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Chapter 51 - Principle of Position |
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Only two people in the history of the world have served in the role of headship; Adam and Jesus Christ. Consequently, every human being who has ever existed has been legally and organically “positioned” under the representative (legal) and representational (organic) headship of one or the other.
Simply stated, the word “position” can be defined as “an advantageous place or location.”[1] While it cannot be said that being positioned under the headship of Adam is advantageous, there is no greater privilege than being positioned under the headship of Jesus Christ. It provides unparalleled advantage. Original Covenantal Headship Within the protective framework of the Renovation Covenant, God designed the human race as one collective entity. He said, “Let Us make man in Our image, according to Our likeness …” (Genesis 1:26) The Hebrew noun for “man” was 'adam. Used by Moses in a collective sense, it provided a clear indication that God created mankind as one collective, covenantal entity in the form of head and body. Concordant with the stipulations of the Renovation Covenant, the first man, Adam, was appointed the archetype and covenantal head of humanity. Descended from Adam, the remainder of the human race was appointed by God as his covenantal body. The head and body of the human race were united by covenantal law and life. Therefore, the human race was created as one legal and organic entity. Thus, the head and body of the human race are legally representative and organically representational of one another. Positioned “in Adam” By covenantal stipulation, the human race was originally positioned under Adam’s representative (legal) and representational (organic) headship. As a result, the New Testament describes the human race as positioned “in Adam.” (1 Corinthians 15:22; cf. Romans 5:12-21) Positioned under Adam’s headship, the entire human race shared his legal and organic status. Consequently, when Adam committed the original sin, the entire human race was positioned in him, committing the act with him. As a result, the legal and organic penalty associated with the original sin was shared by the entire human race. Through his position of representative (legal) headship, the legal consequence of Adam’s original sin was imputed (credited) to the account of the entire human race. The imputation was direct, immediate, and binding. As a result, all mankind became burdened by insurmountable legal debt and experienced legal alienation from God. Concordant with his position of representational headship, the organic penalty of Adam’s original sin also affected the entire human race. The natural or physical penalty for Adam’s sin was separation from divine life (zoe). The result of the separation was organic degeneration. Therefore, the entire human race experienced organic degeneration with Adam. Indirectly transmitted by means of natural or seminal inheritance, it is evidenced from generation to generation by the progressive physical degeneration and eventual death of every individual. Congruent with its position “in Adam,” the status of the human race was radically altered: |
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Positioned “in Adam,” the human race is legally unsuitable with God. It is legally unrighteous and organically degenerated. Consequently, it exists in a fallen state of separation from God in the realm of sin and death, the “domain of darkness” (realm of satanic authority).
The representative (legal) and representational (organic) headship of Adam proved fallible. Consequently, it was incapable of providing mediation between God and the human race. |
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New Covenantal Headship
With foreknowledge, God was fully aware that Adam would eventually make the choice that would lead to the fall of humanity. Therefore, He was prepared beforehand. The Eternal Covenant was initiated by the members of the Godhead in eternity before the foundation of the world. Its stipulations were fulfilled in time by the mediatorial death and resurrection of Jesus Christ. Through His mediation of the Eternal Covenant the faithful receive the benefit of new headship, law, and life. They were designed to ensure legal suitability and organic compatibility with God. In this present age, the New Testament church is the primary beneficiary of the Eternal Covenant. Within the protective framework of the Eternal Covenant, God designed the New Testament church as one collective, covenantal entity. He also created it in the form of head and body. By stipulation of the redemptive Eternal Covenant, Jesus Christ was predetermined to be the representative/representational head of the New Testament church. He was the “firstborn of many brethren.” (Romans 8:29; Colossians 1:18) Redeemed by the blood of the Eternal Covenant, the elect members of the New Testament church were appointed as His covenantal body. (Romans 5:12-21; Ephesians 1:22-23, 4:15-16, 5:23) They were the “many brethren.” By stipulation of the Eternal Covenant, the elect of the New Testament church were gloriously transferred from the fallible headship of Adam to the perfect headship of Jesus Christ. Baptized Into Christ The New Testament church shared in the benefit of the Eternal Covenant by means of spiritual baptism. The Apostle Paul stated, “Or do you not know that all of us who have been baptized into Christ Jesus have been baptized into His death? Therefore we have been buried with Him through baptism into death …” (Romans 6:3-4a) As previously stated, the word baptism is a transliteration of the Greek word baptizo. Its literal meaning is to dip, immerse or submerge. Figuratively, baptizo can mean “to overwhelm.” “Theologically, baptism may be defined as an act of association or identification with someone, some group, some message, or some event.”[1] As used in the context of the New Testament, the most suitable translation of the Greek word baptizo is “identification with.” Identified with Christ “Baptized into Christ” through benefit of the redemptive Eternal Covenant, the New Testament church was spiritually “identified with” Jesus Christ. Individually and collectively, it was “identified with” both His person and work. Identified with Christ, the New Testament church was eternally assembled in one covenantal body positioned under His representative (legal) and representational (organic) headship. (Romans 5:12-21; 1 Corinthians 15:45-47) Therefore, spiritual baptism into Christ and thus, identification with Him is often referred to as the principle of position or “positional truth.” |
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Positioned “in Christ”
Concordant with spiritual baptism into Christ and thus, “identification with” Him, the New Testament church body was positioned under His headship. Consequently, the New Testament describes it as “in Christ,” “in Christ Jesus,” “in the Lord,” “in the Lord Jesus,” and “in Him” more than 150 times. The New Testament uses language that is descriptive of the church’s eternal position “in Christ.” For example, it says the beloved ecclesia of God “abides in Christ” and is “clothed… with Christ.” The English word “abide” is used many times in the New Testament to describe the church’s position “in Christ.” It is translated from the Greek word “meno” (men'-o) which means to remain or dwell in a place. In addition to “abide” it is translated in the New Testament as “stay; remain; endure; continue; dwell; etc. The Apostle John specifically used meno a number of times in reference to the New Testament church’s eternal position “in Christ.” For example he stated, “He who eats My flesh and drinks My blood abides in Me, and I in him.” (John 6:56) He also said, “Abide in Me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself unless it abides in the vine, so neither can you unless you abide in Me.” (John 15:4) The Apostle Paul also used language descriptive of the New Testament church’s position “in Christ.” He referred to the church as being “clothed… with Christ.” (Galatians 3:27) The English word “clothed” is translated from the Greek word enduo (en-doo'-o) which means “to clothe, to dress, to put on.” It is used 28 times in the New Testament. Being clothed with Christ is synonymous with having “put on the Lord Jesus Christ” and having “put on the full armor of God” (Jesus is the full armor of God). (Romans 13:14; Ephesians 6:11, 14) Both putting on Jesus Christ and the armor of God are reflective of positional truth. “Baptized into Christ” and thus, “identified with” Him, the New Testament church was eternally positioned “in Christ.” As a result, it “abides in Him” and was “clothed… with Christ.” Intimately joined together with Jesus Christ, the New Testament church was assembled in one covenantal body positioned under His representative (legal) and representational (organic) headship. As a result, it shares both His legal and organic status. The following table provides a sampling of the covenantal benefits received by the New Testament church, the children of God positioned under the representative (legal) and representational (organic) headship of Jesus Christ in one body: |
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Principle of Position
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Few have explained the principle of position as clearly as Miles Stanford. He said, “All spiritual life and growth is based on the principal of position. It can be summed up in one word: source.
Through physical birth we entered our human family position, from which source we derive certain characteristics. We are the product of our position. Just so in our spiritual birth. When we are born again, the risen Lord Jesus is the source of our Christian life; in him we are positioned before our Father, in whom “we live, and move, and exist” (Acts 17:28), “for we are His workmanship, created (born anew) in Christ Jesus” (Ephesians 2:10). Our Father, in redeeming and recreating us, “raised up with Him, and seated us with Him in the heavenly places, in Christ Jesus” (Ephesians 2:6) Our position, the source of our Christian life, is perfect. It is eternally established in the Father's presence. When we received the Lord Jesus as our personal Savior, the Holy Spirit caused us to be born into Him. He created us in the position that was established through His work at Calvary. “Therefore if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creature (creation)” (2 Corinthians 5:17). This is the eternal position in which every believer has been placed, whether he is aware of it or not. The Christian who comes to see his position in the Lord Jesus begins to experience the benefit of all that he is in him. His daily state is developed from the source of his eternal standing.”[1] |
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