One could argue that the most important word in the letters of
Paul is the tiny, two-letter preposition 'in'?
In. 'In' is a container
metaphor. I am now in my home office. Which means I share whatever is
now transpiring in my home office.
'In' is a participatory metaphor. (My doctoral dissertation was on metaphor theory.) Such as, I am in a marriage. I am a co-participant in a lifelong, covenantal union with my wife Linda.
As my Teacher, Jesus teaches me about 'in'. Gary Moon writes:
"According to [Lewis] Smedes, Paul’s writings are driven by one
consuming theme. One hundred sixty-four times Paul makes reference either to
our being “in Christ” or to Christ’s being “in” us. Apparently, the apostle
believed there was something even more important and transforming than the
moral teachings of Jesus. It was the great mystery revealed. It was the present
possibility of entering into union with Christ—the center and condition of
authentic human existence." (Moon, Apprenticeship with Jesus:Learning to Live Like the Master, pp. 44-45)
As a follower of Jesus, You are in Christ! You share in things that are now transpiring with the trinitarian being of God. Therefore, abide in him.
Moon writes: "I don’t believe the transforming power of Christ is present with us now because he once said, “Love your neighbor as yourself,” but because the living Christ can love my neighbor through me by being in me. The difference here can be as vast as the chasm that separates reading a prayer about God from experiencing prayer with God." (pp. 45-46; emphasis mine)
This is big.
I bless you with an abiding life of experiencing the reality of union in Christ!
