1. The Revelation of the Governing Premise of the Universe
    2.
    1. Christ - the governing premise of the universe - Col. 1:17; John 1:1; Rom. 8:28, Eph. 1:9-10
      1. Premise = from Latin: prae / before + mittere / sent - a factual declaration and assertion that becomes the governing factor and basis for understanding everything that follows. Christ is the unique premise to understand God, man, the universe, and the Bible.
    2. Christ - His preeminence in all things - Col. 1:18
    3. Christ - the expectation of creation - Rev. 4:11; Col. 1:15-16
    4. Christ - the intelligent design of the universe - Prov. 8:12, 22-31
    5. Christ - the meaning of the beginning - John 1:1; Rev. 22:13
    6. Christ - the pleasure and delight of the universe - Col. 1:18-19; Prov. 8:22-31
    7. Christ - the world-view for the universe - Eph. 3:11
    8. Christ - the reason for all things - Heb. 2:10
    9. Christ - the Heir of all things - Heb. 1:2a
    10. Christ - the execution of the universe - Hob. 1:2b; John 1:3
    11. Christ - the cohesion of the universe - Col. 1:17
    12. Christ in comparison to all - Phil. 3:7-10

  2. The Consciousness of the Governing Premise
    3.
    1. John 1:1-3
    2. Genesis 1:1 with Col. 1:16
    3. Luke 24:27, 44-45
    4. Malachi 4:2 with Luke 1:78-79
    5. Matthew - the book of the generation of Jesus Christ - Matt. 1:1
    6. Revelation - the revelation of Jesus Christ - Rev. 1:1

  3. The Experience of the Governing Premise
    4.
    1. Christ formed in us - Gal. 4:19
      1. Regeneration - John 1:12-13 (initial)
      2. Transformation - 2 Cor. 3:18 (conditional)
      3. Growth - Col. 2:19 (conditional)
      4. Revelation - Gal. 1:15-16 (occasional)
      5. Conformation - Rom. 8:29 (final)
      6. Christ formed in us - Gal. 4:19 (continual)
      7. Christ - our relationship with everything - 2 Cor. 5:15-17

  4. A Portrait of Christ Formed in Us
    5.
    1. Christ revealed in me - Gal. 1:15-16
    2. Christ living in me - Gal. 2:20
    3. Christ crying in me - Gal. 4:6
    4. Christ operating in me - Gal. 5:1-6
    5. Christ indwelling in me - Gal. 5:24-25
    6. The secret of Christ formed in me - Gal. 6:18

  5. The Basis of Christ Formed in Us
    6.
    1. Imputed righteousness
      1. The meaning of "imputed" - reckoned; credited; calculated; counted
        1. God does not imputer our sins to us - 2 Cor. 5:19; Rom. 4:8
        2. Faith is imputed as righteousness - Rom. 4:3-6, 9, 21-25
      2. Examples of imputed righteousness
        1. Abraham - Rom. 4:1-5
        2. David - Rom. 4:6-8
        3. The uncircumcision - Rom. 4:9-11
        4. Faith and imputation - Rom. 4:19-25
    2. The effect of righteousness
      1. An exchanged life - Gal. 2:19-21
      2. Our spirit is life - Rom. 8:10
      3. The gift of faith - 2 Pet. 1:1
      4. Grace reigns - Rom. 5:21