"In Jesus Christ" and "In Christ"

Bible Search for "in Jesus Christ" and "in Christ"

English Standard Version 92 results in 89 verses
Acts 24:24	After some days Felix came with his wife Drusilla, who was Jewish, and he sent for Paul and heard him speak about faith in Christ Jesus.
Rom 3:22	the righteousness of God through faith in Jesus Christ for all who believe. For there is no distinction:
Rom 3:24	and are justified by his grace as a gift, through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus,
Rom 6:11	So you also must consider yourselves dead to sin and alive to God in Christ Jesus.
Rom 6:23	For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.
Rom 8:1	There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus.
Rom 8:2	For the law of the Spirit of life has set you free in Christ Jesus from the law of sin and death.
Rom 8:39	nor height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord.
Rom 9:1	I am speaking the truth in Christ—I am not lying; my conscience bears me witness in the Holy Spirit—
Rom 12:5	so we, though many, are one body in Christ, and individually members one of another.
Rom 15:17	In Christ Jesus, then, I have reason to be proud of my work for God.
Rom 16:3	Greet Prisca and Aquila, my fellow workers in Christ Jesus,
Rom 16:7	Greet Andronicus and Junia, my kinsmen and my fellow prisoners. They are well known to the apostles, and they were in Christ before me.
Rom 16:9	Greet Urbanus, our fellow worker in Christ, and my beloved Stachys.
Rom 16:10	Greet Apelles, who is approved in Christ. Greet those who belong to the family of Aristobulus.
1 Cor 1:2	To the church of God that is in Corinth, to those sanctified in Christ Jesus, called to be saints together with all those who in every place call upon the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, both their Lord and ours:
1 Cor 1:4	I give thanks to my God always for you because of the grace of God that was given you in Christ Jesus,
1 Cor 1:30	And because of him you are in Christ Jesus, who became to us wisdom from God, righteousness and sanctification and redemption,
1 Cor 3:1	But I, brothers, could not address you as spiritual people, but as people of the flesh, as infants in Christ.
1 Cor 4:10	We are fools for Christ’s sake, but you are wise in Christ. We are weak, but you are strong. You are held in honor, but we in disrepute.
1 Cor 4:15	For though you have countless guides in Christ, you do not have many fathers. For I became your father in Christ Jesus through the gospel.
1 Cor 4:17	That is why I sent you Timothy, my beloved and faithful child in the Lord, to remind you of my ways in Christ, as I teach them everywhere in every church.
1 Cor 15:18	Then those also who have fallen asleep in Christ have perished.
1 Cor 15:19	If in Christ we have hope in this life only, we are of all people most to be pitied.
1 Cor 15:22	For as in Adam all die, so also in Christ shall all be made alive.
1 Cor 15:31	I protest, brothers, by my pride in you, which I have in Christ Jesus our Lord, I die every day!
1 Cor 16:24	My love be with you all in Christ Jesus. Amen.
2 Cor 1:21	And it is God who establishes us with you in Christ, and has anointed us,
2 Cor 2:14	But thanks be to God, who in Christ always leads us in triumphal procession, and through us spreads the fragrance of the knowledge of him everywhere.
2 Cor 2:17	For we are not, like so many, peddlers of God’s word, but as men of sincerity, as commissioned by God, in the sight of God we speak in Christ.
2 Cor 5:17	Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come.
2 Cor 5:19	that is, in Christ God was reconciling the world to himself, not counting their trespasses against them, and entrusting to us the message of reconciliation.
2 Cor 12:2	I know a man in Christ who fourteen years ago was caught up to the third heaven—whether in the body or out of the body I do not know, God knows.
2 Cor 12:19	Have you been thinking all along that we have been defending ourselves to you? It is in the sight of God that we have been speaking in Christ, and all for your upbuilding, beloved.
Gal 1:22	And I was still unknown in person to the churches of Judea that are in Christ.
Gal 2:4	Yet because of false brothers secretly brought in—who slipped in to spy out our freedom that we have in Christ Jesus, so that they might bring us into slavery—
Gal 2:16	yet we know that a person is not justified by works of the law but through faith in Jesus Christ, so we also have believed in Christ Jesus, in order to be justified by faith in Christ and not by works of the law, because by works of the law no one will be justified.
Gal 2:17	But if, in our endeavor to be justified in Christ, we too were found to be sinners, is Christ then a servant of sin? Certainly not!
Gal 3:14	so that in Christ Jesus the blessing of Abraham might come to the Gentiles, so that we might receive the promised Spirit through faith.
Gal 3:22	But the Scripture imprisoned everything under sin, so that the promise by faith in Jesus Christ might be given to those who believe.
Gal 3:26	for in Christ Jesus you are all sons of God, through faith.
Gal 3:28	There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free, there is no male and female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus.
Gal 5:6	For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision nor uncircumcision counts for anything, but only faith working through love.
Eph 1:1	Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus by the will of God, To the saints who are in Ephesus, and are faithful in Christ Jesus:
Eph 1:3	Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in Christ with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places,
Eph 1:9	making known to us the mystery of his will, according to his purpose, which he set forth in Christ
Eph 1:12	so that we who were the first to hope in Christ might be to the praise of his glory.
Eph 1:20	that he worked in Christ when he raised him from the dead and seated him at his right hand in the heavenly places,
Eph 2:6	and raised us up with him and seated us with him in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus,
Eph 2:7	so that in the coming ages he might show the immeasurable riches of his grace in kindness toward us in Christ Jesus.
Eph 2:10	For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them.
Eph 2:13	But now in Christ Jesus you who once were far off have been brought near by the blood of Christ.
Eph 3:6	This mystery is that the Gentiles are fellow heirs, members of the same body, and partakers of the promise in Christ Jesus through the gospel.
Eph 3:11	This was according to the eternal purpose that he has realized in Christ Jesus our Lord,
Eph 3:21	to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, forever and ever. Amen.
Eph 4:32	Be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, as God in Christ forgave you.
Phil 1:1	Paul and Timothy, servants of Christ Jesus, To all the saints in Christ Jesus who are at Philippi, with the overseers and deacons:
Phil 1:26	so that in me you may have ample cause to glory in Christ Jesus, because of my coming to you again.
Phil 2:1	So if there is any encouragement in Christ, any comfort from love, any participation in the Spirit, any affection and sympathy,
Phil 2:5	Have this mind among yourselves, which is yours in Christ Jesus,
Phil 3:3	For we are the circumcision, who worship by the Spirit of God and glory in Christ Jesus and put no confidence in the flesh—
Phil 3:9	and be found in him, not having a righteousness of my own that comes from the law, but that which comes through faith in Christ, the righteousness from God that depends on faith—
Phil 3:14	I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus.
Phil 4:7	And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.
Phil 4:19	And my God will supply every need of yours according to his riches in glory in Christ Jesus.
Phil 4:21	Greet every saint in Christ Jesus. The brothers who are with me greet you.
Col 1:2	To the saints and faithful brothers in Christ at Colossae: Grace to you and peace from God our Father.
Col 1:4	since we heard of your faith in Christ Jesus and of the love that you have for all the saints,
Col 1:28	Him we proclaim, warning everyone and teaching everyone with all wisdom, that we may present everyone mature in Christ.
Col 2:5	For though I am absent in body, yet I am with you in spirit, rejoicing to see your good order and the firmness of your faith in Christ.
1 Thess 2:14	For you, brothers, became imitators of the churches of God in Christ Jesus that are in Judea. For you suffered the same things from your own countrymen as they did from the Jews,
1 Thess 4:16	For the Lord himself will descend from heaven with a cry of command, with the voice of an archangel, and with the sound of the trumpet of God. And the dead in Christ will rise first.
1 Thess 5:18	give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.
1 Tim 1:14	and the grace of our Lord overflowed for me with the faith and love that are in Christ Jesus.
1 Tim 3:13	For those who serve well as deacons gain a good standing for themselves and also great confidence in the faith that is in Christ Jesus.
2 Tim 1:1	Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus by the will of God according to the promise of the life that is in Christ Jesus,
2 Tim 1:9	who saved us and called us to a holy calling, not because of our works but because of his own purpose and grace, which he gave us in Christ Jesus before the ages began,
2 Tim 1:13	Follow the pattern of the sound words that you have heard from me, in the faith and love that are in Christ Jesus.
2 Tim 2:1	You then, my child, be strengthened by the grace that is in Christ Jesus,
2 Tim 2:10	Therefore I endure everything for the sake of the elect, that they also may obtain the salvation that is in Christ Jesus with eternal glory.
2 Tim 3:12	Indeed, all who desire to live a godly life in Christ Jesus will be persecuted,
2 Tim 3:15	and how from childhood you have been acquainted with the sacred writings, which are able to make you wise for salvation through faith in Christ Jesus.
Philem 8	Accordingly, though I am bold enough in Christ to command you to do what is required,
Philem 20	Yes, brother, I want some benefit from you in the Lord. Refresh my heart in Christ.
Philem 23	Epaphras, my fellow prisoner in Christ Jesus, sends greetings to you,
Heb 3:14	For we have come to share in Christ, if indeed we hold our original confidence firm to the end.
1 Pet 3:16	having a good conscience, so that, when you are slandered, those who revile your good behavior in Christ may be put to shame.
1 Pet 5:10	And after you have suffered a little while, the God of all grace, who has called you to his eternal glory in Christ, will himself restore, confirm, strengthen, and establish you.
1 Pet 5:14	Greet one another with the kiss of love. Peace to all of you who are in Christ.

 

 

"The chief end of man is to glorify God by enjoying Him forever."

1. The Tension in the Statement

The Westminster Shorter Catechism Q.1 teaches:

“The chief end of man is to glorify God, and to enjoy Him forever.”

This statement calls the church to worship, delight, and unity in Christ. Yet, in reality, churches sometimes descend into lawsuits, schisms, and harsh disputes over things like Perfect TR or KJV-onlyism.

This is a painful contradiction:

On one hand: Glorify and enjoy God.

On the other hand: Fight and sue each other over Bible versions.

Yes, it can sound cruel and ironic, almost as if we betray the very God we claim to glorify.

2. Why This Happens

Misplaced Zeal

Christians sometimes love their doctrinal systems more than they love God Himself or their fellow believers (Rom. 14:17–19).

Confusing Secondary with Primary Issues

  The gospel is central (1 Cor. 15:3–4). But when Bible version debates are elevated to the level of the gospel itself, unity is broken.

Pride and Fear

  Instead of trusting that God can preserve His Word without our battles, fear drives believers to over-defend, even against brothers in Christ. Pride makes us say: “Only we are right.”

3. The Cruel Irony

When Christians sue each other over Perfect TR/KJV, the watching world sees a divided, bitter church rather than a people who glorify and enjoy God.

Paul rebuked the Corinthians for this exact problem:

“To have lawsuits at all with one another is already a defeat for you. Why not rather suffer wrong? Why not rather be defrauded?” (1 Cor. 6:7).

The cruelty lies in the fact that the very Word of God—given to bring life, unity, and joy—is turned into a weapon of division.

4. How to Reconcile

If we truly want to glorify God and enjoy Him forever:

1. Keep the Gospel Central — Bible translations are important, but salvation in Christ is infinitely more important.

2. Practice Humility — admit no one has a monopoly on truth except Christ Himself (John 14:6).

3. Seek Peace, Not Lawsuits — Scripture calls lawsuits among believers a failure (1 Cor. 6).

4. Use Scripture to Build, Not Break — God’s Word was given “for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness” (2 Tim. 3:16), not for church politics and lawsuits.

It does sound cruel when churches that should glorify God by enjoying Him forever instead end up dividing, suing, and fighting over Bible versions. It shows how easily human pride can hijack holy things.

FEBC’s Position

FEBC’s doctrine of VPP, Perfect TR, and KJV-Onlyism reflects a zeal to defend God’s Word, but it does so at the cost of sound exegesis, historical accuracy, scholarly integrity, and church unity. While the Bible is indeed preserved and trustworthy, insisting on a single “perfect” TR and English translation has no biblical command, no confessional mandate, and no historical consensus.

The safer evangelical stance is:

• Inspiration applies uniquely to the autographs.

• Preservation applies generally through God’s providence in the manuscript tradition.

• Translations are faithful insofar as they accurately reflect the inspired text, but no translation is “perfect.”

Thus, FEBC’s teaching must be seen as a new and sectarian development, not the historic Reformed faith.

Matthew 24:35 / Luke 21:33

1. What Jesus Meant in Matthew 24:35 / Luke 21:33

Jesus says:

“Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will never pass away.”

Context: In Matthew 24 and Luke 21, Jesus is speaking about the end times. He is contrasting the temporary nature of creation with the enduring reliability of His promises and teaching.

Meaning: Jesus assures His disciples that everything He has spoken — including His prophecy of the destruction of the Temple, His promises of salvation, and His warnings of judgment — will surely come to pass.

This is not about the mechanics of manuscript preservation or about one Bible translation, but about the certainty and authority of His teaching.

3. Why Applying Matthew 24:35 to Support VPP / TR / KJV-only is Wrong

Misuse of Context

Jesus’ statement is about the permanence and reliability of His teaching, not about a guarantee that one particular manuscript tradition or translation will be perfectly preserved.

He never mentioned Greek manuscripts, the Textus Receptus, or a future English translation.

Historical Reality

The early church did not have a single “perfect” manuscript. The apostles and church fathers quoted from a variety of textual forms (e.g., Septuagint, different NT manuscript families).

If Matthew 24:35 meant a single, perfectly preserved text, we should expect the apostles and early Christians to identify it. They never did.

Contradiction with Transmission Facts

All manuscript traditions (TR, Byzantine, Alexandrian, etc.) have minor variations.

Claiming one text is “perfectly preserved” ignores the evidence of scribal errors, corrections, and natural transmission processes that God allowed.

Theological Overreach

The doctrine of inspiration applies to the original writings (autographs), not to every later copy or translation.

Preservation in Scripture means that God’s Word remains accessible and reliable throughout history, not that one printed edition (TR, 16th century) or one translation (KJV, 17th century) is flawless.

KJV-only Circular Logic

Using Matthew 24:35 to claim the KJV is perfect assumes what it tries to prove:

Premise: God preserved His Word perfectly.

Assumption: The KJV is that perfect preservation.

Conclusion: Therefore the KJV is perfect.

This is not exegesis but circular reasoning.

4. What Matthew 24:35 Really Teaches for Us

The Bible we have — whether in English, Mandarin, Malay, or Greek — faithfully conveys Christ’s words and message.

Despite the differences between manuscripts and translations, the gospel and core teachings of Jesus are preserved and remain trustworthy.

The promise is not about an error-free 17th-century English translation, but about the enduring truth and authority of Christ’s message.

Conclusion:

Matthew 24:35 and Luke 21:33 assure believers of the permanence of Jesus’ teaching and the certainty of His promises. To use these verses to promote Verbal Plenary Preservation, Perfect TR, or KJV-onlyism is a misapplication, because Jesus was not speaking about manuscript traditions or translations. These later doctrines take a spiritual promise and force it into a narrow textual or translation theory that the Bible itself never teaches.

Jesus Christ on the Word

References to the Word of God by Christ are quotes from the Old Testament. Among these is the one used against the devil during the temptation. The written Word became alive on His lips and was powerful to defeat the devil. The quote is from Deuteronomy 8:3:

And he humbled thee, and suffered thee to hunger, and fed thee with manna, which thou knewest not, neither did thy fathers know; that he might make thee know that man doth not live by bread only, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of the LORD doth man live.

The Word of God was the subject of the principal parable among all the parables that Jesus gave. This is recorded in Matthew 13, Mark 4, and Luke 8. It is the parable of the sower, the seed, and the soil. Jesus indicated that it was unlikely that they could understand any parable without an understanding of this one. In explaining the parable Jesus stated, “Now the parable is this: The seed is the Word of God” (Luke 8:11).

In referring to His own words, Jesus stated that they would never pass away (Matt. 24:35; Luke 21:33).

The Pharisees were scored by Jesus for nullifying the Word of God with their traditions (Mark 7:13).

Mary was impregnated by the Word of God (Luke 1:37).

Folks were amazed that Jesus taught the Word of God with power and authority (Luke 4:32).

Demons were removed from people through Jesus’ use of words (Luke 4:36).

Miracles resulted when the disciples obeyed the Word of Jesus (Luke 5:5–7).

The centurion understood the concept of the authority of the Word of God as he trusted Jesus to simply “say in a word, and my servant shall be healed” (Luke 7:7).

Jesus pronounced a blessing on those who hear the Word of God and obey it (Luke 11:28).

Eternal life belongs to those who hear His Word and believe in God (John 5:24).

He said of His words, “They are spirit, and they are life” (John 6:63).

Knowing the truth is the means of freedom (John 8:32).

Abiding in Christ and abiding in His words are the prerequisites to continuously answered prayer (John 15:7).

Jesus prayed that God would sanctify us through the truth, truth being identified as “thy Word” (John 17:17).

Jack R. Taylor, The Word of God with Power: Experiencing the Full Meaning and Blessing of the “Word of God” (Nashville, TN: Broadman & Holman Publishers, 1993), 150–151.

Matthew 4:4

Matthew 4:4

"Jesus answered, “It is written: ‘Man shall not live on bread alone, but on every word that comes from the mouth of God.’"

What does living “by every word of God” (Matt. 4:4) signify? 

Trusting all his promises, and keeping all his commands.

Higher Criticism vs Lower Criticism

Higher Criticism

Higher criticism, also known as the historical-critical method, focuses on the "world behind the text." It investigates the literary and historical context of the biblical books. Scholars using this method ask questions about authorship, date of composition, sources, and the historical development of the text. For example, a higher critic might analyze the book of Isaiah to determine if it was written by one author or multiple authors over different periods. This approach treats the Bible like any other ancient text, using methods from history, linguistics, and literary analysis.

Lower Criticism

Lower criticism, more commonly called textual criticism, focuses on the "text itself." Its goal is to establish the most accurate and original wording of the biblical books. Since we don't have the original manuscripts (autographs), textual critics compare thousands of surviving manuscripts, fragments, and ancient translations to identify and correct scribal errors, additions, or omissions that occurred over centuries of copying. Their work involves meticulously examining differences in wording to reconstruct a text that is as close as possible to the author's original. For example, a textual critic might compare Greek manuscripts of the New Testament to determine the correct wording of a particular verse.

Key Distinctions

The simplest way to distinguish the two is by their primary focus:

Higher criticism is concerned with the history and authorship of the biblical books.

Lower criticism is concerned with the words and transmission of the biblical text.

Think of it this way: a textual critic (lower criticism) tries to figure out what the original author wrote, while a historical critic (higher criticism) tries to figure out who the original author was and why they wrote it.

The Harm of Higher Criticism

The primary concern with higher criticism lies in its foundational presupposition that the Bible is a purely human document, subject to the same literary and historical forces as any other ancient text. This approach often leads to:

Undermining Divine Inspiration: By seeking naturalistic explanations for biblical events and authorship, higher criticism can dismiss or reinterpret miraculous accounts and prophecies, thus denying the supernatural element of the Bible.

Challenging Traditional Authorship: Theories like the Documentary Hypothesis, which posits that the first five books of the Bible were written by multiple, anonymous authors, directly contradict traditional religious belief that Moses was the sole author.

Creating Doubt and Disbelief: For many believers, the conclusions of higher criticism can lead to a loss of faith in the Bible as a trustworthy, authoritative, and infallible Word of God. This can be seen as a "disintegration" of the text's message.

The Role of Lower Criticism

In contrast, lower criticism (textual criticism) is generally seen as constructive rather than harmful. It operates from a different premise and has a different goal.

Restoring the Original Text: Textual criticism does not question the divine origin of the Bible; rather, it aims to purify the text by identifying and removing errors introduced by scribes during centuries of manual copying. The goal is to get as close as possible to the original, divinely-inspired words.

Strengthening Faith: For scholars and believers, the meticulous work of textual criticism provides a stronger foundation for the biblical text. The vast number of manuscripts and the high degree of agreement between them often reinforce confidence in the Bible's transmission over time.

In summary, higher criticism is viewed as harmful because its methods can lead to a fundamental rejection of the Bible's spiritual authority, while lower criticism is viewed as beneficial because it helps to preserve the integrity of the Bible's physical text.

INSIGHTS ON FAITH FROM SMITH WIGGLESWORTH

God’s Word is a tremendous word, a productive word. It produces what it is—power. It produces Godlikeness. We get to heaven through Christ, the Word of God; we have peace through the blood of His cross. Redemption is ours through the knowledge of the Word.

Nothing in the world glorifies God as much as simple rest of faith in what God’s Word says. “This is the work of God, that you believe” (John 6:29).

The Bible is truth; it is the Word of God; it is God Himself portrayed in Word. You see God in the Word. God can manifest Himself through that Word until we become a living factor of that truth because “God is light and in Him is no darkness” (1 John 1:5). God is life. God is revelation. God is manifestation. God is operation. So God wants to truly bring us into a place where we have the clearest revelation—even though there may be much conviction through it—the clearest revelation of where we stand.

Smith Wigglesworth, The Greatest Bible Promises for Faith & Miracles, The Greatest Bible Promises (New Kensington, PA: Whitaker House, 2017), 109.

A more sure word

       “A more sure word, … whereunto ye do well that ye take heed.” (2 Pet. 1:19.)

      A Word sent down from God in heaven,

      A Word from Christ to mortals given,

      A Word of truth, a Word of love,

      What matchless mercies doth it prove:

           God’s Holy Word.

      A Word inerrant always true

      Through all the ages ever new;

      Though heaven and earth shall pass away,

      This Word abideth on for aye:

           God’s Living Word.

      A Word that’s named, God’s Holy Book,

      A Word on which the angels look,

      A Word to which the saints give heed,

      A Word which meets their every need:

           God’s Faithful Word.

      A Word which God has authorized

      The Living Word, all vitalized,

      A life-begetting Word to all

      Who trust in Christ, and on Him call:

           God’s Saving Word.

      A Sacred Word, a lamp, a light

      That shineth through the darkest night;

      A Word that gleams upon our way,

      That brighter shines till perfect day:

           God’s Blessed Word.

      A Word that came from God’s own hand,

      A Word of power and command;

      A Word by which all things were made,

      A Word by which the storm was stayed:

           God’s Mighty Word.

      A Word of Grace, a Word replete,

      The staff of life of finest wheat;

      A Word that’s stamped with God’s “amen,”

      I’ll preach it over moor and fen:

           God’s Wondrous Word.

R. E. Neighbour, Gems of Gold: Daily Meditations (WORDsearch, 2010), 167.