Non-salvational Issues?

[mfblume]

Not what you think...



Many wonder why some issues are important if they are non-salvational issues. Once, when teaching about righteousness and identity in Christ, someone later asked me why do we teach these things. Aside from the fact that they're in the bible, meaning God wants us to know them, this person could see no relevance in learning such things since they do not regard how to get saved, and this person was saved.

Through the years I thought about such an erring concept, and think I can finally put the answer into some words to an extent, having known all along such a concept is actually quite ridiculous.

Consider the oft repeated term "In Christ" throughout the epistles. Paul wrote to the Colossians and indicated how they were saved and set free from satan's kingdom, and reconciled to God. But he said he had great struggles for the Colossians and those at Laodicaea. He also stated he laboured in order to be able to present every man "perfect" in Christ at the end.

Paul's struggle was in seeing many believers pulled away from their position in Christ. Deceivers would succeed in "spoiling" them from, or stealing them out of, this position. And his purpose was to settle and ground and build up saints in this position of "in Christ".

We can think of the GARDEN OF EDEN as a position similar to being "in Christ". Adam and Eve were removed from this position and lost the Garden. They were in full standing with God and nothing was amiss in their situation. This is similar to someone who is saved. They are in Christ and totally freed from sin and satan's power. But Adam and Eve came under the power of the devil just as Paul saw many believers losing their position "in Christ".

Paul's remedy dealt with the the same problem we can see in Eve's experience. Satan implied that Eve LACKED something she did not actually lack at all. He implied she was NOT LIKE GOD.

Gen 1:27 KJV So God created man in his own image, in the image of God created he him; male and female created he them.

Gen 5:1 KJV This is the book of the generations of Adam. In the day that God created man, in the likeness of God made he him;

Gen 3:5 KJV For God doth know that in the day ye eat thereof, then your eyes shall be opened, and ye shall be as gods, ["ye shall be as God" - ASV] knowing good and evil.

God already made her in his likeness and image, and the devil seduced her to believe she had YET TO BECOME like God.

Paul told the Colossians to not let anyone remove them from their position in Christ because THEY WERE COMPLETE IN CHRIST. Since the fullness of the Godhead was in Christ, they were complete in that position. (By the way, this is not a oneness issue, really, but rather an issue of having everything God could ever supply to us by being in Christ where His fullness dwells).

Col 2:8-10 KJV Beware lest any man spoil you through philosophy and vain deceit, after the tradition of men, after the rudiments of the world, and not after Christ. (9) For in him dwelleth all the fulness of the Godhead bodily. (10) And ye are complete in him, which is the head of all principality and power:

If Paul told them to not let anyone remove them from being in Christ because they were already complete in Christ, then that tells us HOW people would try to remove them. They would try to make the believer think THEY LACK SOMETHING. But Paul noted they HAD IT ALL already!

Now, the problem is that many in Christ DO NOT SEE ALL THEY HAVE IN CHRIST. Why? It is hidden.

Col 2:1-3 KJV For I would that ye knew what great conflict I have for you, and for them at Laodicea, and for as many as have not seen my face in the flesh; (2) That their hearts might be comforted, being knit together in love, and unto all riches of the full assurance of understanding, to the acknowledgment of the mystery of God, and of the Father, and of Christ; (3) In whom are hid all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge.

Eve DID NOT KNOW she was already in God's image. But she was, nevertheless. So, today, many believers do not KNOW they have everything the devil could ever try to deceive them into thinking THEY DO NOT HAVE.


This is why it is so important to teach things that do not save us, but explain what we have because we ARE saved. The devil will try to deceive us into thinking we LACK.

There are actually TWO THINGS the devil does in every battle against a believer:

1) Try to deceive them into thinking they lack what they already have.

2) Or, try to face them with a situation they think THEY CANNOT HANDLE, WHEN THEY CAN!


Paul's teachings about this issue is the GROUNDING and SETTLING and BUILDING UP of people who are already in Christ.

Adam and Eve were in the Garden, but not grounded and settled there to stay. So it is with people in Christ. 90% of biblical Teachings may not regard how to get saved, but they regard GROUNDING US in Christ so that WE STAY SAVED.

Col 1:28-29 KJV Whom we preach, warning every man, and teaching every man in all wisdom; that we may present every man perfect in Christ Jesus: (29) Whereunto I also labour, striving according to his working, which worketh in me mightily.

Being PERFECT in Christ is being GROUNDED and Settled there, not to be moved away.