Paul addresses this letter to the faithful who are " in Christ Jesus". Far from being a mere casual form of address, this is another technical name for believers. The term "in Christ" refers to the process by which God was able to forgive our sin. We are forgiven, we are redeemed, because we have been placed "into Christ". We spoke before of the truth that the righteousness in which we stand before God is a righteousness that is foreign to us, that is, that righteousness is not our own, but is Christ’s righteousness. That righteousness is imputed to us, judicially by God. God was able to impute Christ’s righteousness to us because of this "in Christ" standing. By faith the life, death, and resurrection of Christ is counted by God as if we had done it ourselves. His righteous living, his obedience to the law, his absolute service to his God, his submission to the death of the cross, his agony on Calvary, his sojourn in the tomb, his resurrection and even his ascension are all counted by God as if we had done them ourselves.

Now, of course, we did not do them. In fact, even had we the ability to do them we would not have done them anyway. This is the beauty of God’s plan of salvation. In Christ, God can view us as if we had done all those things ourselves and admit us to his presence. On our own, we would not even gotten close.

This "in Christ" standing before God is important to our understanding of our relationship with him. It is central, and, in fact, underlies much of what Ephesians has to say about our walk with the Father. It is only "in Christ" that all that the book of Ephesians has to say about the Christian’s riches and privileges is true. We have no riches because of our own merit. We have no privileges because we, in ourselves, deserve them. Rather, Paul, in Ephesians, points us to Christ and Christ alone. This is the Reformation doctrine "Solus Cristus", the doctrine of "Christ alone". There is nothing of even the remotest spiritual value that we contribute that merits God’s reward. All that we have, all that God has granted us, we have because of Jesus Christ. It is by Grace alone through faith alone because of Christ alone.

It was Jesus Christ, acting as the federal head of the race, the second Adam, who conquered sin for us. Just as Adam, in God’s economy, acted for all men; so also did Jesus Christ act for those who would believe. Adam disobeyed God’s command, and his disobedience brought sin to the world for all of time. That sin was imputed by God to you and I because he viewed Adam as the federal head of the race. That is, that Adam acted on behalf of everyone who would ever be a part human race. Some will protest; "That’s not fair!" Fairness is not the issue. If Adam had not been counted by God as the federal head of the race, than neither could the second Adam have been, the Lord Jesus Christ. In viewing the man Adam as acting for the entire race God set the stage for Jesus Christ who would also act for the entire race, but this time getting it right.

Just in passing, it’s interesting to note the use of the name Christ Jesus. The Greek word for Christ, as well as the Hebrew word that lies behind it in doctrine emphasizes his mediatorial work as the "Anointed of God". Jesus the man was also Christ, God’s Anointed. Taken along with the "in Christ" concept we were discussing a moment ago, we see again the emphasis on both the deity and the humanity of our Savior. In light of the magnificent work that it took to take those who were haters of God and transform them into those who are Saints and who are characteristically faithful to God, the tie back to Jesus Christ, God, come in the flesh, reminds us that this was not a work done "long distance" by God in heaven with a wave of his mighty hand. Not by any means! This work required that God himself "wrap himself in a mantle will flesh" and walk among men. It required God who was willing to and/or a "great contradiction of sinners". It required a Savior who was willing to be obedient "even to the death of the cross".