Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who hath blessed us with all spiritual blessings in heavenly (places) IN CHRIST (Ephesians 1:3).

In the above verse there is what grammarians call an ellipsis. That is, in the original Greek text there is a gap after the word “heavenly” into which the King James Bible translators arbitrarily put the word “places”.  There is no word in the Greek text for “places”; it is an unwarranted insertion. Remove that word in the English translation and one is left with the adjective “heavenly” and no noun for it to define.

And that’s as it should be, for God did not intend his Word to imply that heaven has a physical location. However, that is what most people think. To them heaven is a place “above the clouds” to which they will go after death. Some even believe it is another planet far out in space.

But this article has been written to respectively assert that no believer will get to heaven outside of being IN CHRIST. Evidence for that is the Apostle Paul’s description in 2 Corinthians 12:2-5 of the man who was “caught up to the third heaven, “paradise” whom, it is believed, was Paul himself. Importantly he was “a man IN CHRIST” (verse 2).

Of course, to go to heaven and not meet Christ would be unthinkable for any truly saved believer. But the biblical truth is that only by being in the Lord Jesus Christ can find ourselves in the “heavenlies” (Ephesians 1:3).

I would seriously submit that heaven is not a “place” but a PERSON, the Lord Jesus Christ. Evidence for that is that Ephesians 1:3 states that the heavenly blessings cited are “IN CHRIST”. Furthermore, in Ephesians chapters 1-3 being “in Christ” is cited eight times as the ground by which we are saved and then, step by step, are made a living part of Christ, that is God Himself. For, unless we are IN CHRIST we are outside of Him and the great benefits that are his – and ours by inheritance - IN HIM. We’ve already looked at Ephesians 1:3; let’s list the others:

Ephesians 1:10:

That in the dispensation of the fulness of times He might gather together in one all things IN CHRIST, both which are in heaven and which are on earth, even in Him.

Ephesians 2:5-6:

Even when we were dead in sins hath quickened us together WITH CHRIST, (by grace ye are saved) And hath raised us up together and made us sit together in heavenly (places) IN CHRIST JESUS.

Ephesians 2:10:

For we are his workmanship created IN CHRIST unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them.              

Ephesians 2:13:

                But now IN CHRIST JESUS ye who sometimes were afar off are made nigh by the blood              of Christ.

Ephesians 2:21-22:

In whom (i.e. CHRIST) all the building fitly framed together growth unto a holy temple in the Lord (i.e. IN CHRIST).

Ephesians 3:10-11:

To the intent that now unto the principalities and powers in heavenly (places) might be known by the church the manifold wisdom of God according to the eternal purpose  which He purposed IN CHRIST JESUS our Lord.

We have also been “chosen in Him (i.e. IN CHRIST) before the foundation of the world” (Ephesians 1: 4) and He has made us accepted IN THE BELOVED, who is, of course CHRIST (Ephesians 1:6).  Again, it is only IN CHRIST that we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of his grace, and it is only IN CHRIST that we have obtained an inheritance … that we should be to the praise of his glory, who first trusted IN CHRIST (Ephesians 1:12).

In Paul’s latter epistles there are other references to being IN CHRIST. Indeed, it is a vitally important truth only made clear in the MYSTERY (Ephesians 3:3-8) revealed to and through the Apostle Paul. Importantly, the MYSTERY and its blessings were NOT made known unto men in previous ages (Ephesians 3:5) because this was a secret hid in God until revealed to and through the Apostle Paul (Ephesians 3:9).

We should understand, however, that the MYSTERY contains two other new and hugely important acts of God: They are:

1) that of his creation of the “one new man” created by the Lord from both Jews and Gentiles (Ephesians 2:13-14, 4:24, Colossians 3:10).           

2) The realisation of “Christ in you the hope of glory” (Colossians 1:27).

I’m glad that today many Christians learn from and are led by the “Christ within” but I pray that they may take the next step and realise it’s just as vital to “be found in Christ”. Few realise the loss of all things and other sufferings the Apostle Paul underwent to be “found in Christ” himself” (Philippians 3:3: 8-9-10) so that we too might be found IN CHRIST. As he said:

…according to my (Paul’s) gospel, wherein I suffer, as an evil doer, even unto bonds: but the word of God is not bound. Therefore, I endure all things for the elect’s sakes that they may also obtain the salvation which is IN CHRIST JESUS with eternal glory (2 Timothy 2:9-10).

We need to understand that Paul’s letter to the Philippians was written during the hiatus between the ending of the Acts period Pentecostal dispensation, and its miraculous signs and wonders (Acts 28: 25-31) on one hand, and the revelation of the mystery and the dispensation of the grace of God brought in two years or more later (Ephesians 3:1-4) on the other.

Earlier Paul speaking to Jews in the synagogue at Antioch in Pisidia warned his Jewish hearers, “Behold ye despisers and wonder and perish; for I work a work in your day which ye shall in no wise believe, though a man (Paul) declare it unto you”  (Acts 13:40-41).

What was the “work” they could not believe? It was the setting aside of Israel as a nation from God’s ongoing purposes thus losing her role as the carrier of the gospel message. Instead, the message and means of salvation was “sent to the Gentiles and they will hear it” (Acts 28:28).

And what a message of grace and love it is. No longer is one nation, Israel, the channel through which men can be saved; today God recognizes no nation as his but extends free pardon, reconciliation, and salvation to all men everywhere. Why? Because He wills that all men be saved with the intent that all who believe may be “found in Christ”(Philippians 3: 9).

John Dudley Aldworth

Email: johndaldworth42@gmail.com