Credit: Flickr user mxing-m

Everything draws its essence from him, and God gave him, him alone, to the assembly as the source of everything it needs. The assembly is, in fact, his body, and every individual contributes to bring his body to a state of completion.

(Ephesians 1:22-23, The Source NT, emphasis mine)

Um… wow.  I have to say that these verses in this translation have just blown me away as of late.

Jesus is the essence of the church.

Jesus is the source of the church.

Everything we need is in Him.

Everything draws its essence, its value, its fragrance, from Him.

And He loves to give all of this to us.

What is true about us because of our identity in Christ is permanent.  It is never untrue.  (Let that sink in for a minute.)  The essence, or nature, of Christ never changes.

Jesus is the real, ultimate essence of His body.  We are the essence of Christ, kind of like a portrait captures the essence of a person or a landscape, but so much more.

Because Jesus is our essence and source, our identity and our real life is found in Him.

The body is the fragrance of Christ in the world.

The body can hold the essence of Christ and also express that essence as we abide in Him.

Our most significant quality is Jesus being uniquely expressed through each member of His body.

Jesus is our source.  He is the origin of the River of Life that flows out from Him and in and through us.  The “every spiritual blessing in the heavenly realms” in Ephesians 1 originate and flow from Him.  It is our union with Jesus as One New Man that gives us access to the blessings.  It is all in and from Him.

Saints, how can we be selfless?

How can we not be anxious about tomorrow?

How can Jesus’ body have one mind?

How can Jesus’ body have one Spirit?

How can we love others as Christ has loved us?

How can we live mutually submitted to each other?

How can we see past each others’ flaws and sins?

How do we not keep a record of wrongs?

How can we be slow to anger and abound in love?

How can we always see the best in each other?

The reality is… we can’t!

Only with Jesus as our essence and our source, our origin, can we accomplish anything of true worth.  Only in Him can we live and move in the divine.

You are the essence of Christ, and He is your Source.

We are the essence of Christ, and He is our Source.

No one else.  Nothing else.

Only Jesus.

This is the key to all spiritual life.

Follow the Life!

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If you would like to expand on the theme of Jesus as our Source and abiding in Him, check out the series going on at the 3rd Race blog.

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