My Position In Christ
Back To Basics • Sermon • Submitted • 1:37:31
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Your Position
Your Position
1. I Am Accepted
1. I Am Accepted
Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new.
Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new.
Confession Of Faith: I am not moved by what I see or by what I feel.I am moved by what I believe. I believe the WORD of God The victory is mine! - I have it Now!I can see it through the eyes of my faith
What has happened to you?
What has happened to you?
I am not moved by what I see or by what I feel.
I am not moved by what I see or by what I feel.
How many of you know that you have been accepted by God through Christ Jesus and your life has changed. Maybe you don’t fully realize all that God has done they day you first trusted Jesus Christ, but what happened is you set in motion by a simple choice - a complex working of God in your life.
Say “I am accepted”
I am moved by what I believe.
I believe the WORD of God
The victory is mine! - I have it Now!
Therefore if any person is [ingrafted] in Christ (the Messiah) he is a new creation (a new creature altogether); the old [previous moral and spiritual condition] has passed away. Behold, the fresh and new has come!
I can see it through the eyes of my faith
New Creature
New Creature
What does it mean for a man to become a "new creature"? My whole being, nature, life, and behavior changes
Where I was dead to God, as a new creature I becomes alive to God.
⇒ Where I had no relationship with God, as a new creature I am in relationship with God.
⇒ When I was not sure about God, as a new creature I am absolutely certain about God.
⇒ Where I never fellow shipped or communicated with God, as a new creature I fellowships and communicate with God all the time.
⇒ Where I was living in sin and immorality, as a new creature I live in righteousness and holiness.
⇒ Where I was doomed to judgment and eternal separation from God, as a new creature I am destined to live eternally in the presence of God
⇒ Whereas a man was doomed to judgment and eternal separation from God, as a new creature he is destined to live eternally in the presence of God
Regeneration
Regeneration
means recreation, restoration, renovation, renewal, new birth
How does this happen = Special act of God in which the recipient is passive. God alone awakens the person spiritually through the power of His Holy Spirit. Technical the act of regeneration takes place at the moment of conversion as the individual is spiritually awakened.
means recreation, restoration, renovation, renewal, new birth
How does this happen = Special act of God in which the recipient is passive. God alone awakens the person spiritually through the power of His Holy Spirit. Technical the act of regeneration takes place at the moment of conversion as the individual is spiritually awakened.
I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit within you; I will take the heart of stone out of your flesh and give you a heart of flesh.
(NKJV)
28 So Jesus said to them, "Assuredly I say to you, that in the regeneration, when the Son of Man sits on the throne of His glory, you who have followed Me will also sit on twelve thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel.
But Jesus looked at them and said to them, “With men this is impossible, but with God all things are possible.”
Then Peter answered and said to Him, “See, we have left all and followed You. Therefore what shall we have?”
So Jesus said to them, “Assuredly I say to you, that in the regeneration, when the Son of Man sits on the throne of His glory, you who have followed Me will also sit on twelve thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel.
In Christ
In Christ
To be "in Christ" means we have placed our faith in Him and invited Him into our hearts. If we have genuinely done this, then a new day is dawning. We are a new "creature" or "creation" as most Bibles translate it. That is a powerful, since man can manufacture (make something out of something else), but only God can create (make something entirely new). This verse tells us that for those who are accepted , old things have passed away and new things have come. We are not instantly perfect—other verses make it clear that we need to grow as Christians—but it does mean a new day has dawned.
My present experience is different than my past.
My present experience is different than my past.
But as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God, to those who believe in His name:
But to as many as did receive and welcome Him, He gave the authority (power, privilege, right) to become the children of God, that is, to those who believe in (adhere to, trust in, and rely on) His name—
The results of receiving Christ. A person is given the power to become a son of God.
⇒ The word "power" (exousian) means both power and right or authority.
The word "sons" (tekna theou PWS: 3652) means children of God. ⇒ The words "to become" (genesthai) mean to become something a person is not. When a person receives Christ into his life (as Lord), Christ gives that person the power and right to become something he is not—a child of God.
Preacher's Outline and Sermon Bible - Commentary - The Preacher's Outline & Sermon Bible – John.
⇒ The word "sons" (tekna theou PWS: 3652) means children of God.
⇒ The words "to become" (genesthai) mean to become something a person is not.
When you and I receive Christ into our life (as Lord), Jesus gives that person the power and right to become something he is not—a child of God.
No longer do I call you servants, for a servant does not know what his master is doing; but I have called you friends, for all things that I heard from My Father I have made known to you.
Romans 5:1
Therefore, having been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ,
God doesn't take me in as a servant, but as part of His family! reveals that Jesus doesn't consider us slaves, but rather, His friends.
Therefore, having been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ,
JUSTIFIED The word, "justified" means to be declared righteous or just by the penalty for unrighteousness being paid. It refers to our being made righteous in a judicial sense. Our sins have offended Holy God and created a debt which must be paid. We cannot pay that debt ourselves, but through faith in Christ, we can be "justified" by the payment of His death for our sins.
JUSTIFIED =An easy way to remember what it means is through this little saying: justified = just as if I'd never sinned.
JUSTIFIED =An easy way to remember what it means is through this little saying: justified = just as if I'd never sinned.
to the praise of the glory of His grace, by which He made us accepted in the Beloved.
God has freely given grace to us through Jesus Christ, who is called "the Beloved." I like that word "accepted." Because God loves His Son, Jesus, He is acceptable to Him. If I am in Christ, then I am accepted by God. Even though I used to be an enemy of God, through Christ I am now His friend.
That is my present reality. I am "accepted ”.
2. I am Adopted
2. I am Adopted
Positional Truth
Positional Truth
Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places in Christ, 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, having predestined us to adoption as sons by Jesus Christ to Himself, according to the good pleasure of His will, to the praise of the glory of His grace, by which He made us accepted in the Beloved.
In Him we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of His grace
Every Spiritual Blessing
Every Spiritual Blessing
Some folks live their whole lives trying to get things from Christ, yet the truth is that we already have "all things" in Christ. When we got Jesus, we got everything else that there is to get.
Theologians call this reality "positional truth"—or things that are true of us because of the position we hold. When a person becomes president of the United States, with that position come the keys to the White House and access to Air Force One. He can stay in a hotel if he wants. He can buy an airline ticket to travel if he so desires. But why would he? His position gives him a free place to live and a free means of travel wherever he needs to go. It comes with the office. Positional truths are those things that "come with the office" of being a Christian. Paul says when we became Christians, God blessed us with every spiritual blessing there is in the heavenly places in Christ. The verses that follow in Ephesians chapter 1 are a partial catalog of those blessings
Even as [in His love] He chose us [actually picked us out for Himself as His own] in Christ before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy (consecrated and set apart for Him) and blameless in His sight, even above reproach, before Him in love.
Long, long ago he decided to adopt us into his family through Jesus Christ. (What pleasure he took in planning this!)
3. I am reconciled
3. I am reconciled
Because of the sacrifice of the Messiah, his blood poured out on the altar of the Cross, we’re a free people—free of penalties and punishments chalked up by all our misdeeds. And not just barely free, either. Abundantly free! He thought of everything, provided for everything we could possibly need,
In the Old Testament times, one day a year was observed as Yom Kippur ("the day of Atonement"). Every year, sacrifices were made for the sins of the people—to atone for them for a time. Yet each year, the sacrifices had to be made again.
When Jesus came and gave His life for us, His perfect sacrifice atoned for our sins—for all time. There is no need for any more sacrifices.
The meaning of the word is simply at-one-ment, i.e., the state of being at one or being reconciled, so that atonement is reconciliation.
4. I am anticipating
4. I am anticipating
But as it is written:
“Eye has not seen, nor ear heard,
Nor have entered into the heart of man
The things which God has prepared for those who love Him.”
It’s in Christ that we find out who we are and what we are living for. Long before we first heard of Christ and got our hopes up, he had his eye on us, had designs on us for glorious living, part of the overall purpose he is working out in everything and everyone.
11 also we have obtained an inheritance, having been predestined according to His purpose who works all things after the counsel of His will,
12 to the end that we who were the first to hope in Christ would be to the praise of His glory.
13 It’s in Christ that you, once you heard the truth and believed it (this Message of your salvation), found yourselves home free—signed, sealed, and delivered by the Holy Spirit.
13 And now you Gentiles have also heard the truth, the Good News that God saves you. And when you believed in Christ, he identified you as his own by giving you the Holy Spirit, whom he promised long ago.
The blessing mentioned here is that we have been "sealed" in Him with the Holy Spirit of promise.
At salvation, God's Spirit came into our hearts to live as a promise of that which is to come.
In order to receive this blessing we had to a) listen to the true message, and b) believe that message (or place our trust in the Savior that message declared).
When God's Spirit comes into our hearts, He "seals" us or secures us in Christ.
We receive the Holy Spirit at the point of salvation. This is the time when the "baptism by the Holy Spirit" that Scripture speaks of occurs.
Being "filled with the Spirit" as Paul speaks of in is not getting more of the Spirit, but yielding every area of our lives to the Spirit's empowering and direction: having our lives filled with God's Spirit as opposed to ourself.
5. I am growing in the knowledge of God
5. I am growing in the knowledge of God
18 the eyes of your understanding being enlightened; that you may know what is the hope of His calling, what are the riches of the glory of His inheritance in the saints,
19 and what is the exceeding greatness of His power toward us who believe, according to the working of His mighty power
18 your eyes focused and clear, so that you can see exactly what it is he is calling you to do, grasp the immensity of this glorious way of life he has for his followers,
19 oh, the utter extravagance of his work in us who trust him—endless energy, boundless strength!
Three things are essential if believers are to grow in the knowledge of God.
Three things are essential if believers are to grow in the knowledge of God.
1. To grow in the knowledge of God you must have the spirit of wisdom
1. To grow in the knowledge of God you must have the spirit of wisdom
If we are to grow in the knowledge of God, we must seek the wisdom of God more than anything else on this earth. It is the person who hungers and thirsts after God and His righteousness that is filled.
2. To grow in the knowledge of God you must have the spirit of revelation.
2. To grow in the knowledge of God you must have the spirit of revelation.
Again, note the phrase "the spirit of revelation." It is the Holy Spirit who reveals God to the believer.
9 But as it is written: “Eye has not seen, nor ear heard, Nor have entered into the heart of man The things which God has prepared for those who love Him.”
10 But God has revealed them to us through His Spirit. For the Spirit searches all things, yes, the deep things of God.
11 For what man knows the things of a man except the spirit of the man which is in him? Even so no one knows the things of God except the Spirit of God.
12 Now we have received, not the spirit of the world, but the Spirit who is from God, that we might know the things that have been freely given to us by God.
3. To grow in the knowledge of God you must have the eyes of his heart enlightened.
3. To grow in the knowledge of God you must have the eyes of his heart enlightened.
The heart must be opened so that the light of God can be seen and grasped. An open heart is the responsibility of both you and the Holy Spirit.
⇒ You must open your heart and focus its affection, intelligence, and will upon knowing God.
⇒ You must seek the Holy Spirit to enlighten and flood your heart with the things of God.
9 But you are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, His own special people, that you may proclaim the praises of Him who called you out of darkness into His marvelous light;
9 But you are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, His own special people, that you may proclaim the praises of Him who called you out of darkness into His marvelous light;
9 But you are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, His own special people, that you may proclaim the praises of Him who called you out of darkness into His marvelous light;
Next Steps:
•Read the Bible daily!
• Pray Daily
•Pray Daily
•Sign up to volunteer at the church
•Get involved with the Easter Sunday Committee
•Attend Tuesday Night Bible Study!
•Invite Someone to Sunday Worship Service!