I REMEMBER a conversation with a beloved pastor years ago, Pastor William Warren, after having been at Garden Grove OPC for a while. He made a comment referencing John Murray’s book Redemption Accomplished and Applied. I told him I had never read that book. I can still see his facial expression as he looked at me in unbelief. I didn’t need any further prompting to immediately obtain the book and devour its contents.
A FEW years later I found great pleasure in teaching a Sunday school class from the book; returning to this classic read some 13 years later to repeat teaching another adult Sunday School series in the book.
I MENTION this as a reminder of the importance of being grounded in the truth of rock solid teaching and good books like Redemption Accomplished and Applied. Murray’s classic work provides an excellent systematic statement to all the parts and particular aspects of the work of salvation that Christ performed on behalf of his elect. The entrance of sin and the subsequent fall resulted in a multi-dimensioned dilemma for the lost sinner. But the atonement and work of redemption completely addressed every element, thus making it a “so great salvation” that it is (Heb. 2:1-3).
SO, with that remembrance, we continue below from where we left off last time in consideration of our Union in Christ, under the heading Taking our Position – Part 2.
In the wondrous blessings of Christ,
Joe
Neh. 8:10, Isa. 30:15 & Job 2:10
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Chapter 19—Position Defined and Illustrated – Continued….
Taking Our Position-2
continuing…………… At the cross He freed us from the reign of sin and self; in the resurrection He united us to the risen Lord Jesus. By faith in the work of the cross, the old man is put off; by faith in our heavenly position in Christ, the new man is put on. Hence we are free to dwell within the very Source of every spiritual blessing with which our Father has blessed us.
By reckoning the old man to have been crucified at Calvary, he is “put off’ daily (Rom. 6:11a). By reckoning ourselves as newly created in the risen Lord Jesus, we “put on” the new man (Rom. 6:11b). As we escape self’s reign of death, we enter into Christ’s reign of life.
1. Put off the Old
a) Fact
“Knowing this, that our old man was crucified with him” (Rom. 6:6, ASV). “…seeing that ye have put off the old man” (Col. 3:9). Positionally, we were separated from the old Adamic nature in our identification with Christ on the cross.
b) Faith
“That ye put off concerning the former conversation (manner of life) the old man” (Eph. 4:22). By faith in our new, sanctified position, we turn from, we reckon as crucified, the principle of sin and self within. We count ourselves to be new creations in Christ, having died to sin and self. That is our part in putting off the old man that God put off from us at the cross.
2. Put On the New
a) Fact
“For as many of you as have been baptized [spiritually] into Christ have put on Christ” (Gal. 3:27). “And have put on the new man, which is renewed in knowledge after the image of him that created him” (Col. 3:10). At our new birth we were recreated in Christ, and our Christian life is now hid with Him in God (Col. 3:3, 4).
b) Faith
“Put on the Lord Jesus Christ” (Rom. 13:14). “…Put on the new man, which after God is created in righteousness and true holiness” (Eph. 4:24). By faith in the positional fact that our Father has placed us in His Son, we abide in Him, we acknowledge our place in Him. By faith, we stand in the position He has already given us. “Stand therefore, having your loins girt about with truth” (Eph. 6:14).
…to be continued
