Lewis Sperry Chafer On Our Position in Christ

A sphere is that which surrounds an object on every side and may even penetrate that object. To be within a sphere is to partake of all that it is and all that it imparts. Thus the bird is in the air and the air is in the bird; the fish is in the water and the water is in the fish; the iron is in the fire and the fire is in the iron. Likewise, in the spiritual realm, Christ is the sphere of the believer's position. He encompasses, surrounds, encloses, and indwells the believer. The believer is in Christ, and Christ is in the believer. Through the baptism with the Spirit, the Christian has become as much an organic part of Christ as the branch is a part of the vine, or the member is a part of the body. Being thus conjoined to Christ, the Father sees the saved one only in Christ, or as a living part of His own Son, and loves him as He loves His Son (Eph. 1:6; John 17:23).

As an accompanying result of this vital union in Christ certain facts of relationship are created which are the believer's new positions in Christ, and are the consequence of the work of God in grace. To present fully all the new positions into which the Christian is brought in Christ, would necessitate an analysis of all the great doctrinal portions of the Epistles. By way of illustration, a brief selection from these positions is here presented. (A more complete analysis of the believer's positions will be found in the author's book Salvation.) Of the saved one it is said that he is:

Elect and called of God (1 Thes. 1:4; 5:24).

Redeemed by God through the blood of His Son (Col. 1:14).

Reconciled to God by the death of His Son (2 Cor. 5:19).

Sheltered eternally under the propitiation made in the blood of Christ (1 John 2:2).

Forgiven all trespasses, past, present, and future (Col. 2:13).

Condemned no more forever (Rom. 8:1).

Justified freely by His grace (Rom. 3:24).

Sanctified positionally, or set apart unto God in Christ (1 Cor. 1:30).

Perfected forever (Heb. 10:14).

Made meet to be a partaker of the inheritance of the saints in light (Col. 1:12).

Made accepted in the Beloved (Eph. 1:6).

Made the righteousness of God in Him (2 Cor. 5:21).

Made nigh to God in Christ Jesus (Eph. 2:13).

A child and son of God (John 1:12; 1 John 3:3).

Free from the law and dead to the law (Rom. 7:4, 6).

Delivered from the power of darkness (Col. 1:13).

Translated into the kingdom of God's dear Son (Col. 1:13).


Lewis Sperry Chafer on Grace