** This response is biblically sound, thorough, easy to understand, and personable. It defines terms, explains issues clearly, and provides scriptural support. Concluding with a review and summary seems to be an especially helpful tool. The tone throughout displays genuine care. **

Question: What is the difference between our position and condition in Christ?

Profile: Female, North America, Over 60

Answered by: Fred Kistler, who has been a volunteer with us since February, 2020.

Answer: Thank you for your question.  It’s a very interesting one… and in fact, a very important one!  Let’s take a look at what the Bible says about this.

For a believer (one who has trusted Christ for salvation, John 1:12-13), their “position” in Christ is perfect and unchangeable.  Here are several verses that describe our position in Christ… what it is, what it means, and what it’s like.

“Therefore having been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ” (Rom 5:1).

“… we were reconciled to God through the death of His Son…” (Rom 5:10).

“Beloved, now we are children of God…” (1 John 3:2).

“Who also sealed us and gave us the Spirit in our hearts as a pledge” (2 Cor 1:22).

“And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, by whom you were sealed for the day of redemption (Eph 4:30).

Paul in particular frequently refers to believers as “saints,” which is literally, “holy ones.”  He even refers to the immature and carnal believers at Corinth as saints (1 Cor 1:2; 2 Cor 1:1)… clearly referring not to their daily behavior (or condition), but to their eternal position, now that they are believers.

This is probably also a good point to mention that another term that means the same thing as position is standing… where we stand with regard to Christ.  Are we unsaved and thus outside of Christ… or are we saved and thus “in” Christ?  Our position or standing as Christians is “in Christ”… and since our position or standing is definite… our future is secure!

But while our position or standing is perfect, our condition – the condition and/or circumstances in which we find ourselves from time to time – is often not.  Let’s look at a verse in Colossians.

“But now you also, put them all aside:  anger, wrath, malice, slander, and abusive speech from your mouth” (Col 3:8).

Paul is writing here to believers.  Clearly he is telling them to not continue doing something they may be or in fact are currently doing.  Their standing was perfect… but their state (for at least some of them) was what we would call carnal/sinful.  They were not “walking the walk”!

Hopefully we can see why it’s important to distinguish between standing and state when we’re reading and seeking to understand various Bible passages.  Once again… our position or standing is forever fixed and perfect once we trust Christ for forgiveness of sins… while our condition or state in which we may find ourselves at any given moment may vary and be far less than perfect.

So we can say that our state (which is imperfect and changeable) will not always measure up to our standing (which is perfect and unchangeable).

Let’s look at one more aspect of this.  Our standing vs. our state is understood experientially like this.

Once we’re saved, our relationship with God is permanent… we’re His child forever.  But sin can interrupt our fellowship with Him.  This closely parallels how a human child never loses his/her standing/relationship with their parents – they’re always their parents’ child – but if/when they periodically disobey their parents, the fellowship with the parents is broken, until they apologize and again seek to be obedient to them.

In a similar way, sin causes us to lose our fellowship with God, but not our relationship or standing or position with Him.  When this happens, He tells us how to restore our fellowship with Him:  “If we confess our sins, He is faithful and righteous to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness” (1 John 1:9).  We should all be aware of… memorize… and practice this wonderful and simple promise!

So let’s review and summarize.

Once a person is saved, they are “in Christ” (2 Cor 5:17), and their position = standing = relationship with God is perfect, and never changes.  But because we still have the sin nature, we may periodically disobey God… and our condition = state = fellowship with God is damaged.  To “repair” our broken fellowship, we simply need to repent of our sin, confess it to God, and claim His cleansing (1 John 1:9, quoted just above).

Let me close with a quick question.  I notice that you didn’t indicate a specific faith preference in your “profile” information.  In such a situation I always like to ask if you personally have actually trusted Christ for salvation. If so, that’s great… and you can rejoice in the fact that your “position” or “standing” is what it needs to be.  But by chance if not (or if you’re possibly unsure), then why not check out our Web page at https://www.gotquestions.org/four-spiritual-laws.html.  There’s obviously nothing better or more important than being and knowing that you are a child of God!

Recommended Resource:  With the Word, by Warren W. Wiersbe