As a sinner saved by grace Paul's one ground of hope was to be `found' in Christ. As a servant entrusted with a

stewardship, he realized that first and foremost it is required in stewards that they be `found' faithful.

The apostle summed up the blessedness of his new ground of acceptance under grace by the words `in Him'.

There are seven forms in which this position is expressed in the epistles of Paul.

In Christ Jesus our Lord.

Rom. 8:39.

In Christ Jesus.

Rom. 3:24, Gal. 3:14 (R.V.).

In the Lord Jesus.

Eph. 1:15.

In Jesus.

Eph. 4:21.

In the Lord.

Eph. 4:1 (margin), Phil. 4:1.

In Christ.

Eph. 1:3, Phil. 2:1.

*

In Whom, in Him.

2 Cor. 5:21, Eph. 1:4,7.

These references are but a selection of the many found in Paul's epistles under these headings and they are

according to the Revised Text, which differs in many places from the Authorized Version.

It would take us too far afield to examine the distribution of these titles, but it does fall within our legitimate

enquiry to observe how they are used in Philippians.

We observe that `in the Lord' occurs eight times; `in Christ Jesus', seven times; `in Christ', four times; `in Him',

twice and `in the Lord Jesus', once.

`In Christ Jesus' refers particularly to doctrinal truth and position by grace, whereas `in the Lord' has reference

rather to service. We are not surprised therefore to find that in Philippians, an epistle of service, the phrase `in the

Lord' is used far more frequently than those which refer to doctrine and position.

The doctrinal idea contained in the phrase `found in Him' is one aspect of a great truth variously expressed by the

terms `in Adam', `in the flesh', `in the world', `in the law', `in the spirit', `in newness of life', `in Isaac', `in sin', `in

heavenly places' and the many other phrases that stress the question of position and sphere that is such a marked

feature in the doctrine of the apostle.

When the apostle expressed his great desire `to be found in Him', he was establishing yet another corresponding

feature with the great example of Christ recorded in the second chapter. There it is written `and being found in

fashion as a man', which follows the great step down already indicated by the words `was made in the likeness of

men' (Phil. 2:7), as status follows nature. As we have already seen, `found' often implies some sort of judicial

finding and so the apostle institutes a most lovely contrast. When Christ was `found' in fashion as a man, it led Him

at length to the death of the Cross. When Paul is `found' in Christ, it leads him to a perfectly righteous standing in

His Lord. The rich fulness of this expression `found in Him' is now expanded. The index of this position in Christ

is Righteousness, but as the apostle had but recently spoken of his own righteousness which is in the law, his first

motion is to repudiate it entirely, saying `not having mine own righteousness, which is of the law', which he follows

by the positive `but that which is through the faith of Christ' (Phil. 3:9), which in its turn is explained to be (a) the

righteousness of God, which is (b) by faith.

Let us not hastily pass over the words `the faith of Christ'. The expression `the faith of Jesus Christ' and its

variants occur in Paul's epistles as follows :

`Even the righteousness of God which is by faith of Jesus Christ' (Rom. 3:22).

`By (Through) the faith of Jesus Christ ... justified by the faith of Christ' (Gal. 2:16).

`The promise by faith of Jesus Christ might be given to them that believe' (Gal. 3:22).

`Boldness and access with confidence by the faith of Him' (Eph. 3:12),

*

The reader who wishes to continue and complete the comparisons between the epistle to the Ephesians and that to

the Hebrews, should note that in addition to those already set out in the articles entitled `Comparing Spiritual Things

with Spiritual' in Vol. 24 of The Berean Expositor, should be recorded that not one of these seven forms is found in