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Standing In Christ

"Through whom we have also have access by faith into the Grace, this in which we stand, and we boast in hope of the glory of God."1

This word for stand has many occurrences in the new testament, "stand firm, stand, establish, fixed..." it is from histémi, "I make to stand" it has its root meaning of " I put, place, lay, set, fix, establish." We have access into this Grace in which we stand for the purpose of being established in Christ.

"But God, being rich in mercy, because of the great love with which he loved us, even when we were dead in our trespasses, made us alive together with Christ—by grace you have been saved."3

We are saved by Grace, Paul writes. "For the grace of God that bringeth salvation has appeared to all men,"4 The price was paid through the works of Christ, so  "justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ."4 Through faith in Jesus we have access into this Grace in which we stand, but it is by Grace not works of the Law we are saved. The purpose of grace being that the righteousness of God might be fulfilled in us who live by the new way of the Spirit, not the old way of the Law. 

"Moreover, the God of all Grace, the one having called you to his eternal glory in Christ Jesus, you a little while having suffered, will himself prepare, confirm, strengthen, and establish you."4

He is the God of all Grace, in grace he will cause us to Stand. Surely it is in our weakness we are being perfected, we find His Grace is sufficient for us to stand, as His strength is being perfected in us. The God of all Grace will himself prepare you, this word for prepare, katartízō (from katá, "according to, down," intensifying artizō, "to adjust," which is derived from ártios, "properly adjusted") – to get ready, prepare. God is preparing a vessel, as a silver smith refines silver. In the little while of suffering, maintaining the oil, God is preparing a bride.

"The God of all Grace... will himself prepare, confirm, strengthen, and establish you..."5

The God of all Grace will confirm you. This word for confirm is stērixei (from stērings, "a support that fixes, plants down"; akin to histémi, "to stand," having a duplication of the primitive Greek root/sta, "to make stand." The God of all Grace will strengthen you. This word for strengthen, is from sthenos (bodily vigor; probably akin to the base of histemi, "to stand"); to strengthen, i.e. (figuratively) confirm; in spiritual knowledge and power -- strengthen. This strength is the life given to our mortal bodies. The God of all Grace will establish you. This word for establish, themeliōsei, "I found, lay the foundation." Jesus is the one who causes us to be establish, when we are establish we will stand firm. Jesus spoke of a strong foundation because it had been founded or established on the Rock.

“Everyone then who hears these words of mine and does them will be like a wise man who built his house on the rock."6

To Stand in Christ is to have a strong foundation, built upon the words of Christ, not standing in the works of the law but standing in grace. It is in faith we are established and seated, rejoicing in the hope of the gospel.7 And we rejoice in tribulations because tribulations create perseverance, the good soil being established or deeply rooted in God's love.8 Here is the transformation taking place, tribulations produce perseverance, perseverance produce character, and character, hope, being poured out into our hearts through love by the Holy Spirit.

"Dwell Christ through faith in the hearts of you in love being rooted and founded."7

Truly we see the purpose of the foundation, which basis produces the motivation of following Christ, not of obedience out of fear of punishment but of obedience being perfected in love. Perfect love is a powerful motivator, such love is seen in Christ who "being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself and became obedient to death— even death on a cross" He humbled himself because of love, by this Paul writes, "Let this mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus..."9 So we find strength in this Grace in which we stand, we are being established, rooted, and grounded in love.

"... that you, being rooted and grounded in love, may have strength to comprehend with all the saints what is the breadth and length and height and depth..."8

In this comprehension of the dimensions of God's love comes strength. This is what Paul writes of, finding His Grace is sufficient, that being rooted and established in love we find strength in Christ, such surpasses knowledge. This love of God is eternally beyond the bounds of earthly dimensions. The purpose being "that you might be filled with the fullness of God."11 And what is this fullness of God we are to be filled with? that of a heavenly Father who gave his Son, full of Grace and Truth.12 If we could only comprehend such and be established in such grace and truth, our lives would be poured out for others. 
"Of this gospel I was made a minister according to the gift of God’s grace, which was given me by the working of his power."7

It is through Grace God's power is being perfected in us, being rooted and established in love, this is what Paul prayed for us to comprehend, "that according to the riches of his glory He may grant you to be strengthened with power through his Spirit in your inner being."14 Referring to the principle of the seed, we can picture the metamorphosis of a seed, it at first must die, entombed and united in His death, through faith being rooted and established by grace, raised into newness of life in Christ, this seed bears much fruit.

"Stand therefore, having fastened on the belt of truth, and having put on the breastplate of righteousness,"15

This word for stand is stēte, "to cause to stand, stand" and is comparable but different than histémi, "I make to stand." There is the establishment or preparation, histémi, and then there is the standing, stēte. Put another way there is the teaching/classroom then there is the hands on/application. Or put another way, there is the knowing then there is the understanding. A Church can say its has maturity but then tear down children in faith by their knowledge, such implies spiritual immaturity and a lack of a strong foundation. There is the strength of a little child then there is the strengthening of a little child, one implies a child being established, the other a father who is standing.

Look To The Son




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