Position and Practice

An essential thing in the Christian life is to understand the difference between position
and practice or relationship and fellowship. What we mean by this is that the believer has
a new position and relationship before God that is eternal and perfect and unchanging and
that depends entirely upon Christ, but the believer also has a practice in this present world
that is less than perfect and that depends on his obedience.

Multitudes of professing Christians have become discouraged or even shipwrecked from

failure to understand this truth.

Relationship and Fellowship

The believer has been adopted into Gods family as a son because of Christs blood "For
ye are all the children of God by faith in Christ Jesus." - Galatians 3:26

and this new relationship will never change. It is a gift that was purchased at great price.

God will never kick the believer out of His family. At the same time, in this present
world fellowship with God depends on whether or not I walk in the light. Walking in
fellowship with God is the subject of 1 John:
"[3] That which we have seen and heard declare we unto you, that ye also may have
fellowship with us: and truly our fellowship is with the Father, and with his Son Jesus
Christ.
[4] And these things write we unto you, that your joy may be full.
[5] This then is the message which we have heard of him, and declare unto you, that God
is light, and in him is no darkness at all.
[6] If we say that we have fellowship with him, and walk in darkness, we lie, and do not
the truth:
[7] But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship one with another,
and the blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth us from all sin.
[8] If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us.
[9] If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us
from all unrighteousness.
[10] If we say that we have not sinned, we make him a liar, and his word is not in us." - I
John 1:3-10

If I walk in darkness I am out of fellowship, but this does not change my relationship.
God does not throw away His children; He disciplines and chastens them to bring them
back into fellowship:
"[5] And ye have forgotten the exhortation which speaketh unto you as unto children, My
son, despise not thou the chastening of the Lord, nor faint when thou art rebuked of him:
[6] For whom the Lord loveth he chasteneth, and scourgeth every son whom he
receiveth.
[7] If ye endure chastening, God dealeth with you as with sons; for what son is he whom
the father chasteneth not?
[8] But if ye be without chastisement, whereof all are partakers, then are ye bastards, and
not sons.
[9] Furthermore we have had fathers of our flesh which corrected us, and we gave them
reverence: shall we not much rather be in subjection unto the Father of spirits, and live?
[10] For they verily for a few days chastened us after their own pleasure; but he for our
profit, that we might be partakers of his holiness.
[11] Now no chastening for the present seemeth to be joyous, but grievous: nevertheless
afterward it yieldeth the peaceable fruit of righteousness unto them which are exercised
thereby." - Hebrews 12:5-11

Relationship and fellowship can be illustrated by human relationships. I was born into my
fathers family and I am his son. Nothing has ever changed that. There were times when I
was disobedient and foolish and I displeased my father, and we did not have good
fellowship together during those times. My father still loved me and yearned for my
fellowship, but I had to repent and honor him before that could happen. The same is true
in Gods family.

Position and Practice, Standing and Walk

Another way to describe this is position and practice or standing and walk. Consider the
book of Ephesians.

The first three chapters describe the believers new position or standing in Christ,
whereas the last three chapters describe his practice or walk in this world.
The key phrase in chapters 1-3 is in Christ:
"[1] Paul, an apostle of Jesus Christ by the will of God, to the saints which are at
Ephesus, and to the faithful in Christ Jesus:
[3] Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who hath blessed us with all
spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ:
[10] That in the dispensation of the fulness of times he might gather together in one all
things in Christ, both which are in heaven, and which are on earth; even in him:" -
Ephesians 1:1,3,10
"[6] And hath raised us up together, and made us sit together in heavenly places in
Christ Jesus:
[10] For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God
hath before ordained that we should walk in them.
[13] But now in Christ Jesus ye who sometimes were far off are made nigh by the
blood of Christ." - Ephesians 2:6,10,13

In Gods eyes, the believer is in Christ. He is forgiven, justified (declared righteous),

redeemed, adopted, and given eternal life. The believer is blessed with all spiritual
blessings in heavenly places in Christ (Ephesians 1:3). This new position is not based on
the believers works. It is Gods free gift in Christ (Ephesians 2:8-9). The price was
Christs own blood (Eph. 1:7). Therefore, the new position is sure and unchanging.

In chapters 4-6 the subject changes to the believers practice in this present world. The
key word here is walk (Ephesians 4:1, 17; 5:2, 8, 15)
"[1] I therefore, the prisoner of the Lord, beseech you that ye walk worthy of the
vocation wherewith ye are called,
[17] This I say therefore, and testify in the Lord, that ye henceforth walk not as other
Gentiles walk, in the vanity of their mind," - Ephesians 4:1,17
"[2] And walk in love, as Christ also hath loved us, and hath given himself for us an
offering and a sacrifice to God for a sweetsmelling savour.
[8] For ye were sometimes darkness, but now are ye light in the Lord: walk as children
of light:
[15] See then that ye walk circumspectly, not as fools, but as wise," - Ephesians
5:2,8,15

This word describes Christian living. If the believer doesnt walk in obedience, he does
not have right fellowship with the Lord. If he walks in sin, he displeases the Lord and
grieves the indwelling Spirit (Ephesians 4:30). But he does not lose his position in Christ.
That is settled and sure and eternal.

The two aspects of the Christian life are seen together in Ephesians 5:8. The believer is a
child of light now. It is a present possession and position that was purchased by Christ
and received as a free gift through faith. Since we are children of light, we should walk
as children of light. In other words, since we are saved and have eternal life and are
children of God, we should live like it.

Some examples doctrines that you need to apply position and practice to are:

Sanctification

Righteousness

Holiness

Conclusion

1. If the believer does not understand these things, he can become very discouraged and
confused when he sins. Those who believe that a born again child of God can lose his
salvation do not understand this clear teaching of Scripture.

2. The fact that the believers position is not affected by his daily walk is no excuse to
sin. There is a terrible price that the believer must pay if he does not walk in fellowship
with his Lord. We have also seen that it is possible to be a professor of salvation
without being a possessor.

"But if ye be without chastisement, whereof all are partakers, then are ye bastards, and
not sons" - Hebrews 12:8