34 - OUR POSITION
Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away, behold, all things are become new, 2 Corinthians 5:17
INTRODUCTION The moment a person is born again, many things happen to him that will enable him to live for God. Unfortunately, most Christians are ignorant of the position they enjoy. Many find themselves struggling to accomplish God’s will for their lives without tapping into all the resources God has provided. We believe we will someday enjoy eternity with Jesus in heaven, but we fail to remember God has already provided us with that heavenly treasury. Perhaps as we better understand our position in Christ, we will find the heavenly blessings of Christ more within the realm of possibility.
ENTERING OUR POSITION
Each of us can be transformed by understanding our position with God. First, we must understand how to enter this new position. The doorway to our new position is justification by faith (Romans 5:1). Our new position is not an experience based on feeling. We are now to be considered as sons of God with all the privileges of living in the heavenlies. This position involves our legal standing before God, not our struggles of everyday life. The Christian life has a heavenly standing and an earthly state. By justification, we have a legal standing by which we are declared righteous before God, and, on the basis of this judicial act, the Christian enjoys the life and peace of God. He no longer has to worry about offending God; God is pleased with him because of justification. God has graciously accepted the Christian into his family. By faith the Christian "acts" on the account that is once and for all settled in heaven.
Abraham. Abraham is the first person in the Bible described as having been justified by faith (Genesis 15:6). This is not saying he was the first person to become a child of God. When God made a promise to Abraham, he accepted it as possible and trusted in God as though the results were actual although it would be thirteen years before God would fulfill the promise. Abraham’s act of believing resulted in a declaration by God that Abraham was justified. The Bible testifies of Abraham, "He staggered not at the promise of God through unbelief; but was strong in faith, giving glory to God; And being fully persuaded that, what he had promised, he was able also to perform" (Romans 4:20-21). The secret to Abraham’s faith was his conviction that God would do what he had promised.
God promised that Abraham would have a son. Abraham "considered his own body now dead" (Romans 4:19), yet he trusted the promise that God would give him a son. The Bible says Abraham "believed, even God, who quickeneth the dead" (Romans 4:17). As a result of this belief, Abraham was justified.
We must look beyond our inner faith to its object--God. We must understand the commands and promises of the Bible. Then when we understand what God has promised, we can claim those promises. Faith is simply accepting what God has promised in the Bible and acting upon it.
Righteousness. Justification is an act whereby God declares a person righteous when that man trusts Christ. Hence, the Bible teaches that justification establishes a legal relationship between God and man. Justification declares men perfect it God’s sight, and results in man’s elevation to a new position in the heavenlies (Ephesians 2:6).
Justification and righteousness are linked in Scripture, in, that both come from the same word (dikaios means "righteous" and dikaioo means "to justify"). When we express saving faith in God, God enters "righteous and perfect" to our record in heaven. This is the act of justification. Since justification and righteousness represent words of common origin, these can be distinguished by noting that God is the source, declaring us righteous; and man is the recipient, being declared righteous. Our record and Christ’s. Two things happen at salvation. Our sin is transferred to Jesus Christ. He became our sinbearer and took our punishment. Christ died for us (John 1:29), giving his life a ransom for many (Matthew 20:20). Second, the perfection of Jesus Christ is credited to our account. We become, as far as the record is concerned, as perfect as the Son of God. When asked why we should be allowed in heaven, our answer is simple: "I am declared to be as perfect as Jesus Christ." In the act of justification, we are declared as righteous as God’s Son. "For God hath made him to be sin for us ... that we might be made the righteousness of God in him" (2 Corinthians 5:21). Both sides of the transaction are mentioned in that verse.
If someone is convicted of a criminal offense, he stands guilty before the law. His record will show he was guilty. But if he is charged with an offense, and the judge dismisses the case against him, he is not considered guilty. His record has no mark or violation against it. "Acquittal" means that the record indicates that the accused did not commit the crime. Our justification before God is as one who has been acquitted. The second part to justification declares that we have a perfect record before God. This same declaration is made of us when we are justified by faith. We are clothed in the righteousness of Jesus Christ; we have the merit of someone else. Position. Justification is an act whereby our legal position in heaven is changed. Being declared justified is similar to the act whereby a government declares that an alien is a citizen. The moment the person is pronounced a citizen, nothing happens to him physically. His thought processes remain the same, as does his personality and pattern of speech. The only actual change is his legal standing. But as he becomes aware of the benefits of being a citizen, he may shout, cry, or break out into a grin. The emotional reaction has no organic connection to his changed legal status, but surely there is a cognitive relationship with his new advantages. In the same way, justification changes our legal papers in heaven; we become children of God. In response to this new relationship we may cry, rejoice, or worship God in silent gratitude.
STATE AND STANDING
Even though we are justified immediately upon our salvation, it often takes time before we begin to experience the changes that have taken place in our lives. While we stand justified before God in heaven, we have, because of our new nature, struggles with the sin nature here on earth, a problem each of us faces as we attempt to "work out our salvation."
Perhaps the best way to tie together a man’s legal position in heaven and his daily walk on earth is Habakkuk 2:4, "The just shall live by his faith." This verse changed Martin Luther’s life. As a Roman Catholic priest he tried to work his way to heaven. But his life was changed when he realized that Christ had done it all. The apostle Paul used this verse to combat legalistic Judaizers that influenced the churches in the province of Galatia (Galatians 3:11) and it became the foundational text of his entire theology (Romans 1:17). In Romans 6:1-23, the apostle uses four words to aid us in applying this truth to our Christian life.
Know. Three times Paul reminded these Christians of what they knew was true (Romans 6:3, Romans 6:6, Romans 6:9). He realized our actions were the result of certain attitudes and they could only be produced when they were built on an accurate intellectual basis. The key truth Paul wanted the Romans to know was their identification with Christ. "Know ye not, that so many of us as were baptized into Jesus Christ were baptized into his death?" (Romans 6:3). Because of this a Christian should have victory over sin. "Knowing this, that our old man h. been crucified with him" (Romans 6:6 italics added . If we know the old man has received the death penalty on the cross, then we do not have to allow Satan to tempt and condemn us. Knowledge of our co-crucifixion with Christ is the basis our victory over sin. At the heart of this passage Paul reminded the Christian that he has been "planted together" (Romans 6:5) with Christ in death. This phrase introduces what has become known a. "the seven togethers." In each occurrence, we are identified with Christ in the heavenlies. Our perfection in Christ then becomes the basis for our daily victory. THE SEVEN TOGETHERS
1. Planted together in death- Romans 6:5 2. Quickened (made alive) together- Ephesians 2:5; Colossians 2:13 3. Raised together- Ephesians 2:6 (placed in a new position) 4. Set together- Ephesians 2:6 (continuing in a new position)
5. Workmen together with him- 2 Corinthians 6:16. Live together with him- 1 Thessalonians 5:10 7. Glorified together (future)- Romans 8:17
Reckon. The second word Paul used is "reckon," which carries the idea of "be counting on" or "be relying upon." "Likewise reckon ye also yourselves to be dead indeed unto sin, but alive unto God through Jesus Christ our Lord" Romans 6:11). Part of the key to harmonizing our exalted standing in heaven with our state on earth is to rely upon what we know to be true and to act accordingly.
Yield. The third important word used is "yield." Based on what we know and how we have reckoned, we should surrender our lives on this earth to the designs of heaven. "Yield yourselves unto God, as those that are alive from the dead, and your members as instruments of righteousness unto God" (Romans 6:13). Yieldedness involves giving God the "right of way" to every aspect of our lives. It is impossible for a Christian desiring to serve God consistently to divide the sacred and secular in his life.
Obey. Obedience is the natural implication of recognizing the lordship of Christ in our lives. The one who is the Lord of our lives is the one we obey (Romans 6:16-17). When a Christian refuses to do the will of God, he is denying the lordship of Christ in that area of his life. The moment we are saved, we are risen with Christ into a new position and a new standing with God. But we still have human natures with sinful desires. Many times our walk with God will be inconsistent with standing before God, yet as we apply these four verbs daily, those inconsistencies will decline in number.
SANCTIFICATION IN STATE AND STANDING The word "sanctification" is used in the Bible to identify that person, institution, act, or thing set apart by God as holy. The confusion over sanctification is that many groups have wrongly defined "sanctify" to mean "eradicate the sin nature," or to gain a position where it is no longer possible to sin. Those who hold this position call it "entire sanctification." In both the Old and New Testament, the Hebrew and Greek words for both "holy" and "sanctify" mean "to set apart to God." When sanctification is used of things, it does not mean that a vessel or piece of furniture has moral qualities (only God is holy). It means they are set apart for God.
Sanctification for the Christian is past, present, and future. Paul reminded the Philippians that "he which hath begun a good work in you will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ" (Php 1:6). Our practical sanctification is a continual process beginning with conversion and finally being accomplished at the coming of Christ.
Positional sanctification. Positional sanctification is the relationship with God which we enter by faith in Jesus Christ. What God made holy by redemption, remains holy. Positional sanctification applies to our completed standing in heaven. The moment a person is saved, he becomes a "new creature" (2 Corinthians 5:17). His position is changed from an alien (Galatians 2:12) to a citizen (Hebrews 11:13-16). In the books of heaven he is set apart as holy, having obtained the righteousness o; Christ (Romans 3:25). The rest of his Christian life is an attempt to apply that truth to his practical level of living. Progressive sanctification. This is called experimental or practical sanctification. It involves the struggles of victor, and defeat of the Christian in this present life. But God continues to work in the life of every Christian (Php 1:6) to change him into the image of his Son (Romans 8:29). The various circumstances and experiences we encounter in our life are the result of God’s work in us (Romans 8:28). We need to cooperate with God in living under the discipline of the Word of God which is given for our direction and spiritual growth (2 Timothy 3:17). As we grow and mature "in Christ" it will become more natural for us to practice the godly habits God desires that we develop.
Prospective sanctification. This is consummational sanctification, for God will not complete the process until we arrive in heaven. Then our position and our walk will be harmonious. That day is soon coming when "we shall be like him [Jesus]; for we shall see him as he is" (1 John 3:2). At the coming of Christ, all the limitations we now experience will be removed, allowing us instantly to be transformed into holiness (1 Corinthians 13:10-12). The Christian today can only anticipate that future day by striving to make needed changes in their life as revealed in the Word of God (Php 2:12).
THREE STEPS OF SANCTIFICATION
Position Positional I was
sanctification sanctified Hebrews 3:1
Experience Progressive I am being
sanctification sanctified 1 Thessalonians 5:28
Consummation Prospective I shall be
sanctification sanctified 1 John 3:2
CONCLUSION If we know Jesus Christ as our personal Savior, we have entered into a unique relationship with God. As far as God is concerned, we possess the righteousness of Christ. Hence we are perfect in his sight. We are entitled to all the privileges of one who is a child of God.
DAILY READINGS Monday: John 15:1-16 Tuesday: Romans 6:1-23 Wednesday: Romans 5:1-11 Thursday: Romans 4:1-25 Friday: Colossians 3:1-25 Saturday: Ephesians 5:22-33 Sunday: 1 Peter 2:1-10