of salvation. This did not happen when we believed, but when Christ came in the first century.
PRINCIPLE:
We are what we are because of what God did in Christ.
APPLICATION:
God views our identity in Christ. We hold the same status quo as Jesus in God’s presence. Every person who places their faith in the finished work of God stands perfect before God.
Eph 1:3, Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places in Christ,
Every believer is “in Christ Jesus.” There are no exceptions.
God is alone the source of our salvation. It is due to God’s doing alone that we are what we are in Christ. God’s design of salvation glorifies God because He does the doing; it is based on Him and not on what we do.
Very helpful. Thanks and God’s blessings, brother.
Thanks Troy.
“who became for us wisdom… The word “became” means to become something he was not before. What Christ was before was eternal God.”
different view: before Christ we had only worldly wisdom, no righteousness, no sanctification, no redemption
C.R., go to the next study (1:30b).
Already knowing that, In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God… We now overstand that the Word became, (means to become something he was not before),for our eternal gain.
Inquiring Mind, did you mistype “overstand?” I do not understand your point.
It’s God‘s wisdom, because nobody knows the things of God, except the spirit of God, which he has given us. His wisdom is that righteousness is through faith in his son Jesus Christ. And we are sanctified by the blood of Christ and his Holy Spirit, which we receive, when we put our faith in Jesus Christ and our reading from this present world.