God’s Image Study — Inside the Mind — Where the Word Leads
What are we claiming when we say:
Christ is in me.
I am anointed.
We are His body.
These words describe a relationship with Christ. They carry responsibility for how we speak, how we live, and how we treat those who encounter us.
Have we examined what we are claiming—or accepted it because someone taught us to say it?
Jesus warns:
“For many shall come in my name, saying, I am Christ; and shall deceive many.”
— Matthew 24:5
Notice how they come.
In His name.
Invoking His name does not, by itself, establish that He sent them.
The claim and the presence
Paul connects belonging to Christ with having the Spirit of Christ. He also calls believers to examine themselves concerning whether Christ is within them. The relationship is something to examine, not merely something to repeat. Romans 8:9; 2 Corinthians 13:5
This is the comparison being drawn in this study: representing oneself as being in Christ when He is not within is presenting a false christ—a counterfeit claim to His indwelling and representation.
The claim presents Christ to others through the person making it.
That is why it matters.
People may be taught to identify themselves as anointed or as Christ’s body without being led to examine what that means. When a church gives that assurance, its members still need discernment. Repeating an assurance does not establish the relationship it describes.
Paul’s body language concerns people joined through one Spirit, caring for one another, and honoring members who might otherwise be disregarded. The claim has a corresponding life. 1 Corinthians 12:12–27
When the guide cannot see
In Matthew 15, Jesus confronts a religious tradition that sets aside God’s commandment. He addresses people honoring God with their lips while their hearts remain distant.
When the disciples report that the Pharisees were offended, Jesus warns:
“And if the blind lead the blind, both shall fall into the ditch.”
— Matthew 15:14
The surrounding passage matters.
These are recognized religious teachers. Their position does not establish that they see clearly. Their followers are affected by the direction they give.
Being assured by a guide is not the same as being guided into truth.
The warning calls us to examine both what we follow and what we teach others to follow.
What does our participation reveal?
Paul’s warning about partaking unworthily also has a surrounding context.
The Corinthians gather with divisions. Some eat while others remain hungry. Those who have nothing are shamed.
Within that setting, Paul calls for self-examination and discerning the body. He instructs them to wait for one another. Their participation in the meal cannot be separated from their treatment of people. 1 Corinthians 11:17–34
An outward act cannot substitute for the relationship it professes.
What are others being shown when we claim Christ while disregarding those before us?
The name others encounter through us
Paul asks another searching question: do those who teach others practice what they teach?
He connects their disobedience with God’s name being blasphemed among others. Their conduct affects how God is regarded. Romans 2:21–24
This opens a thread toward taking YHWH's (יהוה) name in vain:
Whose name am I carrying—and what am I presenting through it?
That examination begins with ourselves.
Threads to Follow
Claiming knowledge → revealing conduct: Follow Titus 1:16 alongside 1 John 2:3–6. How does a profession of knowing God relate to the way someone walks?
Religious authority → obstructing others: Read Matthew 23:13. What happens when those claiming to guide people hinder their entrance?
Bearing the name → profaning the name: Compare Exodus 20:7 with Ezekiel 36:20–23. What do these passages reveal about the seriousness of being identified with YHWH (יהוה)?
Hearing → doing → looking again: Return to James 1:22–25. Does examination change us, or do we walk away and forget?
The books were opened…
🌿 By Maria Emilia
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