Our Position In Christ

[irenemcg]

OUR POSITION IN CHRIST Joh 1:12-13
12 But as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God, to those who believe in His name:
13 who were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God.

As sons of God, each believer has a spiritual position in Christ. Jesus Christ finished a perfect work, and as a result, every believer may claim that which is rightfully his in his Lord Jesus Christ.

1Co 3:16 Do you not know that you are the temple of God and that the Spirit of God dwells in you?

Have you got that? We are the temple of God and the Spirit of God indwells us. WOW!


Eph 2:1-6
1 And you hath he quickened, who were dead in trespasses and sins;
2 Wherein in time past ye walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that now worketh in the children of disobedience:
3 Among whom also we all had our conversation in times past in the lusts of our flesh, fulfilling the desires of the flesh and of the mind; and were by nature the children of wrath, even as others.
4 But God, who is rich in mercy, for his great love wherewith he loved us,
5 Even when we were dead in sins, hath quickened us together with Christ, (by grace ye are saved
6 And hath raised us up together, and made us sit together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus:

As Christian's our rightful position spiritually is "seated together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus." A higher position of fulfillment is impossible: nothing is higher and nothing is more dignified than being seated in the heavenly places in Christ. As believers, we are "in Christ," and thus we have all of the rights, privileges and responsibilities of sons of God.

Col 1:27
27 To whom God would make known what is the riches of the glory of this mystery among the Gentiles; which is Christ in you, the hope of glory:


God's Word declares that it is "Christ in you, the hope of glory." Not only are we "seated in the heavenly places in Christ," but it also says that it is "Christ in you, the hope of glory."
Eph 1:19-23
19 And what is the exceeding greatness of his power to us-ward who believe, according to the working of his mighty power,
20 Which he wrought in Christ, when he raised him from the dead, and set him at his own right hand in the heavenly places,
21 Far above all principality, and power, and might, and dominion, and every name that is named, not only in this world, but also in that which is to come:
22 And hath put all things under his feet, and gave him to be the head over all things to the church,
23 Which is his body, the fulness of him that filleth all in all.

It was the power of God that raised Jesus Christ from the dead.
It was the power of God that seated him in the heavenly places.
It was the power of God that set him far above all principality and power….
It was the power of God that put ALL things under his feet.
If we are part of his body, then all things, too, are under our feet spiritually.

Eph 1:1-3
1 Paul, an apostle of Jesus Christ by the will of God, to the saints which are at Ephesus, and to the faithful in Christ Jesus:
2 Grace be to you, and peace, from God our Father, and from the Lord Jesus Christ.
3 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who hath blessed us with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ:

Because of God's Grace, we are "blessed with all spiritual blessings in the heavenly places in Christ!" Why don’t we begin to accept what God has made us to be in Christ? We are seated in the heavenlies!
We are blessed with all spiritual blessings! What more would God have to give to convince His children of their position in Christ? He has no more to give, because all has already been given.
If God did not mean "seated in the heavenly places in Christ", then why did He say "seated in the heavenly places in Christ?" If God did not mean "far above all principality and power," then why did He say "far above all principality and power?" If God did not mean "Christ in you, the hope of glory," then why did He say "Christ in you, the hope of glory?" Could it be that we the church have rationalized God's words and substituted our own words in thinking about our spiritual position.


Eph 1:4 just as He chose us in Him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before Him in love,

We have been chosen by God to be Holy, He chose us even before the foundations of the world.

Eph 1:13 -14
13 In Him you also trusted, after you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation; in whom also, having believed, you were sealed with the Holy Spirit of promise,
14 who is the guarantee of our inheritance until the redemption of the purchased possession, to the praise of His glory.

In Him, having believed, we were sealed with the Holy Spirit of promise, who is the guarantee of our inheritance.

Rom 6:11-14. 11 Likewise you also, reckon yourselves to be dead indeed to sin, but alive to God in Christ Jesus our Lord.
12 Therefore do not let sin reign in your mortal body, that you should obey it in its lusts.
13 And do not present your members as instruments of unrighteousness to sin, but present yourselves to God as being alive from the dead, and your members as instruments of righteousness to God.
14 For sin shall not have dominion over you, for you are not under law but under grace.

We are to reckon ourselves dead to sin, for sin no longer has dominion over us, we should flee from temptations to sin, giving ourselves over to our Lord. When we do sin we should repent. WE ARE NOW ALIVE IN CHRIST.


Col 3:1-4 1 If then you were raised with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ is, sitting at the right hand of God.
2 Set your mind on things above, not on things on the earth.
3 For you died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God. 4.When Christ who is our life appears, then you also will appear with Him in glory

We are raised with Christ, we are to seek the things above for our Lord is seated at the Father’s right hand and we have been raised with Him. We have died to our old man and have been hidden with Christ in God. At the time of the Second Coming we the bride, will appear with Him in glory (Another verse to dispel a post-tribulation viewpoint) As Christians we have experienced a radical change of spiritual environment and this should affect our whole mode of life. Having been raised with Christ, we now move in a new sphere.
Normal human ambition sees things in terms of this world. But we have been raised with Christ and should see things from an eternal perspective, and so should want our lives on earth to be reflect the pattern of life seen in the glorified Christ...to “seek those things which are above” is to aim at emulating the characteristics of the Christ in glory’


What about our former position?

1 Cor 2:14
14 But the natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God: for they are foolishness unto him: neither can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned.

The god of this world, Satan, controls the realm in which the natural man lives. bound in his position in life.
The realm in which we have our rightful position is not subject to the earth, it is in the heavenly places in Christ who is far above all on earth! A believer may choose to think that he is still earth-bound, but it is not true. He has a new spiritual position in Christ and that is "seated in the heavenly places in Christ."

Eph 2:1-3
1 And you hath he quickened, who were dead in trespasses and sins;
2 Wherein in time past ye walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that now worketh in the children of disobedience:
3 Among whom also we all had our conversation in times past in the lusts of our flesh, fulfilling the desires of the flesh and of the mind; and were by nature the children of wrath, even as others.

We also once walked as men of this world. We also once walked limited to the five senses. We also once walked as belonging to this world. We also once walked according to the course of this world, because we had no other way to walk until we were born again. The new birth for man places him in an entirely different position. The Holy Spirit indwelling the believer that makes him no longer the property of this world, but, indeed, the property of God.

1Jo 5:4 For whatever is born of God overcomes the world. And this is the victory that has overcome the world—our faith.

We are overcomers because we born of God. He obtained a complete triumph over him “who rules the darkness of the world,” and laid the foundation for a victory by his people over all vice, error, and sin.


Joh 10:10 The thief does not come except to steal, and to kill, and to destroy. I have come that they may have life, and that they may have it more abundantly.

We are to have life more abundantly. Yep, our lives are to be more abundant!


Heb 12:22 -24. 22But you have come to Mount Zion and to the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem, to an innumerable company of angels,
23 to the general assembly and church of the firstborn who are registered in heaven, to God the Judge of all, to the spirits of just men made perfect,
24 to Jesus the Mediator of the new covenant, and to the blood of sprinkling that speaks better things than that of Abel.

We as believers the writer to the Hebrews says are already living in Heaven (Mount Zion) so that earth is more a foreign land to us.

Eph 2:18-22
18 For through him we both have access by one Spirit unto the Father.
19 Now therefore ye are no more strangers and foreigners, but fellow citizens with the saints, and of the household of God;
20 And are built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ himself being the chief corner stone;
21 In whom all the building fitly framed together groweth unto an holy temple in the Lord:
22 In whom ye also are builded together for an habitation of God through the Spirit. .

Under the former rulership of this world, we had access to nothing. Bound to this world, we had no way of going anywhere! Now, we have access directly to the Father. We are no longer strangers and foreigners to the heavenly realm we are citizens! Citizens have full rights and privileges.
Not only are we fellow citizens and of the household of God, but we have become the habitation of God through the spirit. We, as the church, are the living habitation of God

Eph 3:17-21
17 That Christ may dwell in your hearts by faith; that ye, being rooted and grounded in love,
18 May be able to comprehend with all saints what is the breadth, and length, and depth, and height;
19 And to know the love of Christ, which passeth knowledge, that ye might be filled with all the fulness of God.
20 Now unto him that is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that worketh in us,
21 Unto him be glory in the church by Christ Jesus throughout all ages, world without end. Amen.

Now that we have seen our position in Christ as sons of God, then it is time to benefit from it by living Christ-like lives and walking in the Spirit. We are now able to understand in part the love of Christ and be filled with all the fullness of God. That would be a task impossible for the natural man. That was unheard of in our former spiritual position. It can be a reality to the born-again believer when he lives a Spirit –filled life and claims his own spiritual position.
As sons of God, seated in the heavenlies, our standard is no longer to be
"the course of this world", but our new standard is "exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that worketh in us." This is the standard of living for one who is seated in the heavenly places in Christ. This is our new banner of life. This is our rightful place in the spiritual realm. This is our spiritual position. We are to be seated in the heavenly places in Christ.

 

[Beasley]

I enjoyed reading your post.

to add a bit, you asked why more believers do not live in their position.

16We have come to know and have believed the love which God has for us God is love, and the one who abides in love abides in God, and God abides in him. 17By this, love is perfected with us, so that we may have confidence in the day of judgment; because as He is, so also are we in this world.
18There is no fear in love; but perfect love casts out fear, because fear involves punishment, and the one who fears is not perfected in love.

Many christians are still in fear. While they may academically know there is no condemnation to those in Christ, they don't seem to believe who they are, already citizens of heaven, pure holy and undefiled in God's sight because of the work Christ did and with access to all the rights and priviledges of heirs of God. I think it is Galatians that comments


"1Now I say, as long as the heir is a child, he does not differ at all from a slave although he is owner of everything,
2but he is under guardians and managers until the date set by the father.
3So also we, while we were children, were held in bondage under the elemental things of the world."

Many churchs seem to be not teaching believers how to grow up.

Beasley

 

[daveleau]

We are new Creations. We are in Christ. We are eternally God's children- adopted and joint heirs in Christ. When we die, we will be perfect, and will be there to glorify our Father, Yahweh. We need not fear for our salvation. We are sealed. Everything is great up until the very end of the post.


We are not, although, the living habitation of God, because we are still in the flesh. We still sin. We are still imperfect. We are simply forgiven and called to work for God.

God is omniscient, and omnipresent. He does not need the church to be present in Earth. He created the earth, and we are not God's embodiment. God is present everywhere, as He is omnipresent.
Ps 147:5- God's understanding is unlimited. The church has finite knowledge of many things even within Scripture. Predestination and free will, how exactly did God create the earth, what exactly are Heaven and Hell like- each of these are things the church has limited knowledge on.

John 3:16- God's love is limitless, so much so that He gave His one and only Son for our sins. The church has people who hoard money, have huge compounds and Lear jets "in the name of God", when they could spend that money on others than themselves. So, the church and especially its leaders often fall very short of this.

God is eternally faithful, yet the church constantly falls short of His glory.

Taking each of the attributes of God and holding them up to the Christian church (all who hold to orthodox, Scriptural Christianity) will find the church severely lacking and short of the attribute of God.


The end of Heb 12 is speaking about Moses, not all of Christiandom.
Paul says that he will gain (be in Heaven) if he dies. If we are the embodiment of Heaven, then why would we desire to go to Heaven where there are no more trials, and where we can purely be with God?

Phi 1:20 I eagerly expect and hope that I will in no way be ashamed, but will have sufficient courage so that now as always Christ will be exalted in my body, whether by life or by death.
Phi 1:21 For to me, to live is Christ and to die is gain.
Phi 1:22 If I am to go on living in the body, this will mean fruitful labor for me. Yet what shall I choose? I do not know!

We are still subject to trials (1 Thess 3:3)

so that no one would be unsettled by these trials. You know quite well that we were destined for them.

and punishment (Heb 12:1-13).

Heb 12:1 Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles, and let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us.
Heb 12:2 Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before him endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.
Heb 12:3 Consider him who endured such opposition from sinful men, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart.
Heb 12:4 In your struggle against sin, you have not yet resisted to the point of shedding your blood.
Heb 12:5 And you have forgotten that word of encouragement that addresses you as sons:
"My son, do not make light of the Lord's discipline,
and do not lose heart when he rebukes you,
Heb 12:6 because the Lord disciplines those he loves,
and he punishes everyone he accepts as a son."
Heb 12:7 Endure hardship as discipline; God is treating you as sons. For what son is not disciplined by his father?
Heb 12:8 If you are not disciplined (and everyone undergoes discipline), then you are illegitimate children and not true sons.
Heb 12:9 Moreover, we have all had human fathers who disciplined us and we respected them for it. How much more should we submit to the Father of our spirits and live!
Heb 12:10 Our fathers disciplined us for a little while as they thought best; but God disciplines us for our good, that we may share in his holiness.
Heb 12:11 No discipline seems pleasant at the time, but painful. Later on, however, it produces a harvest of righteousness and peace for those who have been trained by it.
Heb 12:12 Therefore, strengthen your feeble arms and weak knees.
Heb 12:13 "Make level paths for your feet,"so that the lame may not be disabled, but rather healed

We are justified (allowed eternal access into Heaven upon physical death through Christ's perfect atoning sacrifice on the Cross), we are sanctified (set out to perform good works for God).

If we are the living habitation of God, then God is a lot less perfect than the Bible says He is. God is infinitely higher and more righteous than we can ever be.

We have to be careful not to lift ourselves up and bring God down to our level. God is infinitely above mere humanity and the church. Jesus Christ, the church's bride, preserves the church, but not in perfection.

We need to teach Christians to grow. That is half of the Great Commission. We not only have to evangelize, but we have to study God's Word. This is a hugely mental event transferred into daily practice in our lives, and is not an emotional event. So many churches today are into feel-good religion, which is not the teachings of Scripture. There will be trials. There will be punishment when we sin after we are saved. We must prevail and use these to in our ministry to those who are lost. Our learning and our evangelism are indelibly tied together.

In Christ,
Dave

 

[davidoffinland]

From Finland.

Christians need to know that there is a inner tension that they need to recognize...Paul writes about it in Romans chap 6, 7 and 8. The tension of recognizing that a christian is 100% righteous and 100% sinful at the same time. This does not add up to 200, but seeing that if the old adam, or flesh, is not constantly crucified, that christian is still open to the sinful desires. IE...Christ gave the flesh the knock-out punch when He was crucified, but that old man, the old adam, was given a deadly wound, but comes alive when fed.

In Christ, christians are 100% righteous if they walk according to the Spirit, and 100% sinful if they walk according to desires of the old adam/desire of the flesh. This is the tension that christians have to learn to live under.

In Him, david.

 

[Beasley]

Easy for the discussion to slip from a discussion on position to experience.

Positionally in Christ, the believer is assigned the perfect righteousness of God and is sanctified for all time and eternity.

"14For by one offering He has perfected for all time those who are sanctified."

It is the old self, the old man, the flesh, that sins. The new creature with the new life created in Christ cannot sin as 1 John 3:9 says.

The more the believer lives in his position, the more he will experience who he is as the new creature in Christ. Eph 4.

20 But you did not learn Christ in this way, 21if indeed you have heard Him and have been taught in Him, just as truth is in Jesus,
22that, in reference to your former manner of life, you lay aside the old self, which is being corrupted in accordance with the lusts of deceit,
23and that you be renewed in the spirit of your mind,
24and put on the new self, which in the likeness of God has been created in righteousness and holiness of the truth.

In between living in the new self, which is created in righteousness and holiness and cannot sin, and putting off the old self, is the renovating the mind, having the thinking changed by the mind of Christ. The old self, the flesh, the sin that is in the flesh, is dead and corrupt and keeps on being (present tense) corrupted. The beleiver is not going to clean up the old dead guy and make him acceptable to God.