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Let the joy “of the Lord” rise in you as often as possible via exercising your faith in His Expiation for “the old man’s” presence and works within you! Unless your present state is in a sadness from the bereavement of a passing loved one (and even in these trials as maturity progresses), or in a time of equal difficulty from another issue, saints can rejoice about their salvation. Many will not be able to respond very quickly, if at all, to this provision of encouragement from God because we are too used to basing our support on our “condition” rather than our “position.”
The condition of many believers in Christ is that they are attempting (often without awareness) to improve their “old man” and get it so submit to God, but this is a common mistake and not God’s plan (Rom 8:7). We must look at who we are (believers perpetually forgiven) more than what we are (possessors of a sin nature). Let’s not forget that the sin source yet “dwells within us” (Ro 7:17, 20), and that we are not in it (no longer considered “sinners” - Ro 8:9). God—through Christ—by Their Spirit using the Life of Christ (Col 3:4) has “circumcised” us from the sin nature (old man), “with the circumcision made without hands, in putting off the body of the sins of the flesh by the circumcision of Christ” (Col 2:11).
The “positional” truths are what contains our exhortation, and nowhere else. Understanding this will keep us from the growth-robbing oppositions (self, Satan and society), which, though delays spiritual growth can never effect any successful result concerning opposition to our salvation. When the permanence of faith and salvation are sufficiently understood, these truths become clear and apprehensive to appropriate them; and then we stand more than not—encouraged and growing, until our earthly time has transpired.
Our condition is that we are still effected by the sin nature (old man), and is why works effect not salvation, but the inverse; and our position shows us not to base acceptance with God (Eph 1:6) on this condition (old man restoration society) but in our position in Christ. Of course, God could have removed the sin nature at rebirth, but He is using it for the same purpose He uses it initially—to manifest His holy nature, and thus our need for Him.
When our position is rested in, our condition and its reasons are more understood and more correctly responded toward glorifying God, and there will be continuous growth in the Lord Jesus’ “image” (Rom 8:29; 2Co 3:18)—but not until then!
The condition of many believers in Christ is that they are attempting (often without awareness) to improve their “old man” and get it so submit to God, but this is a common mistake and not God’s plan (Rom 8:7). We must look at who we are (believers perpetually forgiven) more than what we are (possessors of a sin nature). Let’s not forget that the sin source yet “dwells within us” (Ro 7:17, 20), and that we are not in it (no longer considered “sinners” - Ro 8:9). God—through Christ—by Their Spirit using the Life of Christ (Col 3:4) has “circumcised” us from the sin nature (old man), “with the circumcision made without hands, in putting off the body of the sins of the flesh by the circumcision of Christ” (Col 2:11).
The “positional” truths are what contains our exhortation, and nowhere else. Understanding this will keep us from the growth-robbing oppositions (self, Satan and society), which, though delays spiritual growth can never effect any successful result concerning opposition to our salvation. When the permanence of faith and salvation are sufficiently understood, these truths become clear and apprehensive to appropriate them; and then we stand more than not—encouraged and growing, until our earthly time has transpired.
Our condition is that we are still effected by the sin nature (old man), and is why works effect not salvation, but the inverse; and our position shows us not to base acceptance with God (Eph 1:6) on this condition (old man restoration society) but in our position in Christ. Of course, God could have removed the sin nature at rebirth, but He is using it for the same purpose He uses it initially—to manifest His holy nature, and thus our need for Him.
When our position is rested in, our condition and its reasons are more understood and more correctly responded toward glorifying God, and there will be continuous growth in the Lord Jesus’ “image” (Rom 8:29; 2Co 3:18)—but not until then!
