OUR POSITION IN CHRIST

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CHRISTIANS OR BELIEVERS POSITION IN CHRIST

From this series on Christians position in Christ, we are going to study about our position or standing as believers in Christ.

A. Our position in Christ.

B. Our position in the church: To be in unity, To pray for others, To worship, serve and witness for Christ.

C. Our position in the society.

D. Our position in the Home.

E. Our position in the world.

OUR POSITION IN CHRIST:

Ephessians 1: 1-14 (NKJV):

1 Paul, an apostle of Jesus Christ by the will of God,

To the saints who are in Ephesus, and faithful in Christ Jesus:

2 Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.

3 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,

4 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,

5 having predestined us to adoption as sons by Jesus Christ to Himself, according to the good pleasure of His will,

6 to the praise of the glory of His grace, by which He [a]made us accepted in the Beloved.

7 In Him we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of His grace,

8 which He made to abound toward us in all wisdom and [b]prudence,

9 having made known to us the mystery of His will, according to His good pleasure which He purposed in Himself,

10 that in the dispensation of the fullness of the times He might gather together in one all things in Christ, [c]both which are in heaven and which are on earth—in Him.

11 In Him also we have obtained an inheritance, being predestined according to the purpose of Him who works all things according to the counsel of His will,

12 that we who first trusted in Christ should be to the praise of His glory.

13 In Him you also trusted, after you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation; in whom also, having believed, you were sealed with the Holy Spirit of promise,

14 who[d] is the [e]guarantee of our inheritance until the redemption of the purchased possession, to the praise of His glory.

B. One of the areas the Lord wants us to grow is in the knowledge of His word. This will help us to grow also in faith and love

There is no how we can serve God faithfully without the full knowledge of his word.

1. In these series, we will study the book of Ephessians to find out our position in Christ or what we have become as a result of our salvation.

2. The writer, Paul the apostle from prison at Rome to Christians who are faithful serving the lord.

3. WE ARE BLESSED IN CHRIST.

Read v3 – Mention some of the spiritual blessings we received from God through our salvation in Christ?

• There are two types of blessings: (1) Temporal and spiritual blessing.

Temporal – This includes, Health reaches, Rain, food and shelter sun children talents natural wisdom etc are from God and we share these with unbelievers common grace.

Spiritual: Spiritual blessing includes (1) forgiveness of our sin. Ps. 32: 1-2

Divine health: Eternal life, peace of mind, protections & privilege of pray and answer to prayers, spiritual gifts ETC.
Only believers have the right to these blessings because they are parched in Christ. No sinner has eternal life, portion peace of mind Etc in him. Jn 3:36; Isa. 57: 20-21

We are bless people

1. We are chosen in Christ Eph 1:4. We are chosen in Christ when?
   Does this mean that God chooses whom he liked to be saved?

No Rather – God knows beforehand those who will hear his word and believe and chose them even before they were born.
e.g Jesus said: Jn 6:43-44 – God use the gospel to draw sinners to himself.
But –having made us free willed people we have to choose either to respond or not.

John 6:40 (NKJV)

40 And this is the will of Him who sent Me, that everyone who sees the Son and believes in Him may have everlasting life; and I will raise him up at the last day.”

Remember we are to walk in holiness and in love. v 4

1. We are sons and daughters in Christ to God. v5-6

When a sinner responds to the gospel he is given the power (right) to become a son of God- Jn 1:12, Rom 8:14-16.

So our position in Christ is that of sons and father relationship. We are special people and object of God’s love.

1. We are redeemed. Christ Jesus paid for our redemption –we were slave to sin and Satan before but now we are freed in Christ. v 7.

2. We are given the privilege in Christ to share with God, in his wisdom. He has also revealed to us his plans both for now and in future; all he is doing and about to do. Unbeliever have not. v8-10 1 Cor. 2:9-10 1 Cor. 29-29

3. Christians have inheritance in Christ. As children in the family obtain inheritance from their father so have we obtained inheritance from God. i.e all that God has belongs to us, both in heaven and on earth.

He gave us His spirit as a down payment exit that all that belongs to us will be given to us v 13-14 explain

We have seen our position in Christ as believers

As blessed, chosen, sons, redeemed, privileged and people with inheritance.

The lord expects us to appreciate all these kindness and render a humble service unto him.