In 1976 I got saved. I was not seeking it, I was not looking for it. I don’t remember making a decision per se. No, He found me and the message He brought was irresistible. I was so ready, I was so lost. I just had never allowed myself to see the full extent of my empty, lonely, wretched state. He put a light on it and the need became apparent, then the glorious remedy appeared. I received Him so gladly.
Today I revisit the day of my salvation. It happened on day-shift at the mill, a sunny day. Men fished off the sea wall; myself and others started in on bag lunches. A blond haired man, about my age, approached me. He creatively shared with me how Jesus had walked on the water, how Peter (in the Bible), had done so also, and maybe we can do this water walking some day. I was intrigued, mesmerized.
In my world, nobody talked of faith or power to walk on water. Instead we wallowed in our powerlessness and comforted our malignant states with drugs, alcohol, and wild behaviors. So, in a sense, the impossible became possible on that wonderful day in the dirty mill. I stepped in to it. I took my seat at God’s right hand with Jesus.
43 years have passed; there have been many ups and downs. However, what keeps me walking on water Is my position in Christ. You see, my position is unchangeable though my experience Is all over the place.
My position represents ultimate perfection — God’s highest — God’s eternal. It may seem a dream or fantasy, but becomes relevant because it means, “how God sees me in Christ.” This is not my subjective self-evaluation, but God’s real reckoning, as He sees us in Christ. Position is God’s viewpoint.
Some quotes explain further what this means:
“The positional truth of the Bible declares that all Christians are complete in Christ, perfect in Him, and hid with Christ in God. Colossians 2:10, 3:3,
” regardless of our situation, our position is above it all. It is not someday, but right now.”
“…he experiences a positional death. That is, once I received Jesus Christ, I died with Him and I was buried with Him. Also, I was raised with Him from the dead, and now I am seated above with Him at the right hand of the Father.” Dr. Carl H. Stevens
Friends, the saints have positional reconciliation,(Ephesians 2:14-15) positional righteousness (Romans 5:17), positional sanctification, (Hebrews 10:10), positional perfection, (Romans 8:30-33).
Leviticus 16 pictures the beauty of our position, before God, as we stand in Jesus Christ.
“And Aaron shall take of the blood of the bullock, and sprinkle it with his finger upon the mercy seat eastward; and before the mercy seat shall he sprinkle of the blood with his finger seven times.” Leviticus 16:14 Aaron, the High Priest, offered the bullock as an atonement for himself first. Notice he secured his position before the mercy seat by sprinkling it’s blood there. He sprinkled it seven times, (signifies perfection) and on the mercy seat also seven times. It was perfect appeasement for God, and perfect standing for the priest. The blood typified the very blood of Christ shed on Calvary.
Next, with the blood of the first goat, the priest did the same; sprinkled the blood before and on the mercy seat seven times, securing the people’s standing before Him, and God’s appeasement.
But what of the other goat, labeled “scapegoat?” This goat, presented to God, was then laid hands on, and all the sins of Israel went on it’s head. Then a fit man took this goat into the wilderness, and left it never to return.
In closing, it signified the removal of sin forever, and the ‘once and for all” sanctification (setting us apart for His purpose.) This represents our glorious position, which will become our experience progressively and finally in heaven; but can be related to now as God’s finished work.
This “finished work” position can be the focus of our Christian life, carry us through times of sin and failure, sustain us in the trial, and lead us on to eternity as we walk on it’s “water.”
“Thou shalt guide me with thy counsel, and afterward receive me to glory. ” Psalm 73:24 love ya
