Position vs. Practical Standing vs. State
I think one of the reasons people are confused about eternal security and their Christian walk is that they confuse Position vs. Practical Standing vs. State.
Im sure most know this but I thought Id throw it out anyway for discussion.
Position and Standing
This is how God sees you after he saved you and put you in His dear Son and seated you in heavenly places in Christ. God knows that because of the sin nature in us He has to declare us righteous even though we are not. God can do this because Christ has taken our place at Calvary and on this basis God declares us righteous. So in the books the saint, from Gods standpoint, is perfect, as though he never sinned or ever will sin. It has to be this way because if not we have no hope!
Practical and State
This is how we are down here. We are still stuck in these vile bodies that likes to sin (Rom. 7). Because of the sin nature still in us we are in a fight daily. So, most of the time our state is a wreck. Sins are associated with our state.
I think what people do is look at their state and are counting on their state to ultimately determine their standing before God.
Hey gang, if you are saved the standing is settled. Does this mean you can quit now that Jesus took and passed the final exam for you? No, we should strive to be all that God has called us to be.
Our duty then?
Doctrine Ephesians chapters 1-3 tells you your standing in Christ. Then, Eph. 4-6 tells you how to walk because of that standing. Eph. 4:1: I therefore, the prisoner of the Lord, beseech you that ye walk worthy of the vocation wherewith ye are called.
In other words, Now that you are perfect in Christ, walk your position heavenly position down here. Up there (heaven) is victory, holiness, forgiveness, and assurance. Are you going to fail down here? Yes, so by the power of the Spirit and the instruction from the word as it is read and preached from the pulpit we are equipped to walk worthy of the vocation wherewith we are called.
What happens when one doesnt know his standing. He looks at his state. One day it is Alabama, one day it is Oregon, and the next day it is New York. No stability and assurance there. Then he begins to try harder, goes up and down in his walk, gets discouraged, and finally is in despair because he thinks his state will determine his standing. A lot of time he even gives up because he gets too discouraged.
When a saint understands his standing and grace then he is so thankful, assured, and comforted that he is able to endure his vile flesh for he knows he is safe. He is on guard and prepared for he knows it will take the power of God to finish the work that has been done (Phil 1:6).
Now that was long and boring to some but I trust it will encourage those who struggle in this area. And lets face it we all have a tendency to get discouraged in trying to live the Christian life and we forget that our standing guarantees Gods acceptance of us in the person of our Lord Jesus Christ.
Your thoughts?
