Soteriology – The Believer’s Standing vs. the Believer’s State

The Believer’s Standing vs. the Believer’s State

ANY RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN GOD AND MAN IS A COMPLEX THING TO EXPLAIN – IN ONE SENSE GOD SPEAKS OF US AS BEING FREELY FORGIVEN IN CHRIST, WHILE IN OTHER VERSES GOD DEALS WITH US ACCORDING TO OUR SINS. THESE TWO SENSES ARE EXPRESSED THEOLOGICALLY AS THE BELIEVER’S STANDING (THAT MOMENT WHEN WE TRUSTED CHRIST) AND THE BELIEVER’S STATE (OUR EVERY DAY LIVING FOR THE LORD) – ILLUSTRATION: A DAMAGED SHIP GOES INTO DRY DOCK FOR REPAIR – ILLUSTRATION: THE OLD STORY ‘THE PRINCE AND THE PAUPER’ – ILLUSTRATION: JESUS WASHING THE DISCIPLE’S FEET IN JOHN 13 – OUR STANDING AND OUR STATE COMPARED – THE DOCTRINE OF IMPUTATION – VERSES RELATING TO THE BELIEVER’S STATE – APPLICATION OF THIS TEACHING TO THE BELIEVER’S LIFE