The Bible teaches that all spiritual blessings are found
in Christ. But, what must a person do to get in Christ?
Eph. 1:3 declares, “Blessed be the God and Father of our
Lord Jesus Christ, who hath blessed us with all spiritual
blessings in heavenly places in Christ.” Paul wrote this to the
saints at Ephesus He noted that they were “in Christ Jesus”
(Eph. 1:1). Since they were in Christ, they, therefore,
enjoyed all spiritual blessings of being in Christ. If all
spiritual blessings are found in Christ, then there are no
spiritual blessings found outside of Christ.
2 Tim. 2:10 tells us that salvation is “in Christ Jesus.”
The antithesis is that there is no salvation outside of Christ
Jesus.
Paul wrote in Rom. 8:1, “There is therefore now no
condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus,. . .” Again, the
antithesis is that there is condemnation to them which are
not in Christ Jesus. Therefore, it is imperative for all of us
to recognize the truth that we must be in Christ in order to
be saved.
According to the Bible, it is possible for a person to be
“in Christ” (see Rom. 16 where Paul named several
individuals who were “in Christ.”). If it is possible to be in
Christ, then it is possible to be out of Christ (see Eph. 2:12-
13). In fact, Paul wrote these words in Rom. 16:7 – “Salute
Andronicus and Junia, my kinsmen, and my fellow prisoners,
who are of note among the apostles, who also were in Christ
before me.” The fact that Andronicus and Junia were in
Christ before Paul implies two things. First, there was a
time when Paul was out of Christ, and second, when Paul
penned these words, he was in Christ. The question is,
“What did Paul do to go from being out of Christ to being in
Christ?” To make the question more personal, “What must I
do to get in Christ?”
In Gal. 3:26-27, Paul said, “For ye are all the children of
God by faith in Christ Jesus. (27) For as many of you as have
been baptized into Christ have put on Christ.” This verse tells
us what the Galatians did to get into Christ; they were
baptized into Christ (see also Rom. 6:3). Can a person be
saved outside of Christ? No honest and sincere person will
say, “Yes.” But, the way into Christ is by being baptized into
him. This, therefore, makes baptism absolutely necessary
for salvation. Have you been baptized “into Christ?”