Morning Thoughts - by Elder Philip Conley

Morning Thoughts

Ephesians 2:6, "And hath raised us up together, and made us sit together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus:"

This morning, there are passages of Scripture that we hold very precious, for their subject matter deals with the redemptive work that Christ accomplished for us. It is comforting to read verses that talk of undone sinners being lifted out of their condition wholly on the merits of Jesus Christ and through no good will or deed of their own. This is the meaning of grace. It is a gift given that is not merited or sought. It is God's Riches At Christ's Expense. Without the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ, we are of all men most miserable and are found to be false prophets. However, He has died, and He has arisen! Therefore, we take comfort and strength to press forward from day to day.

This verse is found in the midst of a deep passage dealing with the condition man was in by nature. Then it transitions to the state he is in now by the grace of God. He tells us that we are raised up to together to sit with Christ in heavenly places. It is my firm belief that this is NOT talking about the church or kingdom of God. This is talking about heaven itself. Due to the context of the passage, it would point us to heaven.

Also, we have never been told to SIT in the kingdom while we sojourn here below. We are told to earnestly contend. We are told to occupy till He comes. We are told to press into the kingdom through the preaching of the gospel. In each case, we are moving, working, labouring, sowing, and reaping in the vineyard of the Lord with our Master's brethren. Here Paul tells us that we are SITTING. That is very important. We are sitting with Christ. If Christ is sitting at the right hand of God, then He has finished the work that the Father gave Him to do.

One may ask, "Then why was He standing when Stephen saw Him in Acts 7?" That account is dealing with the mediatorial work of Christ that is still going on right now (according to Hebrews 9). In conjunction with it, He was standing to receive Stephen’s spirit according to his dying prayer. However, the redemptive, legal work of Christ is FINISHED! Therefore, He is sitting, and we are sitting with Him. We are placed at His side never to be removed by any or all of the powers of darkness. Nothing can separate us from that love that He displayed and shed abroad for us. So, again, this is talking about heaven, for Paul declares in the first chapter of Ephesians (verse 20) that Christ was raised from the dead to the heavenly places of which we now speak.

So, how are we currently in heaven? We still walk this low ground of sin and sorrow do we not? There is a sense in which we are already in heaven as shown in Ephesians 4:8. We were led there by Him when He ascended back to God. Our legal redemption is paid, and therefore the reality SHALL come to pass. Therefore, to a God that is not hampered by time (declares the end from the beginning), we are already there through His mind and purpose. Notice the language of Romans 8:28-30. It says that we are glorified (past tense). That means that God has already and does now see us in that state fashioned like unto the glorious image of Christ. It is legal with God, and one day it will be a reality with us. Ever speed that day so that we may see Him as He already sees us, and we may know Him as He already knows us!

In Hope,

Bro Philip