Bible Doctrine: Positional Truth

Tod Kennedy, March April, 2006

1.     Positional truth identifies the church age believer’s relationship with Jesus Christ. Positional truth comes from the New Testament phrase “in Christ” which is found in 2 Corinthians 5:17 and many other passages.

1.1.   Positional truth is the same as positional sanctification.

1.2.   Positional truth means that we are members of Christ’s spiritual body on earth. He is the head in heaven.

1.3.   Positional truth is the basis for the uniqueness of the church age.

1.4.   Positional truth has two parts: retroactive positional truth means that we are identified with Christ in his death, therefore sin, the sin nature, and human good have been paid for and rejected. Current positional truth means that we are identified with Christ in his death, resurrection, ascension, and seating at the right hand of the father, therefore we have the spiritual ability to succeed in the Christian.

2.     Positional truth begins when a person believes in Christ. At that point the Holy Spirit puts the believer in relationship with Christ, identifies him with Christ’s body the church, and the Holy Spirit indwells him (2 Corinthians 5:17; 1 Corinthians 12.13).

3.     The central Scripture for positional truth is 2 Corinthians 5.17. Others that define and describe positional truth include John 17.20-23; 1 Corinthians 12.13; Galatians 3.27-28; Ephesians 2.4-6, 10; Colossians 3.1-4.

4.     Benefits of positional truth.

4.1.          God’s righteousness imputed (2 Corinthians 5.21).

4.2.          Eternal life (1 John 5.11-12).

4.3.          Sanctification (Hebrews 10.10).

4.4.          New creation (2 Corinthians 5.17).

4.5.          No longer under the sin nature’s legal and condemning control so that we must serve sin. (Romans 8.1).

4.6.          God’s heir (Romans 8.16-17a).

4.7.          Guarantees eternal security (Romans 8.38-39).

4.8.          The destiny to be like Christ (Ephesians 1.4-5).

4.9.          Redemption (Ephesians 1:7).

4.10.      Guarantees physical resurrection (1 Thessalonians 4.13-18).

4.11.      Basis for spiritual blessings (Ephesians 3.1-6).

4.12.      Member of the church (1 Corinthians 12.13,27 with Ephesians 1.21-23).

4.13.      Positional truth belongs to all categories of believers (1 Corinthians 1.2, 30).

4.14.      Plan for serving God (Ephesians 2.10).

4.15.      We can be strong in grace (2 Timothy 2.1).

4.16.      Provides what is needed to live the Christian life (Romans 6.1-11).

5.     What Positional truth is not.

5.1.   It is not an experience, emotions, or ecstatics.

5.2.   It is not progressive; it cannot be improved in time or eternity.

5.3.   It is not related to human merit or ability.

5.4.   It is not changeable by man, or angels.

5.5.   It is not obtained gradually while you grow in grace; it is obtained completely at salvation.

5.6.   It is not known apart from knowledge of the Word of God.

5.7.   It is not our possession because of what we do or fail to do; it is ours because of what God has done.

6.     Some applications:

6.1.   Remember that I am a new creation in Christ (2 Corinthians 5.17).

6.2.   Accept as true that I am dead to sin and alive to God (Romans 6.11).

6.3.   Am I living day to day depending on and following Jesus Christ (Hebrews 12:1-2; Colossians 2:20).