11. —The Christian’s Standing and State.
Half-an-hour quietly spent in reading over the wonderful lists given by the Class last month must, we think, produce in every Christian soul two feelings. The one, praise and wonder at the long catalog of blessings that are ours through the atoning death of our Savior; the other, surprise to find so many things that one had supposed were limited to the few, cataloged as the birthright property of every believer. We would strongly recommend our readers to give this subject a still further study, classifying and arranging the first part for themselves in such a way as to imprint the subject firmly on their hearts. From the note appended to the second part, we think that this portion of the subject might be made much more useful by not only giving (as has been done) a list of the blessings a believer may receive in virtue of his walk, but by giving also the reasons for which he gets them. Hoping therefore that some such subject may shortly engage the attention of the Class, we will confine our remarks this month to the first part of the subject—The blessings and privileges the believer gets through simple faith in Christ—and will give an example of one of the many ways in which this subject may be classified.
First, then, we may group the facts connected with the soul’s salvation; secondly, those connected with the old and new life; thirdly, fourthly, and fifthly, its relation to God the Father, Son, and Holy Ghost; sixthly, its relation to the world, the law, and sin; and seventhly, general facts connected with our standing.
We only give a selection of each class.
1. As to the believer’s salvation, he has:
Justification by faith, by God’s grace, through Christ’s blood Forgiveness by faith, by God’s grace, through Christ’s blood
Grace abounding
Acceptance in the Beloved
Deliverance from the fear of death, from coming judgment, from this present evil world
Redemption
Life— by faith
Peace with God
Joy in God
Righteousness
Wisdom
Sanctification
His name enrolled in heaven
Reconciliation
Precious faith
Liberty—from the law of sin and death
2. As to the old and new life, he is:
Passed from death to life, for he is:
Crucified with Christ
Dead with Christ
Buried with Christ
Begotten again by God’s will, by the word of God, by the Spirit
Raised with Christ
A new creature in Christ
3. As to his relationship with God the Father, he is:
Reconciled to God by Christ’s death
Brought nigh to God
Adopted a son of God
Born a child of God
Able to cry “Abba, Father”
The object of his Father’s care
Kept by his Father from evil
An heir of God
A dear child
The object of his Father’s love
He has knowledge of the Father
He has fellowship with the Father
4. As to his relationship with Christ the Son, he has:
Fellowship with Christ
Put on Christ
Received Christ’s peace
Christ in him
Christ as his peace
Christ as his high priest
He is:
Loved by Christ
Quickened with, raised with, and seated in Christ
The Lord’s
An epistle of Christ
A member of Christ’s body
Complete in Christ
One with Christ
5. As to his relationship with the Holy Ghost, he is:
Quickened by the Spirit
Sealed by the Spirit
Indwelt by the Spirit
Baptized by the Spirit into one body
The temple of the Spirit (as to his body)
He has:
The witness of the Spirit
The firstfruits of the Spirit
6. As to the world, the law, and sin, he is:
Crucified to the world
Not of the world, even as Christ
Sent into the world, by Christ
Dead to the law
Delivered from the law
Redeemed from the curse of the law
Not under the law
Dead to sin
Freed (or justified) from sin
Delivered from the power of darkness
Purged from his sins
Not a debtor to the flesh
7. As to his standing generally, he is:
Blessed with all spiritual blessings
Made meet (or fit) to be a partaker of the inheritance of the saints in light
Perfected forever
Called unto God’s eternal glory
A vessel of mercy
A citizen of heaven
Light in the Lord
The child of light
Kept by God’s power
A holy and a royal priest
He has:
Turned to God
Received everlasting consolation
Received the Spirit of power, of love, and of a sound mind All things that belong to life and godliness
A Comforter in all tribulations
Access into the holiest
A portion in heaven
Fellowship with other believers
The truth
Such then, in brief outline, is one of the many ways in which this subject may be arranged. To comment on such a list would be merely to weaken its value. What we need is to con over and over again these glorious title—deeds, sealed to us by the blood of the Son of God, and then, remembering who and what we were by nature, to seek to realize what we are by grace. We are sure that in the present day it would be impossible to find better and more helpful spiritual employment than that which occupies the Class in ransacking for themselves the wonderful stores of God’s word. All that we desire and seek to press in some measure each month is that none may rest content with a search, however successful, or a classification, however complete, but may themselves feed on the fruit of their labors, thus growing in grace and in the knowledge of the Lord, remembering that “The husbandman that laboureth must be the first to partake of the fruits.” 2 Timothy 2:66The husbandman that laboreth must be first partaker of the fruits. (2 Timothy 2:6). R. V.