Lesson 88
The Christ-Centered Life
The Foundation
is our Position in Christ - Rom 6
The Impact of Positional Truth on
our Life as Believers
5. The Wealth of the Believer's
Position in Jesus Christ
A. As to
Christ's PERSON:
Being in
Christ we share in the following:
(1) As He has perfect
righteousness, so do all believers. 2
Cor. 5:21
(2) As He has eternal life, so
do all believers. 1 Jn. 5:11-12
(3) His eternal destiny becomes
the destiny of all believers. Eph.
1:4-5, 10-11
(4) As He is the Father's
Chosen One, so all believers are chosen ones. Isa. 42:1; Eph. 1:4;
(5) As He is the Son of God, so
all believers become sons and members of God's family by adoption and by
regeneration, the new birth.
John
1:12-13; Eph. 1:5; Gal. 3:26; 1 John 3:2
(6) As He is the Heir of God, so all believers are heirs of God. Eph. 1:14
(7) As He is the Great High Priest, so all believers are all priests
of God. 1 Peter 2:5
B. As to
Christ's WORK:
Being in
Christ by faith, we share in His work past, present, and future:
(1)
In Christ, believers are to God by His substitutionary death. Romans 5:10
(2)
In Christ, believers have with God.
Rom. 5:1
(3)
In Christ, believers have His imputed to them. 2 Cor. 5:21
(4)
In Christ, believers are justified, declared . Rom. 5:9
(5)
In Christ, believers are by His blood.
Eph. 1:7
(6)
In Christ, believers have of sin.
Eph. 1:7
(7) In Christ, the demands of God's holiness have
been satisfied; God has been . Rom.
(8)
In Christ, there is now no . Rom. 8:1
(9)
In Christ, the penalty of sin has been , that is removed. Col. 2:14
(10) In Christ, believers are no longer guilty or
under the condemnation of and its sentence of death.
(11) In Christ, believers are , made fit and
sufficient to be partakers in God's family and inheritance. Eph. 1:5-6, Col. 1:12
C. Ramifications of Christ’s death related to the
Believer’s life.
(1) In Christ, believers have
also died with Christ in His death and burial.
(2) In Christ, the believer's
relationship to Adam has been severed and the dominion of the sinful nature,
though still present, has been broken.
Romans 6:1-14
(3) In Christ, believers have
been raised with Him for a walk in newness of life.
(4) In Christ, believers are
seated with Him in the heavenlies at the right hand of the Father (Eph. 2:6).
(5) In Christ, believers have
an eternal access to God, we are made nigh to God, translated into God's
kingdom, and delivered from Satan's kingdom and the power of darkness. Eph.
(6) In Christ, believers have a
perpetual and an effective High Priest, an advocate and two intercessors, the Son
at God's right hand, and the Holy Spirit who dwells within.
(7) In Christ, believers have
special significance and the basis of a true self-concept [esteem] as the
children of God.
Application:
There are a number
of ways we could apply the truth of our position in Christ, the truth of
identification.
Concerning Obedience
After declaring the believers identification with Christ in His death,
burial, and resurrection, the Apostle says: "Even
so consider yourselves to be dead to sin, but alive to God in Christ Jesus"
(Rom.
So what has Paul emphasized:
* First we must know the facts of our identification with Christ (vs. 1-10).
* Then we must count on them as spiritual realities, by
faith [believing them] (cf. vs.
11 with vs. 8).
* Third, knowing and believing in our new
identification, we are to choose to
present ourselves to God for obedience (vs. 12-18).
* This presentation
is ultimately carried out through walking by faith empowered by the Spirit who
dwells within each of us (
Conclusion
Since believers are complete in Christ, there is nothing they can add
to gain salvation, or to maintain their salvation (Titus 3:5; Eph. 2:8-9; Rom.
To trust in anything other than God's full provision for us in Jesus
Christ is to be faithless in our position and futile in dealing with our
condition in life.
There are two strong
implications here:
* Security: Believers are
doubly safe with Christ in God (cf. John.
* Provision: The believer's life is nourished and supplied
by hidden resources which the world cannot know nor provide.