We have emphasized the fact that in 1:1 Paul says that the church is in God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. We have considered what it means for the church to be in God the Father and also the significance of the church being in the Lord Jesus Christ. However, although we have emphasized the Father, the Lord, and Jesus, we have not explained fully what it means for the church to be in Christ.
When the name Jesus is used in the New Testament, it primarily refers to the Lord in His experiences on earth from His incarnation to His resurrection. Jesus is the name of the Lord with respect to His humanity. Hence, this name denotes His life experiences and the things He passed through before His resurrection. Christ is a divine title that mainly denotes the Lord’s experience, position, life, and actions after His resurrection. This title refers to what the Lord is after His resurrection.
The life of the Lord Jesus Christ may be divided into two sections: the section before His resurrection, and the section after His resurrection. Resurrection, therefore, is a dividing line, a boundary line, of the Lord’s life and experience.
The four Gospels may be regarded as biographies of the Lord Jesus. These biographies tell His life story between His incarnation and resurrection. This period of time is, for the most part, represented by the name Jesus. If we speak of Jesus according to the biblical use of this name, we mainly refer to His experience between incarnation and resurrection. After resurrection the life of the Lord Jesus is altogether in another sphere.
Today, however, many Christians are not clear in their understanding concerning Jesus and Christ. Some believers, especially those in Pentecostalism, say “Praise Jesus!” According to the Bible, it is better to say “Praise the Lord.” It is much more common for Christians today to say “Praise the Lord” than it was twenty years ago, when the Lord’s recovery came to this country. This may be due to the influence of the recovery. In any case, it is more fitting to say “Praise the Lord” than to say “Praise Jesus.”
According to the New Testament, the title Lord applies to the entire life and ministry of Jesus Christ. This means that the title Lord is an all-inclusive title. But the name Jesus refers to the Lord in His humanity and to His human life prior to resurrection. Christ, as we have seen, refers to the resurrected Christ in ascension.
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