Consider the following version of Ephesians 2:1-10, without looking at your Bible. Is something wrong?

And you were dead in the trespasses and sins in which you once walked, following the course of this world, following the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that is now at work in the sons of disobedience– among whom we all once lived in the passions of our flesh, carrying out the desires of the body and the mind, and were by nature children of wrath, like the rest of mankind.

But God, being rich in mercy, because of the great love with which he loved us, even when we were dead in our trespasses, made us alive together with Christ– by grace you have been saved– and raised us up with him and seated us with him in the heavenly places, so that in the coming ages he might show the immeasurable riches of his grace in kindness toward us. For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast. For we are his workmanship, created for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them.

This version of the text clearly states essential aspects of the Gospel: We were dead in trespasses and sins; we thus cannot save ourselves; God saves us by grace through the work of Jesus, through our faith in Him; He has made us alive, raised us with Christ, and seated us with Him, so the work is complete; He will delight to show us His grace in kindness to us forever and ever; He has prepared good works for us to do in this life.

So is anything important missing?

This version leaves out nine words: “In Christ Jesus,” repeated in verses 6, 7, and 10.

Did you notice that?

Many presentations of the Gospel highlight the essential aspects detailed above, yet do not explicitly state that these benefits are all in Christ Jesus. We tend to highlight that the benefits of the Gospel come to us through Christ Jesus, because of Christ Jesus – His death, His resurrection, His teaching, His example. The Apostle Paul, in contrast, emphasizes strongly that these blessings are ours if and only if we are in Christ Jesus. Indeed, in Ephesians 1:3-14 Paul repeats that idea six times.

Other biblical images elaborate on this truth: We are the body of Christ (Ephesians 1:22-23, 1 Corinthians 10:16); He is the vine, we are the branches (John 15:1-10); we are the Bride of Christ (Ephesians 5:25-33, Revelation 19:7-8, 21:2); we are to be rooted and built up in Him (Colossians 2:6-7); we are to feed on Him, the true Bread from heaven (John 6:32-35, 53-56).

When we focus solely on the Gospel benefits we receive through Jesus, we have a tendency to think of salvation in legal terms: we are guilty, but Jesus paid the penalty. We are now free from condemnation.

By emphasizing that these benefits are in Christ, Paul highlights the essential relational nature of the Gospel – and thus the point John emphasizes: our need to keep feeding on Him, to continue to depend on Him, to keep cultivating that love for Him, and to be alert to disruptions in the relationship, being quick to repent and turn to Him.

As a participation in the body and blood of Jesus (1 Corinthians 10:16), the Lord’s Supper pictures these truths. So as we approach a season of celebrating this ordinance every Sunday, come to the table with these thoughts in mind: “I am in Christ Jesus; I feed on Him; I have no good apart from Him; He is the blessed man (Psalm 1) and those blessings are mine in Him.”

Praise God for the Gospel benefits that come through Christ Jesus. And praise God that we have Gospel blessings in Christ Jesus for all eternity.