OUTSIDE OF CHRIST COMPARED TO BEING IN CHRIST! Introduction: A. (Slide #2) Outside A Stadium For An Event Compared To Being Inside That Stadium. (Ball Game, Concert, Etc.) 1. ( ) Outside -- I Need Tickets! (If you don t get them, you don t get to see the action!) 2. (Slide #3) Inside: a. The THRILL of Victory -- my nephew Crawford at the 2016 NCAA Football Championship Game at the University of Phoenix Stadium in Glendale, Arizona on January 11, 2016. b. (Slide #4) The AGONY of Defeat -- my nephew Crawford at the Iron Bowl on Dec. 1, 2013 when an Auburn player returned a missed field goal attempt for 109 yards to win the game! B. (Slide #5) Outside A House Or Shelter During A Blizzard Compared To Being Inside The House. 1. ( ) Outside -- during a terrible blizzard. 2. (Slide #6) Inside -- by a cozy fire. C. (Slide #7) Word That You Vocalize Outside Whether Intentionally Or Accidentally Compared To (Slide #8) Thoughts Being Inside (Not Saying Them)! D. Feelings Being Vocalized Compared To Being Kept Inside. E. We All Understand The Outside Versus Inside Concept. 1
F. (Slide #9) This Is An Equally True Concept Spiritually! It Is A Biblical Teaching. I. (Slide #10) Outside Of Christ! A. ( ) In Trespasses And Sins! 1. Eph. 2:1 And you He made alive, who were dead in trespasses and sins, 2. Eph. 2:5 even when we were dead in trespasses, made us alive together with Christ (by grace you have been saved), 3. Col. 2:12,13 buried with Him in baptism, in which you also were raised with Him through faith in the working of God, who raised Him from the dead. 13 And you, being dead in your trespasses and the uncircumcision of your flesh, He has made alive together with Him, having forgiven you all trespasses, B. ( ) Lost! 1. Mt. 18:11 For the Son of Man has come to save that which was lost. 2. Lk. 19:10 for the Son of Man has come to seek and to save that which was lost. C. ( ) Condemnation! 1. Jn. 3:19 And this is the condemnation, that the light has come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil. 2. Condemned as a sinner! D. ( ) No Hope (Spiritually Or In Eternity)! 1. Eph. 2:12 that at that time you were without Christ, being aliens from the commonwealth of Israel and strangers from the covenants of promise, having no hope and without God in the world. 2. I Thess. 4:13 But I do not want you to be ignorant, brethren, concerning those who have fallen asleep, lest you sorrow as others who have no hope. E. ( ) Death -- Separation From God (Eternally Unless We Come To Him)! 1. Rom. 6:23 For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord. 2
2. Death -- separation. 3. Eternal Death -- eternally (forever) separated from God II. Inside Christ! A. All Of This Was Planned In Eternity! 1. Eph. 3:9-12 and to make all see what is the fellowship of the mystery, which from the beginning of the ages has been hidden in God who created all things through Jesus Christ; 10 to the intent that now the manifold wisdom of God might be made known by the church to the principalities and powers in the heavenly places, 11 according to the eternal purpose which He accomplished in Christ Jesus our Lord, 12 in whom we have boldness and access with confidence through faith in Him. 2. II Tim. 1:9 who has saved us and called us with a holy calling, not according to our works, but according to His own purpose and grace which was given to us in Christ Jesus before time began, 3. Eph. 1:4,5 just as He chose us in Him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before Him in love, 5 having predestined us to adoption as sons by Jesus Christ to Himself, according to the good pleasure of His will, 4. In Christ throughout Ephesians refers to being In His Church! B. Baptized In The Name Of Jesus Christ. Ac. 2:38 1. Mk. 16:15,16 And He said to them, Go into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature. 16 He who believes and is baptized will be saved; but he who does not believe will be condemned. 2. Ac. 2:38 Then Peter said to them, Repent, and let every one of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins; and you shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. 3. Ac. 22:16 And now why are you waiting? Arise and be baptized, and wash away your sins, calling on the name of the Lord. 4. Romans 6:3,4 Or do you not know that as many of us as were baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into His death? 4 Therefore we were buried with Him through baptism into death, that just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life. 3
5. God s plan of salvation is critical because if I am not IN Him, I have none of the blessings that He provides! 6. The proper mode of baptism and baptism being for the right reason is critical because only then is the sinner in Christ! C. Blessings IN Christ. 1. ( ) Salvation. a. Mk. 16:15 b. II Tim. 2:10 Therefore I endure all things for the sake of the elect, that they also may obtain the salvation which is in Christ Jesus with eternal glory. 2. ( ) Justification. a. Rom. 3:24 being justified freely by His grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus, b. Rom. 5:9 Much more then, having now been justified by His blood, we shall be saved from wrath through Him. 3. ( ) Redemption. a. Redemption is in Christ! b. Rom. 3:24,25 being justified freely by His grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus, 25 whom God set forth as a propitiation by His blood, through faith, to demonstrate His righteousness, because in His forbearance God had passed over the sins that were previously committed, c. I Cor. 1:30 But of Him you are in Christ Jesus, who became for us wisdom from God--and righteousness and sanctification and redemption. 4. ( ) Life! a. Rom. 6:23 For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord. b. II Tim. 1:1 Paul, an apostle of Jesus Christ by the will of God, according to the promise of life which is in Christ Jesus, 5. ( ) Grace. a. God s grace is the blessings that provides a way to be in Christ! b. II Tim. 2:1 You therefore, my son, be strong in the grace that is in Christ Jesus. 6. ( ) Sanctification! a. I Cor. 1:2 To the church of God which is at Corinth, to those who are sanctified in Christ Jesus, called to be saints, with all who in every place call on the name of Jesus Christ our Lord, both theirs and ours: 4
b. Set Apart From Sin, Self, And The World -- Holy! In Christ! 7. ( ) NO Condemnation! a. Rom 8:1 There is therefore now no condemnation to those who are in Christ Jesus, who do not walk according to the flesh, but according to the Spirit. b. I Jn. 3:1 Behold what manner of love the Father has bestowed on us, that we should be called children of God! 8. ( ) Hope! a. I Cor. 15:19 If in this life only we have hope in Christ, we are of all men the most pitiable. b. Col. 1:5 because of the hope which is laid up for you in heaven, of which you heard before in the word of the truth of the gospel, c. Tit. 3:7 that having been justified by His grace we should become heirs according to the hope of eternal life. D. NO WONDER God Described The Christians As: 1. A New Creation! a. II Cor. 5:17 Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new. b. NO LONGER a sinner in sin; now one who is forgiven; now one who belongs to Christ! 2. One who has access to all spiritual blessings! a. 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, b. HOW TERRIBLE to be outside of Christ -- NO spiritual blessings! c. How WONDERFUL to be in Christ -- ALL spiritual blessings! 3. And how wonderful -- all sinners can choose to come to Christ, can be united IN Christ, and can have fellowship in Christ! a. Jews & Gentiles could be united in Christ! United in faith! b. All one in Christ. Gal. 3:28 There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free, there is neither male nor female; for you are all one in Christ Jesus. c. Gal. 6:15 For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision nor uncircumcision avails anything, but a new creation. d. One body in Christ. Rom. 12:5 so we, being many, are one body in Christ, and individually members of one another. e. Eph. 2:13 But now in Christ Jesus you who once were far off have been brought near by the blood of Christ. f. Eph. 3:6 that the Gentiles should be fellow heirs, of the same body, and partakers of His promise in Christ through the gospel, 5
III. One Sad Reality -- You Can Be IN Christ And Leave Him And His Blessings! A. II Pet. 2:20-22 For if, after they have escaped the pollutions of the world through the knowledge of the Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, they are again entangled in them and overcome, the latter end is worse for them than the beginning. 21 For it would have been better for them not to have known the way of righteousness, than having known it, to turn from the holy commandment delivered to them. 22 But it has happened to them according to the true proverb: A dog returns to his own vomit, and, a sow, having washed, to her wallowing in the mire. B. I Tim. 5:12 having condemnation because they have cast off their first faith. Conclusion: A. Are You In Sin? It Is A TERRIBLE Position In Which To Be! But You Can Repent And Be In Christ Where All Spiritual Blessings Are Found If You Will Repent And Obey Him! B. Are You In Christ? Rejoice And Be Determined To Remain In Him As Long As You Live! C. Have You Left Christ? Look At What You Have Left! Repent And Return To Him! 6