It's so wonderful to think of being in Christ!
To know that my true self is not this struggling mass of flesh but that my true, real self is Christ! Wow, what a statement...
To know that it's not that I have to somehow face life's challenges alone, but that Christ Himself is representing me on this earth, and HE is going to face those challenges for me!
To know that God doesn't see me and all my struggles and sins, no! - When God looks at me, He sees Christ and is perfectly pleased with what He sees!
To know that I have died and that old sinful self I used to be is GONE, and now I am a new self!
To know that just as Jesus is seated at the right hand of God as the perfect man, because I am identified with Christ, God sees me as a perfect man (woman)!
"As He is, so are we in this world!"
Joseph Prince says that the phrase "in Christ" means that God is looking at Jesus as our true self now! God is treating us like Jesus! So why should we treat ourselves like trash, he asks. Yes, why?! Why should I shame myself and condemn myself and find fault with myself when God sees me as Jesus! Perfect and beautiful and righteous in every way!
Pastor Prince says, "We are no more in self; we have died and our identity before God is CHRIST HIMSELF!" I really want that to sink in today.. :)