ONE
S I T T I N G
But God, who is rich in mercy, for his great love wherewith he loved us, Even when we were dead in sins, hath quickened us together with Christ,(by grace ye are saved;)
And hath raised us up together, and made us sit together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus: Ephesians 2:4-6
Why does this passage emphasize Jesus Christ and his Body, the Church, sitting together in heavenly places?
It is because sitting is the posture of rest. Since Jesus finished the work of redemption, there is no more work for him to do. He now sits, at rest, until The Father makes his enemies his footstool.
We are also at rest with Him. Because God raised us from the dead with Christ, there is no further work for us to do regarding salvation. There is no form or ritual, ceremonial laws, or religious hoops to jump through. We merely accept the salvation offered by faith and take our place “In Him.”
God re-created you, forgave all sin, and restores fellowship as if you never sinned. Therefore, you are welcome in His presence with open arms and full approval. You have become acceptable to God through Jesus.
8 For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: 9 Not of works, lest any man should boast. Ephesians 2:8-9 (KJV)
Let me give you an illustration to help explain the ‘gift’ portion of our salvation.
Imagine taking a vacation on a cruise ship and you accidentally fall overboard, but no one notices. As the ship sails away all you can do is tread water and hope against hope someone will come to the rescue.
But after many days of treading water in rough seas, you have lost hope, being alone, extremely hungry, and very weak.
But what if, at the point of exhaustion, a rescue boat appears, and a hand reaches down toward you? Frantically clutching the hand, they pull you into the boat—in the niche of time, I might add.
How grateful and relieved would you be as they wrap you in a warm blanket and give you fresh water and food as you recover..
Our salvation is also a rescue operation. We, as sinners, were drowning in a sea of disobedience and rebellion, separated from God and needy of His forgiveness and pardon. Jesus is the one reaching down to save you from certain death, but you must stop flailing about, cooperate, and allow him to pull you to safety.
However, instead of Jesus pulling you into a little rescue boat, he draws you up into the glorious light and the throne room of God in heaven itself. He then blesses and honors you with eternal life and gives you citizenship in heaven, then beckons you to sit and rule and reign with Him on His Throne.
Because he raised you from the dead (spiritually) and you are sitting with him in heavenly places, you have become an actual citizen of Heaven. Read the following verse with this in mind:
Now therefore ye are no more strangers and foreigners, but fellow citizens with the saints, and of the household of God; Eph. 2:19.
The term, fellow citizen, is equal to being a resident of the kingdom of heaven. But look, you are also of the household of God, which means you are His offspring, His child. Our redemption gives us access to the very heart of Almighty God. You are his child and a member of his household.
Kings Sit on Thrones
Another reason Jesus is sitting is that kings sit on thrones as a posture of authority and rulership, and Jesus is the King of Kings. But this is what our text is also declaring to us as Christians—that we will also rule with him in his kingdom for all eternity! Here are a few proof scriptures:
The one who conquers, I will grant him to sit with me on my throne, as I also conquered and sat down with my Father on his throne. Revelation 3:21
And has made us unto our God kings and priests: and we shall reign on the earth Rev.5:10.
And if children, then heirs; heirs of God, and joint heirs with Christ; if so be that we suffer with him, that we may be also glorified together. Romans 8:17.
But Why?
Because of Adam’s transgression, we are born on earth separated from God. Because of Christ’s shed blood, God reconciles us to himself as if we never sinned, then graciously restores our relationship; it is his work and not what we have done, or ever will do.
We should have died on the cross for our offenses, but of course, we didn’t. He did all the work, yet we reap all the benefits. We sit at rest with him because we have received Christ by faith.
What do We do Now?
But once we receive Christ and are born again, what should our response be toward God and His Word? Can we live frivolously and continue misbehaving while we live here on earth?
No! Of course not. We must believe, trust, and obey the Word of God. We understand salvation is a gift, but there is a lifestyle that goes along with the Christian life. For example, on the day of Pentecost, the Apostle Peter told the very first converts to REPENT.
Then Peter said unto them, Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost. Acts 2:38.
To another crowd on another day he preached:
Repent ye therefore, and be converted, that your sins may be blotted out, when the times of refreshing shall come from the presence of the Lord. Acts 3:19
SO, if salvation requires repentance and conversion, it also means a lifestyle change. We stop serving the god of this world and begin submitting to the Holy Spirit. We walk in the Spirit. We live in the Spirit. We do not continue to live in sinful behaviors.
But let’s not get ahead of ourselves. We will look at the behavior required of us in the next chapter. For now, we are looking specifically at what happened (in our relationship with God) when we received Christ by faith.
The following section summarizes the completed work of redemption. This is who we are in Christ as we sit on his throne with Him. Remember to consider these truths from a post-resurrection viewpoint. God raised us from the dead and we now sit, at rest, with him.
RIGHTEOUSNESS
There are too few Christians aware of the following truths:
When YOU received CHRIST into YOUR heart, HE received YOU into HIS heart!!!
AND…
When YOU received CHRIST as YOUR Savior, HE received YOU as HIS Righteousness.
That’s right! You are in his heart, and you ARE the very righteousness of God In Him. He only sees you through the filter of the shed blood of Jesus. Therefore, his blood gives us total forgiveness and remission of sin.
For this is my blood of the new testament, which is shed for many for the remission of sins. Matthew 26:28
The term “IN HIM” describes the eternal position we have with Christ through the new birth. If you are in him, then he is in you. As a result, we become united into one spirit with the Lord.
But he that is joined unto the Lord is one spirit. 1 Corinthians 6:17
There is one body, and one Spirit, even as ye are called in one hope of your calling; One Lord, one faith, one baptism, One God and Father of all, who is above all, and through all, and in you all. Ephesians 4:4-6
We have become one spirit with the Lord. “One spirit” is regarding consecration, which takes place as we are set apart and dedicated to the service of God. It implies having the same mind, purpose, and will as the Holy Spirit.
Too many Christians incorrectly refer to themselves as being just old sinners saved by grace. Or that they are wretched, or unworthy. Yes, we were born sinners and wretched to be sure, but when we receive Jesus Christ by faith, everything changes! It changes our inward man; we are born again, and we become new creatures in Christ.
Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new. 2 Corinthians 5:17
21 God made him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.2 Corinthians 5
Notice that we are the “righteousness” of God, not the “wretchedness” of God in him.
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: Philippians 3:9
But of him are ye in Christ Jesus, who of God is made unto us wisdom, and righteousness, and sanctification, and redemption: 1 Corinthians 1:30
We define righteousness as having right standing with God. To make worthy and right.
If you have right standing, you are qualified to stand in the presence of God face to face or sit with him on his throne, with absolutely no sense of:
Shame or embarrassment, judgement, condemnation, or inferiority. And, of course, no guilt trips!
When you became righteous, you also became holy in the sight of God. We often misunderstand the word ‘Holy’ to mean “The sacredness of God’s perfection beyond our capacity to comprehend it”. The word ‘holy’ in its simpilist form implies separation from the world and set apart for the service of God.
And you, that were sometime alienated and enemies in your mind by wicked works, yet now hath he reconciled In the body of his flesh through death, to present you holy and unblameable and unreproveable in his sight: Colossians 1:21-22
Acording as he hath chosen us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before him in love: Ephesians 1:4
Notice in the above verses you are not only holy but also unblameable and unreprovable, “in his sight.”
That’s right, you are declared “NOT GUILTY” by the court of eternal justice for every sin you have ever committed provided you meet the conditions.
There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit. Romans 8:1.
Another irrefutable truth is that we are complete, made whole, in him.
For in him dwelleth all the fulness of the Godhead bodily. And ye are complete in him, which is the head of all principality and power: Colossians 2:9-10
Did you catch that?
The fullness of God lives in and through Christ.
Since we live and move in Christ, his fullness lives within us. We are complete with the fullness of God, and our salvation needs nothing more. We are fully saved and fully sanctified.
As believers, we revel in his all-encompassing love and grace; and we relish the very life and peace of God Almighty, who is our creator and Father. Because of this union, we become partakers of His Divine nature.
Whereby are given unto us exceeding great and precious promises: that by these ye might be partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust. 2 Peter 1:4
We are complete with the fulness of God and partake of His divine nature. Because we have been born of HIS seed, we have become the very offspring of God as a Son or Daughter.
Being born again, not of corruptible seed, but of incorruptible, by the word of God, which liveth and abideth for ever. 1 Peter 1:23
The word SEED in Greek is SPERMA. Sperm with its DNA is a biological component that creates all human life. However, we are born again by the Sperma of God’s WORD and SPIRIT, not a biological seed. God is our Father and we are His offspring and of His divine nature.
If you have identified with his death, burial, and resurrection, then you are born again. The shed blood of Jesus has cleansed you from all sin and you have become a new creature “IN HIM”.
…and the blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth us from all sin. 1 John 1:7 b
It does not matter if you feel like your holy, or feel like your righteous, or feel loved or emotionally united with God as-of-yet.
The fact is, he is the one who judges you acceptable and unblamable. He is the one who deems you righteous and gives you access to his throne and presence.
We accept this truth as a fact! Because he said “You are righteous,” then you are! Say it out loud,
I AM THE RIGHTEOUSNESS OF GOD, IN CHRIST.
I am holy, acceptable, and unblamable. Verbal affirmation, or confession of these realities is vitally important. Repeat these truths daily until they become a life-changing reality.
We are the righteousness of God in Christ because it is a gift:
For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God:Not of works, lest any man should boast. Ephesians 2:8-9.
It is by faith that I accept his pronouncement that I am holy, acceptable, and unblamable. There are no religious hoops to jump through because salvation is a gift and free of charge.
For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord. Romans 6:23
Salvation is a gift graciously given to me. I accept God’s gift of love and mercy. His salvation and acceptance become my reality, regardless of my feelings or emotions.
An old English Evangelist, Smith Wigglesworth, had a clever saying:
I am not moved by what I feel. I am only moved by the WORD OF GOD.
We should adopt this saying as our own. I’m righteous because God said I am. PERIOD! Not because I feel righteous, but because GOD said I am righteous.
But There is More!
Another outstanding feature of salvation is that we have become the Bride of Christ. We are bone of his bone and flesh of his flesh. Just as a husband and wife have an equal share in marriage, so we have an equal share in his glory and inheritance; we become heirs and joint heirs with Jesus.
If you are in him, then he is in you.If that is true then you and I are not only his bride, but we also become his body, the church. He is our head, but we make up HIS body, his flesh and bones.
For no man ever yet hated his own flesh; but nourisheth and cherisheth it, even as the Lord the church:
For we are members of HIS BODY, of his flesh, and of his bones.
For this cause shall a man leave his father and mother, and shall be joined unto his wife, and they two shall be ONE FLESH.This is a great mystery: but I speak concerning Christ and the church. Eph. 5:29-32.
How can we be any closer to Jesus than being his flesh and bones? How could we get any closer to Jesus than become one flesh with him?
Isn’t becoming one flesh with Jesus the most intimate relationship possible?
The above passage is standard practice for Pastors when teaching husband and wife relationships. It is used to develop healthy attitudes such as, Husbands love your wives, wives, respect your husbands, etc.
But verse twenty-nine declares that the Lord Jesus nourishes and cherishes his own body, WHICH WE ARE, and loves doing so. He takes loving care of his body by cherishing and loving us intimately, his flesh and bones.
Thus, we identify with Christ as being:
(((BONE OF HIS BONE AND FLESH OF HIS FLESH)))
What a beautiful picture of who we are in Christ. Is it possible to be any closer to him—to be his very flesh and bone, and being one in spirit with him?
Benefits
Ok, so now we understand that we are holy and acceptable family members, created in Christ Jesus, let’s look at a few benefits of being in Christ.
Even when we were dead in sins, hath quickened us together with Christ, (by grace ye are saved;) And hath raised us up together, and made us sit together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus: Ephesians 2:5-6
If we are his body then where do we live? Yes, we are physically here on earth. I get that. But positionally, spiritually, where in the Kingdom is our place or position? Re-read the verse. It expresses that we sit together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus. The following verse confirms and adds to the equation:
Which he wrought in Christ, when he raised him from the dead, and set him at his own right hand in the heavenly places, Far above all principality, and power, and might, and dominion, and every name that is named, not only in this world, but also in that which is to come:
And hath put all things under his feet, and gave him to be the head over all things to the church, Which is his body, the fulness of him that filleth all in all. Ephesians 1:20-23
If Jesus sits in heavenly places, “Far above all principalities,” and we are his body, then where does that put us? That places us far above all principalities and powers, doesn’t it? We sit above and rule over the devil and his cohorts and their agenda. He is under our feet!
We, therefore, take a post-resurrection viewpoint and live our lives as if we have already risen from the dead because spiritually, we already have, according to the Bible.
Can the devil or his cohorts come into the presence of God and de-throne him? No, of course not. But you are also sitting on the throne. Therefore, the devil cannot de-throne or overthrow you as you sit with Jesus.
Jesus gives us the command here on earth to cast out demons because he gives us dominion and authority.
And I will give unto thee the keys of the kingdom of heaven: and whatsoever thou shalt bind on earth shall be bound in heaven: and whatsoever thou shalt loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven. Matthew 16:19
Christ also gives us the authority to use his name to heal the sick and cast out demons.
And these signs shall follow them that believe; In my name shall they cast out devils; they shall speak with new tongues; Mark 16:17.
Then Peter said, Silver and gold have I none; but such as I have give I thee: In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth rise up and walk. Acts 3:6
Also, we have fellowship with the Father any time, night or day.
For through him we both have access by one Spirit unto the Father.
Now therefore ye are no more strangers and foreigners, but fellowcitizens with the saints, and of the household of God; Eph. 2:18-19.
This verse declares that we have access by one Spirit. Access, simply put, means we have permission to walk through the open door. We are welcome to walk in and out of the throne room of heaven at will.
in whom we have boldness and access with confidence through faith in Him. Eph. 3:12 nkjv
I must emphasize again that if we are sitting on the right hand of God, it must mean that we belong there. We can’t be unholy or unrighteous or unworthy or wretched. By faith, we believe He made us worthy to sit with him in His holy presence.
And how can you be of the household of God without being a child, or offspring of God?
The Spirit itself beareth witness with our spirit, that we are the children of God: And if children, then heirs; heirs of God, and joint-heirs with Christ; if so be that we suffer with him, that we may be also glorified together. Romans 8:16,17
For ye are all the children of God by faith in Christ Jesus. Galatians 3:26.
If we are children of God, it also makes us Sons of God. We have a deep, intimate relationship with Him, just like any earthly king and his offspring.
YOU are a SON or DAUGHTER OF GOD by faith.
And will be a Father unto you, and ye shall be my sons and daughters, saith the Lord Almighty. 2 Corinthians 6:18
Wherefore thou art no more a servant, but a son; and if a son, then an heir of God through Christ. Galatians 4:7.
Another blessing we see is our citizenship in the kingdom of Heaven. We are partakers of HIS kingdom and society. God has created a brand-new civilization and we are the citizens.
Think of Adam and Eve. God allowed them to fill the earth with perfect people created in His image. Unfortunately, they committed high treason and were expelled from the garden. But Jesus redeemed us and established us in the new civilization known as the kingdom of God.
This is where we will spend eternity. The Bible tells us we will receive glorified bodies and will live on earth with him for a thousand years. Then we enter eternity with a new heaven and new earth.
We enjoy all the rights and privileges of his kingdom right now except for the glorified body.
Now therefore ye are no more strangers and foreigners, but fellow citizens with the saints, and of the household of God; Ephesians 2:18-19
To be of His household implies family privilege and gives us access to his throne, to our individual dwelling place, and to all benefits of citizenship There are no limitations to this citizenship. You are welcome there and expected with great anticipation.
He delivers us from the power of darkness:
Who hath delivered us from the power of darkness, and hath translated us into the kingdom of his dear Son: In whom we have redemption through his blood, even the forgiveness of sins: Colossians 1:13-14
Because he redeems us, we have become the holy temple of the living God. We are welcome in His presence. We belong there as any child belongs to any loving family on earth.
This is the entire plan and purpose of salvation: To reconcile and restore us to God with full rights and privileges of the kingdom as Sons, Kings, Priests, and Citizens.
God does not inhabit unholy, unclean, and never unrighteous temples!