Cease striving and know that I am God. – Psalm 46:10

A couple of years ago we had some friends visiting from Germany. I asked a buddy who often had a line on baseball tickets if he might be able to find 4 tickets. Shortly after that, he gave me tickets and simply said, ‘Enjoy.’ When we got to the park, we were ushered through a lounge area with amazing and expensive food.

The usher who was guiding us took us out to the field and led us directly behind home plate, maybe 5 or 6 rows back. You could literally hear the ball ripping through the air before it hit the catcher’s glove. Soon, a vendor came by with hot dogs. I took it and asked, “How much do I owe you?’” And to my surprise, he said, “No charge, it comes with the seats.” All the food, including the wonderful food in the lounge, was free. It all came with the purchase of the tickets.

I was thrilled, but to be honest, each time I took food (and I took a lot!), I felt a little guilty. I didn’t buy the tickets. And when I looked around, I realized I didn’t really belong there. I was not much of a baseball fan and was there with people who didn’t even understand the game. This section was for real baseball fans, and wealthy ones at that.

Sometimes, our walk with God can be a little like that.

Sometimes we forget what Christ really did for us on Calvary.

Most of us understand that our salvation was not by our works, but by grace alone through faith alone (Eph 2:8-9). But often, once we are saved and God begins the process of sanctification in us, we confuse our works with Christ’s finished work. We begin to think that our right standing before God is based on our works.

It is a confusing of our standing and our state, as some theologians say.

Our state is our ongoing walk with God. Maybe we can picture it as walking through a desert to a certain point. Sometimes we turn off the straight line and get off course. When we recognize that we wandered, we should turn back toward our destination. That is repentance. Our obedience determines our state.

But our standing is something totally different. It is not based on what we do, but on what Christ has done. Standing is based on one thing and one thing alone - the finished work of Christ on the cross. Our forgiveness, adoption, being called sons of God, being clothed in righteousness, and our entrance into heaven is all based on what Christ has done.

When we begin to understand our standing, we will desire to put off the old man and his sinful desires and walk in the newness of life, as Paul put it.

If we view our standing correctly, and understand who God is and what Christ has done for us, we will desire that our state is obedience.

Questions for Thought

1. Did you ever receive something you didn’t really deserve?

2. How do you see the difference between state and standing?

3. What happens when we get those mixed up?