Tension of Tribulations, "In Christ"

John 16:33 "These things I have spoken to you, so that in Me you may have peace. In the world you have tribulation, but take courage; I have overcome the world.”

It takes time to grasp to some extent how to live "in Him." Around 75 times, depending on translation, the phrase "in Christ" is used in the New Testament. Those words reveal something about the believers place in the Kingdom that is "In Christ." This passage does not use "in Him," or "in Christ." Its Truths encapsulates the tension of living the obstacle course, that is, this world with its tribulation and the Victory we already have "In Christ" who has overcome the world.

I loved the movie Cliff Hanger, with Sylvester Stallone. I don't recommend it, unless it is on television. That is the only way to ameliorate some of the language. Two scenes are emblematic of the reality here in John 16. There are two mountain climbers stuck thousands of feet on the peek of a challenging climb. The more expert of the two is hurt so the protagonist is sent to help rescue them.

There is a helicopter, and an adjacent mountain where the copter must land for this rescue to ensue. The helicopter co-pilot drops down a line to attach so the climbers can hook to it and hand over hand pull themselves over to safety. The protagonist is confident in his explanation of how this will go. He shows no fear. He informs them he's done this many times, "I have overcome this mountain." He relates to them, "dinner dates are waiting." The more expert climber gets over without a hitch, no pun intended. The next climber finds some assurance that the first made it safely. The protagonist confidently chimes, "of course he did." As the timid climber latches her eyehook to the wire, the protagonist reminds her, "this is simple, just keep your eyes on me, your confidence is right here, looking at me," he smiles and sends her on her way. She goes, hesitantly, and every once in a while she looks away from the professional in whom she'd find her confidence. He calmly but firmly says, "No, no, don't look down, look at me."

On the way over the timid climber's gear begins to come unhinged and she slips and faces, by no fault of her own, tribulation. Everyone watching panics with the exception of the protagonist. He jumps into action climbing over to get her. The panicked climber is screaming, frantically kicking and begging. The protagonist loses none of the confidence from before. He knows he can rescue her. But, she must obey his instructions. He gets to her and grabs her hand, and commands her, "you must reach up! I will not let you go. You have to reach up, I've got you. I will not let you fall, you have to reach up." Fear consumes the climber and in panic she screams, "don't let me go. I don't want to die." He assures her, "I won't drop you, but you have to reach up." She begins to slip and her focus is her fear. Her mind can only imagine her fall. She refuses to listen or obey, and she slips out of his grip. He does not drop her. Again, she slipped from his grip. The tribulation that did not need to consume her, took her focus off of the one who could pull her up. Instead, she fell.

Later in the movie the same scene plays out with another climber. This climber screams out the same things, "don't let me fall." The protagonist looks at the climber with the same energy as with the first, "I will not drop you, but you have to reach up and grab me." The climber, never taking her eyes off him, reaches up and is pulled safely from her tribulation. She is rescued.

That is the tension of living in a world where we are promised tribulation; and understanding, how, in that tribulation we are to live "in Christ." He's overcome this world all its tribulation. He tells us "take courage." You can hear him saying, "don't look down." In the calm of our panic he encourages us, "reach up, grab my victory." We then are in the position of focusing on our fear, or keeping our eyes on him. We either slip from the grasp of his victory, stumbling and being tossed by the wind of our tribulation. Or we keep our eyes on him, reach up, grab the victory that is "in Him" already and we are lifted to safety "In Christ."