Reflections on our Lord

2008-09-13

Last semester, I started reading Miles Stanford’s The Complete Green Letters. It has been very helpful when reflecting on what actually took place when Jesus died on the Cross, and when He rose from the dead. I have been reading it quite slowly since there is a lot in there.

Stanford talks about “three pillars of knowledge” that deal with the position on which the Christian life is both secured and matured (Stanford 194).

First is the knowledge of our birth, acceptance, and eternal security in Jesus Christ. We are a new creation, we are unconditionally accepted, and no one and nothing can take that away from us.

Second is the knowledge of being crucified with Christ. We have died to sin; we have been positionally separated from sin and Satan’s kingdom. We are identified with Christ in His death on the Cross. His Cross is our Cross.

Third is the knowledge that we are alive and complete in the Lord Jesus Christ. With these things in mind, His life will be manifested in us. His Life is our Life.

What jumps out at me the most is how spiritual warfare takes place so much in our minds. So many things compete for our attention, and these three truths do not come into our minds nearly as often as they should. They should be the very backbone of our worldview! Also, there seems to be very little teaching devoted to this. When studying positional teaching in the past two years or so, it seemed as if it were new, though I may have known them in theory before.

These truths are spiritual realities as to who we are in Jesus Christ. Remember them; trust in Jesus, who “hath blessed us with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places” (Ephesians 1:3). We have been associated with Jesus’ death: separated from sin as our master. We have been associated with Jesus’ resurrection: He is our life. If we always set our minds on these truths, then we will truly be set free from the power of sin (see John 8:30-32).

Reference

Stanford, Miles J. The Complete Green Letters. Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 1975.