Being 'in Christ' in the Letters of Paul

Book Description

Teresa Morgan presents a groundbreaking examination of one of Christianity's most fundamental concepts in this scholarly exploration of Paul's letters. Rather than accepting traditional interpretations, Morgan challenges long-held assumptions about what it means to be "in Christ" by returning to the original Greek texts with fresh eyes.

Through meticulous analysis of Paul's undisputed letters, Morgan reveals how the apostle employed this pivotal phrase in ways that differ significantly from conventional understanding. She demonstrates that Paul used "in Christ" language primarily in two distinct ways: instrumentally, to describe God's actions accomplished through Christ's sacrificial death, and what she terms "encheiristically," to convey the reality of believers living under Christ's active care, protection, and authority.

This reinterpretation illuminates how Paul wove together his understanding of salvation, the end times, and Christ's nature into a cohesive narrative. Morgan shows how this language connects Paul's vision of God's intervention in human history with the practical reality of Christian community life. For Paul, being "in Christ's hands" represents the present dimension of eternal life, where believers experience new creation while still inhabiting the current world.

The study reveals how this theological framework shaped Paul's vision of Christian communities as distinctive gatherings with unique structures and dynamics. Morgan's work offers readers a deeper understanding of how early Christians conceived their relationship with the divine and their calling to live transformed lives within history while anticipating Christ's return.