01.20 Standing And State
XX. Standing and State There are "Three Classes" of Professing Christians.
1. Those who are saved and KNOW IT.
2. Those who are saved and are NOT SURE OF IT.
3. Those who are not saved but THINK THEY ARE. When asked if they are saved, some Christians say, "I hope so," others say, "I trust so," while many think it presumptuous to be positive and say we cannot know until we die. The reason why so many Christians are not sure that they are saved is because they do not distinguish between their "STANDING," their "STATE," and their "EXPERIENCE."
I. THE CHRISTIAN’S STANDING The only place we can find out as to this is in the Word of God. What does the Bible say about it? It says that the Christian’s "Standing" is that of a SON. "As many as received Him, to them gave He power to become the SONS OF GOD." John 1:12-13. We become a "Son of God" by receiving Christ as our personal Saviour. And we are a "Son" NOW. "Beloved NOW are we the Sons of God." 1 John 3:2. And this "Sonship" makes us HEIRS. "And if ’Children,’ then HEIRS; heirs of God, and joint heirs with Christ." Romans 8:17. And this "HEIRSHIP" guarantees our PRESERVATION, for we are kept by the "POWER OF GOD," unto an inheritance incorruptible, and undefiled, and that fadeth not away, "RESERVED IN HEAVEN" for us. 1 Peter 1:4-5. And no man shall be able to pluck us out of our FATHER’S HAND (John 10:27-29), for we are "SEALED" unto the Day of Redemption (Ephesians 4:30), and our "life" (Spiritual Life) is HID WITH CHRIST IN GOD. Colossians 3:3. If my "life" is "hid in Christ" by God for safe keeping I have it not and therefore cannot lose it. But I think I hear some one say, "How about the words ’fall way’" (Hebrews 6:4-6), and if we sin wilfully’ after that we have received the knowledge of the truth? Hebrews 10:26. Are you a JEW? Then those words are intended for you, but if a Gentile, then not. Those words were spoken to apostate Jewish professors of Christianity and are not intended for Gentile believers. The moment the Children of Israel put the blood of the Passover Lamb on the doorposts of their dwellings the inmates were safe, and the promise of God that "when HE (not them) saw the BLOOD," He would "pass over them," (Exodus 12:13), made them sure. So the "Blood of Christ" makes us SAFE, and the "WORD OF GOD" makes us SURE. See the Chart "Standing and State." Page 218.
II. THE CHRISTIAN’S STATE
While the Christian’s "Standing" is SETTLED and SURE his "State" is VARIABLE. This is owing to the fact that after our "New Birth" we have "TWO NATURES" where before we had but one. We do not lose the "Old Adam" or "FLESH Nature" when we receive the "New Adam" or "SPIRITUAL Nature," for that which was born of the "Flesh" is still FLESH, and only that which is born of the "HOLY SPIRIT" is SPIRIT. John 3:6. This explains the "SPIRITUAL WARFARE" so vividly portrayed by the Apostle Paul in Romans 7:14-25. This was the Apostle’s own experience after his conversion and reveals the fact that the Believer has a DUAL NATURE, and he is sinless or sinful according to which nature is uppermost, for that which is "born of God" in him, his "Spiritual Nature," CANNOT SIN. 1 John 3:9. But as long as we permit our "FLESH Nature" to control us, we cannot say "we have no sin," if we do we "deceive ourselves," and the "truth is not in us." 1 John 1:8-10. Here we must distinguish between "SIN" and "SINS." "SIN" is that disposition to do wrong that we inherit from Adam called "Original Sin" or "Natural Depravity." "SINS" are the specific acts of sin that we commit due to the disposition to sin in us. Jesus died on the Cross to remove the disposition to sin from us, and by accepting Him as our personal Saviour we get a NEW NATURE in which there is no disposition to sin. It is that Nature therefore that cannot sin. See the Chapter on "The Two Natures." But you say does not the Apostle Paul say that we are "dead to sin," and ought not to live any longer therein? Romans 6:1-2. Yes. But what he means is that we are JUDICIALLY DEAD. That is, we are in our "New Nature" dead to the "LAW OF SIN," that "Law" has no further power over us, therefore, the Apostle adds, we should "RECKON OURSELVES DEAD" (Romans 6:11), that is, we should consider ourselves dead to sin and live and act like a man who had died to his old manner of life. How is it to be done? "Walk in the SPIRIT, and ye SHALL NOT FULFIL THE LUST OF THE FLESH." Galatians 5:16. We are told not to let sin "REIGN" in our mortal body, and the promise is-"sin shall not have DOMINION over you." Romans 6:12-14.
We see from all this that while a "Believer’s Standing" is "Settled" and "Sure," his "State" is VARIABLE and will be sinful or sinless according to whether the "Old" or "New Nature" is in control.
III. THE CHRISTIAN’S EXPERIENCE As to "Experience" the Believer may be in any one of three places. (1). He may be in EGYPT, the "Type of the WORLD." (2). He may be in the WILDERNESS, the "Type of the FLESH." Or (3) he may be fighting for the possession of CANAAN, the "Type of the DEVIL." The "Children of Israel" were safe in Egypt the moment they sprinkled the "Blood" of the "Passover Lamb" on the doorposts of their dwellings. So the Believer is Saved the moment he applies the "BLOOD OF CHRIST" by faith to his soul though he may in experience be still living in the world of which Egypt is a type, though he should not be content to dwell there. Some Believers have left Egypt behind, but as to experience they are still wandering in the Wilderness, sometimes on the Egyptian side of the Wilderness longing for the leeks, onions, and garlic of their old Egyptian life, at other times on the Canaan side longing for the new corn and wine and figs and pomegranates of the Promised Land, but mostly wandering in the centre of the Wilderness, in a state of murmuring, restlessness and unfruitfulness.
Some have visited Kadesh Barnea and taken a journey over into Canaan and tasted of the "Grapes of Eshcol" but have been frightened by the "Giants" and "Walled Cities" and refusing to go in and "possess the land" they have been compelled to wander for many years in the Wilderness to the great loss of themselves and their loved ones, due to their lack of faith. Numbers 13:1-33.
Other Believers have left the Wilderness and entered Canaan and are now under the leadership of their Joshua (Christ), endeavoring to drive out the Canaanites, Hittites, Hivites, Perizzites, Girgashites, Amorites, and Jebusites of their soul that they may get posession of the land, for they have the promise that they shall get "possession" by "dispossession," and control every portion of territory over which their feet shall tread. Joshua 1:1-3. While Canaan is a type, not of Heaven, for there is no conflict in Heaven, but of the "Rest of Faith" or the "Victorious Life," it is also a "Type of the Devil," for the Devil is satisfied to have the Believer remain in Egypt (the World), or in the Wilderness overcome by the "Flesh," but when the Believer gets over into Canaan the Devil is going to contest every foot of the way, and prevent if possible a "Life of Victory." From what has been said we see that our "Fellowship" with God can be broken, but our RELATIONSHIP never. The Prodigal Son severed his "Fellowship" with his father by going off into a "far country," but he did not lose his "SONSHIP" for as a SON he was welcomed back. Luke 15:24. "Who then shall SEPARATE us from the ’Love of Christ’." Romans 8:35-39.