Sit THEN Walk

SIT: THE FACTS. “And God raised us up with Christ and seated us with Him in the Heavenly realms in Christ Jesus.” Ephesians 2:6. Have you noticed that with Paul’s epistles, he always first devotes much writing to explain to believers what they have in Christ, before he tells them what to do? It is not until Romans 12 (nearly the end of the epistle) that he finally says “Therefore, present your bodies as a living and holy sacrifice.”

Many believers have not entirely settled on the facts before they attempt to walk. They must sit and then walk. God was not in a hurry when Moses spent 40 years in the desert and He was not in a hurry when Paul spent 3 years in the desert. God’s absolute holiness and perfection implies the inability to associate or even look at imperfection/sin. An example is how no one could enter the Holy of Holies in the tabernacle (where God dwelled). Because of love, instead of considering us doomed, God arranged an answer to this enormous problem that had created a barrier to God and us.  Fully comprehending our identification and union with Christ in His death, burial and resurrection is key.

During the Civil War, George Wyatt was drawn by lot to go to the front. He had a wife and six children. A young man named Richard Platt offered to go in his stead. He was accepted and joined the ranks bearing the name and number of George Wyatt. Before long, Pratt was killed in action. The authorities later sought again to draft George Wyatt into service. He protested, entering the plea that he had died in the person of Pratt. He insisted that the authorities consult their own records as to the fact of his having died in identification with Pratt, his substitute. Wyatt was thereby exempted as beyond the claims of law and further service. ( From Born Crucified by L.E. Maxwell)

“I have been crucified with Christ; and it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me; and the life which I know live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself up for me.” Galatians 2:20. When we were crucified with Christ, our old nature died and was rendered powerless. When we were resurrected with Christ, we obtained a new life, His life in us. As far as God is concerned, what Christ went through, we went through, what Christ achieved, we achieved. Romans 8:30 says “Whom He called, He justified and whom He justified He also Glorified.” God so identifies us with Christ that even though it is yet to come, He basically considers us glorified! Before we walk, it is essential that we reckon and put faith in the facts, Sit then Walk.  “God’s basis must be our basis for acceptance. There is none other. We are ‘accepted in the Beloved.’ Eph 1.6. Our Father is fully satisfied with His Son on our behalf, and there is no reason for us not to be. Our satisfaction can only spring from and rest in His satisfaction.” – Miles Stanford. Plead less and claim more!

“When you see and stand on your Heavenly ground, you come to rest, just as the Father rests. You need not worry – only keep on that ground by your attitude of heart. If you must worry – worry lest you get down on earthly ground, for that is the ground of worry. Abide above! Heavenly things are in safe keeping – keeping in the One that is Far above all.” – T. Austin Sparks

WALK: APPROPRIATING THE FACTS. “Therefore, as you have received Christ Jesus, so walk in Him.” Colossians 2:6 We are to walk in Christ the same way we originally received Christ – by faith. The only way that the perfect and Holy God can look upon us, associate or have any communion with the imperfect sinner is thru Christ.  It is on this basis that we have any acceptance or interaction with God, when God looks on us, like a shadow, Christ is covering us. “Even so consider yourselves to be dead to sin, but alive to God in Christ Jesus,” Romans 6:11. Inner crucifixion is excruciating for the believer,because deep down we are very fond of self. I think it is because we have not come to realize how helpless we are; we have some expectation in ourselves and are not taking Gods side against ourselves. “Knowing this, that out old self was crucified with Him, in order that our body of sin might be done away with, so that we would no longer be slaves to sin.” Romans 6:6 “What God has made true for us positionally, He longs to make real experimentally. There is a part for us to play if the crucifixion as historical fact is made an experimental reality. This requires our intelligent, whole hearted co-operation in willing consent and in active choice.” – Ruth Paxson “There being no cause in the creature why grace should be shown, the creature must be brought off from trying to give God cause for his care. He has been accepted in Christ who is his standing! As to his life past, it does not exist before God, he died at the cross, and Christ is his life.” - William R. Newell. So often we Body of Believers are unproductive because we have not reckoned and rested on the facts, we attempt to walk before we sit. “Let us live up to what we have already attained” Philippians 3:16.