The Doctrine of Standing and State

The Doctrine of Standing and State

READ: Colossians Chapter 3

Colossians 3:1-5 "If ye then be risen with Christ, seek those things which are Above, where Christ Sitteth on the Right Hand of God. [2] Set your affection on things Above, not on things on the earth. [3] For ye are dead, and your life is hid with Christ in God. [4] When Christ, who is our Life, shall Appear, then shall ye also Appear with Him in Glory. [5] Mortify therefore your members which are upon the earth; fornication, uncleanness, inordinate affection, evil concupiscence, and covetousness, which is idolatry:"

In the above verses, the Holy Ghost through the Apostle Paul speaks of TWO DEATHS, one which is past tense, “ye are dead” (co-crucifixion) and another which is continual, “mortify” [put to death] your members which are upon the earth”. Romans 6:11 is a companion verse, “Likewise reckon ye also yourselves to be dead indeed unto sin, but alive unto God through Jesus Christ our Lord.”

In both verses, the Holy Ghost through the Apostle Paul exhorts the brethren to live out the spiritual reality of co-crucifixion, Galatians 2:20 "I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ Liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the Faith of the Son of God, who Loved me, and gave Himself for me."

Upon close examination, it becomes clear that the exhortation involves a deeper truth. The Holy Ghost through the Apostle Paul is revealing, 2 Peter 3:16 "As also in all his epistles, speaking in them of these things; in which are some things hard to be understood, which they that are unlearned and unstable wrest, as they do also the other scriptures, unto their own destruction." by contrasting the two realities, the unseen, “things above” and the seen, “things on earth” 2 Corinthians 4:18 "While we look not at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen: for the things which are seen are temporal; but the things which are not seen are eternal." The Word of God is comparing the heavenly versus earthly, the spiritual versus the physical, and the eternal versus the temporal.

As we shall see, by comparing scripture with scripture, the Holy Ghost through the Apostle Paul is encouraging the believers at Colosse and us here today, to make their death “in Christ” a practical part of their present lives. By studying the nature and contrast of this dual reality the critical distinction between as the Word of God states what the true believer’s STANDING and STATE comes into sharp focus.

STANDING

Relates to the believer’s spiritual position, who we are “IN CHRIST”: 2 Corinthians 5:17 "Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new. "referring to the “spiritual dimension” of reality. Our standing is the way God sees us, the result of the second birth Colossians 3:3 "For ye are dead, and your life is hid with Christ in God." 1 John 3:1-2 "Behold, what manner of love the Father hath bestowed upon us, that we should be called the sons of God: therefore the world knoweth us not, because it knew him not. [2] Beloved, now are we the sons of God, and it doth not yet appear what we shall be: but we know that, when He shall appear, we shall be like Him; for we shall see Him as He is." This concerns the believer’s place in the spiritual realm, speaking of things Eternal and Heavenly.

Notice the tense of these Words in this verse of Colossians 1:13 “Who HATH delivered us from the power of darkness, and HATH translated us into the Kingdom of His Dear Son” Also look at Ephesians 2:6 "And HATH raised us up together, and made us sit together in Heavenly Places in Christ Jesus:", it is “past tense.”

Our standing “IN CHRIST” is perfect, Hebrews 10:14 "For by one offering He hath Perfected for ever them that are Sanctified." Our “standing” is all of God’s Grace (unmerited favor); nothing can be added to it or taken away from it. Our standing is, “the gift of God” listen to the Word of God, Romans 5:15-18 "But not as the offence, so also is the free gift. For if through the offence of one many be dead, much more the grace of God, and the gift by grace, which is by one man, Jesus Christ, hath abounded unto many. [16] And not as it was by one that sinned, so is the gift: for the judgment was by one to condemnation, but the free gift is of many offences unto justification. [17] For if by one man’s offence death reigned by one; much more they which receive abundance of grace and of the gift of righteousness shall reign in life by one, Jesus Christ. [18] Therefore as by the offence of one judgment came upon all men to condemnation; even so by the righteousness of one the free gift came upon all men unto justification of life." The result of Christ’s Substitutionary Death, Burial, and Resurrection on our behalf and has NOTHING whatsoever to do with human efforts! Ephesians 2:8 "For by Grace are ye saved through Faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the Gift of God:" therefore we receive God’s Righteousness at Christ’s Expense.

Examples of Scripture which refer to our STANDING:

ü 1 John 5:1 "Whosoever Believeth that Jesus is the Christ is Born of God: and every one that Loveth Him that Begat Loveth Him also that is Begotten of Him."

ü 1 John 3:2 "Beloved, now are we the Sons of God, and it doth not yet appear what WE SHALL BE: but we know that, when He shall appear, we shall be like Him; for we shall see Him as He is."

ü John 5:24 "Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that Heareth My Word, and Believeth on Him that sent Me, hath Everlasting Life, and shall NOT come into condemnation; but is PASSED from death unto life."

ü Colossians 3:3-4 "For ye are dead, and your life is HID with Christ in God. [4] When Christ, who is Our Life, shall Appear, then shall ye also Appear with Him in Glory."

ü Ephesians 2:6 "And hath raised us up TOGETHER, and made us sit TOGETHER in Heavenly places in Christ Jesus:"

ü Ephesians 1:13 "In whom ye also trusted, after that ye heard the Word of Truth, the Gospel of your Salvation: in whom also after that ye believed, ye were Sealed with that Holy Spirit of Promise,"

ü Ephesians 5:8 "For ye were sometimes darkness, but now are ye Light in the Lord: Walk as children of Light:"

ü Romans 5:1-2 “Therefore being Justified by Faith, we have Peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ: By whom also we have access by Faith into this Grace wherein we STAND, and Rejoice in the Hope of the Glory of God.”

STATE

On the other hand, relates to who we are IN OURSELVES: It concerns the believer’s earthly existence in the physical body. It is what the Bible refers to as our “walk” Colossians 2:6 "As ye have therefore received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk ye in Him:" 1 Thessalonians 4:1 "Furthermore then we beseech you, brethren, and exhort you by the Lord Jesus, that as ye have received of us how ye ought to walk and to please God, so ye would abound more and more." and relates to our temporal lives in our earthly bodies; servants of God as Christ lives in us. Because our State concerns our walk in the flesh it is imperfect Romans 7:18-25 "For I know that in me (that is, in my flesh,) dwelleth no good thing: for to will is present with me; but how to perform that which is good I find not. [19] For the good that I would I do not: but the evil which I would not, that I do. [20] Now if I do that I would not, it is no more I that do it, but sin that dwelleth in me. [21] I find then a law, that, when I would do good, evil is present with me. [22] For I delight in the law of God after the inward man: [23] But I see another law in my members, warring against the law of my mind, and bringing me into captivity to the law of sin which is in my members. [24] O wretched man that I am! who shall deliver me from the body of this death? [25] I thank God through Jesus Christ our Lord. So then with the mind I myself serve the law of God; but with the flesh the law of sin." Our state pertains to our service or works for the Lord after Salvation, Ephesians 2:10 "For we are His Workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them." and is determined by our daily choices regarding OBEDIENCE or DISOBEDIENCE to the indwelling Holy Spirit: Romans 6:12-13 "Let not sin therefore reign in your mortal body, that ye should obey it in the lusts thereof. [13] Neither YIELD ye your members as instruments of unrighteousness unto sin: but YIELD yourselves unto God, as those that are alive from the dead, and your members as instruments of Righteousness unto God."

Therefore, the believer’s STATE or manner of living (which involves daily choices), determines gains or losses of rewards in Heaven (Col.3:24-25; 1 Cor.3:10-15) and affects the Believer’s Joy, Peace, and Contentment while on earth.

Examples of Scripture which refer to our STATE:

ü Psalms 39:5 "Behold, thou hast made my days as an handbreadth; and mine age is as nothing before Thee: verily every man at his best state is altogether vanity. Selah."

ü Romans 7:18 "For I know that in me (that is, in my flesh,) dwelleth no good thing: for to will is present with me; but how to perform that which is good I find not."

ü Romans 6:19 "I speak after the manner of men because of the infirmity of your flesh: for as ye have yielded your members servants to uncleanness and to iniquity unto iniquity; even so now yield your members servants to Righteousness unto Holiness."

ü Colossians 3:9 "Lie not one to another, seeing that ye have put off the old man with his deeds;"

ü Romans 6:4 "Therefore we are buried with Him by Baptism into Death: that like as Christ was Raised up from the Dead by the Glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of Life."

ü 1 John 2:6 "He that saith he abideth in Him ought himself also so to walk, even as He walked."

STATE AND STANDING SIDE BY SIDE.

STATE, our desire for Godliness and Holiness

1 John 3:2-3, “Beloved, now are we the Sons of God, and it doth not yet appear what we SHALL be: but we KNOW that, when He SHALL appear, we SHALL be like Him; for we SHALL see Him as He is. [3] And every man that hath this HOPE in him PURIFIETH himself, even as He is PURE.” 1 John 3:2-3 places “STATE” and “STANDING” side by side in verse 3 plainly contrasting the difference between the two. Consider: “purifieth himself” refers to the believer’s state; practical righteousness (developed). Know ye not that in 2 Corinthians 7:1 "Having therefore these Promises, dearly beloved, let us cleanse ourselves from all filthiness of the flesh and spirit, perfecting Holiness in the Fear of God." Here we read of the Grace and Goodness of God, 2 Timothy 2:19-22 "Nevertheless the foundation of God standeth sure, having this seal, The Lord knoweth them that are His. And, LET EVERY ONE THAT NAMETH THE NAME OF CHRIST DEPART FROM INIQUITY. [20] But in a great house there are not only vessels of gold and of silver, but also of wood and of earth; and some to honour, and some to dishonour. [21] If a man therefore purge himself from these, he shall be a vessel unto honour, sanctified, and meet for the Master’s use, and prepared unto every good work. [22] Flee also youthful lusts: but follow Righteousness, Faith, Charity, Peace, with them that call on the Lord out of a PURE HEART." Hear ye the Lord, Titus 2:12-14 "Teaching us that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live Soberly, Righteously, and Godly, in this present world; [13] Looking for that BLESSED HOPE, and the Glorious Appearing of the Great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ; [14] Who gave Himself for us, that He might Redeem us from all iniquity, and purify unto Himself a Peculiar People, zealous of good works."

STANDING, our position in Christ Jesus was imputed to each of us by Christ Himself.

Standing is indicated by “He is pure” positional righteous (imputed). Hear thus saith the Lord, Philippians 3:9 "And be found in Him, not having mine own righteousness, which is of the Law, but that which is through the Faith of Christ, the Righteousness which is of God by Faith:" We stand because it is of the Lord Jesus Christ, period, Ephesians 2:8 "For by Grace are ye saved through Faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the Gift of God:" Here is the truth point blank, 2 Corinthians 5:21 "For He hath made Him to be SIN for US, who KNEW NO SIN; that we might be made the Righteousness of God in Him." To be obedient and to obey the Word of God, it commands you and me to, 2 Timothy 2:15 "Study to shew THYSELF approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ASHAMED, rightly dividing the Word of Truth." it is indispensable that we understand the critical distinction between our STANDING & our STATE. This is exclusively true regarding the Holy Ghost speaking through the Apostle Paul’s letters to the Church.

Without knowledge of the distinction between “STANDING” and “STATE” various portions of Holy Scripture, such as Galatians 3:27, “For as many of you as have been baptized into Christ have put on Christ.” and Romans 13:14, “But put ye on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make not provision for the flesh, to fulfil the lusts thereof” would appear to be contradictory. Also, compare Hebrews 10:14 “For by One Offering He hath Perfected forever THEM that are Sanctified.” And with Philippians 3:12 “Not as though I had already attained, either were already perfect: but I follow after, if that I may apprehend that for which also I am apprehended of Christ Jesus.” Without an understanding of this Truth, we could easily be deceived into believing that what we DO determines who we are, which leads to frustration and defeat. When in reality just the opposite is true…it is the recognition of who we are “in Christ” that is to define us!

The Lord wants us to comprehend the critical distinction between the power of our position (Standing) in Christ, Colossians 1:27 “Christ in you, the hope of glory” 1 John 4:4,“Greater is He that is in you, than he that is in the world ” and the corruption that resides in our flesh (Our State), Romans 7:18, “For I know that in me (that is, in my flesh,) dwelleth no good thing”. Jeremiah 17:9, “The heart is deceitful above all things, and DESPERATELY WICKED: who can know it?” As an old Saint said many years ago, “No man knows how bad he is till he has tried very hard to be good.”

God wants us to fully understand that we, in and of ourselves, are totally incapable of pleasing Him. The Lord is not interested in our abilities or good intentions to serve Him…He is more concerned with our SURRENDER. He wants us to come to the liberating realization that, John 6:63 "It is the Spirit that quickeneth; the flesh profiteth nothing: the Words that I speak unto you, they are Spirit, and they are Life." We must continue to learn to YIELD to the Holy Ghost’s Power…for it is the indwelling Holy Ghost that gives us His power to do those things of God in obedience. Ephesians 3:20 "Now unto Him that is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the Power that worketh in us," Galatians 5:25 "If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit."

In the end, STANDING and STATE, CHARACTER and POSITION, will be equal. But the position is not the reward of perfected character—the character is developed from the position”. Pastor Cyrus Ingerson Scofield (August 19, 1843 – July 24, 1921)

Amen.