How
Does God View the Believer?
Now that we have become saved the Christian has a much different relationship
with God. Before we were saved we
were enemies of God because we were in the kingdom of Satan.
Now that we have been transferred out of the kingdom of Satan, we have
become a child of God and no longer are we at war with God instead we are
children of God.
Therefore being justified by faith, we
have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ: (Romans 5:1, KJV) The war
is now over and we are peace with God through Christ.
Many times you will hear Christians say that “we are just sinners saved by
grace” with a hint of false humility.
Okay, I challenge them to find that saying in Scripture! I will give you
a hint. You cannot find it!
Why? It doesn't exist in Scripture. It has become one of those unbiblical
sayings that sound oh so religious and humble. It is a very misleading statement
because Christ did not die on the cross to make us sinners. He died to free us
from the effects and penalty of sins. God has a special relationship with His
children and He makes no bones about how He views us. The Scriptures give us
beautiful descriptions of how God views us. I want to show the beautiful
relationship which exists between God and His children.
There are many Christians who walk under a cloud of condemnation simply because
many pastors do not understand our relationship to God "our" Father and pass
that ignorance on to the sheep. My goal is to acclimate Christians to the
Scriptures. Christians must rediscover the Bible without the folly of theology
books telling them what we shall believe. This chapter is written to aid new
Christians in their understanding about their relationship to God. I would like
to look at one of the most significant chapters in Scripture dealing with "How
God views His Children." We will discuss Ephesians chapter one and when we have
completed this chapter, you may be surprised how God views you if you are a true
child of God.
Many Christians are ignorant of how God views them. This is not a slanderous
statement but a stark reality owing to the high rate of biblical illiteracy in
the church and among individual Christians. In today's church, psychological
teachings are usurping the teaching of pure Scripture. The next time you hear a
sermon, listen carefully and you will hear much psychological dogma mixed with
Scripture and presented to you as absolute truth and authority. The sad result
is that many Christians do not know how wonderfully they stand with God because
of their relationship to Christ. I feel sorry for those Christians who are told
every Sunday that they are nothing but rotten sinners that should have gone to
hell. This kind of teaching from the pulpit on a continual basis tends to tear
believers down instead of building them up.
No Christian should fear God in the sense that He is a despotic ruler who waits
for us to mess up so He could zap us. God is not a vengeful God toward His
children. His wrath is reserved for the unbeliever on judgment day.
Seeing it is a righteous thing with God to recompense tribulation to them that
trouble you; {7} And to you who are troubled rest with us, when the Lord Jesus
shall be revealed from heaven with his mighty angels, {8} In flaming fire taking
vengeance on them that know not God, and that obey not the gospel of our Lord
Jesus Christ: {9} Who shall be punished with everlasting destruction from the
presence of the Lord, and from the glory of his power; {10} When he shall come
to be glorified in his saints, and to be admired in all them that believe
(because our testimony among you was believed) in that day. (2 Thessalonians
1:6-10, KJV)
I do not want to convey the mistaken notion that man is inherently good and
deserves heaven but as I have already mentioned when we become saved, our
relationship to God changes. We are no longer a sinner under Satan's authority
but a Saint under God's authority.
If one reads the Scriptures carefully, especially in Genesis 3, we find that
because of Adam and Eve's sin, the whole human race was sentenced to hell, yet,
God in His mercy has chosen to save millions from hell. Why doesn't He save
everyone? I cannot answer that and neither can anyone else. The fact remains
that if God has saved you, you have a tremendous relationship with Him.
I will take some key words and phrases out of our Scripture passages to help
focus our study but I ask that you read the entire chapter. When you come to the
words we will study, you will have the definition and will gain a deeper insight
of how God views His children.
EPHESIANS 1
Paul,
an apostle of Jesus Christ by the will of God, to the saints which are at
Ephesus, and to the faithful in Christ Jesus: (Ephesians 1:1, KJV)
The
word "saints" may be translated "dedicated, set apart, sacred or holy." God
views each Christian as one who is sacred and holy. This brings us into a
special relationship with God. I have seen too many preachers and Christians who
have been saved for many years espousing the belief that we are just sinners
saved by grace. We need to start viewing ourselves as God views us. Let's do a
brief analysis of that saying. The truth is that we were classified as sinners
before salvation and this is how God viewed us. Upon salvation we received
"positional holiness." If I am just a sinner saved by grace, then I would be in
a confusing situation. If I am a sinner, then I am not saved by grace and if I
am saved by grace, then I am not a sinner. The sinner in scripture is one who is
unsaved and living in a state of perpetual sin. Remember we are approaching this
from God's point of view as written in Scripture. "Sinner saved by grace" cannot
be found anywhere in Scripture in reference to God's attitude toward His
children.
Let
me say here that all Christians do sin but because of Calvary all those sins
have been erased and not held against us anymore. Christ's sacrifice paid for
every sin that I ever committed or will commit in the future. If just one sin is
held against me, then I am destined for hell and was never saved. This is why it
is important to know the difference between being a sinner and one who has the
ability to sin. The unbeliever is classified as a sinner since everything they
do is sin. The Christian is called Saint, and the sooner we start thinking like
saints, instead of sinners, we will begin to see our Christian lives blossom.
The
abundant life which Christ came to give us is not on the spiritual level of
those who still view themselves as sinners, but those who realize that God has
elevated their position to saint. If God views us as holy, it is blasphemy
against the cross of Christ to continue to view ourselves as sinners. If you
believe that line of thought, you are also believing that Christ’s death on that
cross was not sufficient to take away your sin. In essence that would mean sin
and Satan are stronger than God. With thought patterns like these, no wonder
many Christians have stopped growing. Always keep in mind it is what God says
that sets truth, not what we feel or believe. Ponder this for a minute, if I am
still a sinner then I should consider myself a "holy sinner." These two words
are oil and water and no amount of homogenization will ever mix them. If you are
saved, God no longer views you as a sinner, so why should you continue believing
a statement right out of the pits of the camp of false humility.
Paul,
an apostle of Jesus Christ by the will of God, to the saints which are at
Ephesus, and to the faithful in Christ Jesus: (Ephesians 1:1, KJV)
The
word "faithful" may also be translated "a believer, a faithful one, trustworthy,
or one on whom we may rely." Here God views His children as reliable. The Greek
word "pistos" which is also translated: Believer in 1 Timothy 4:2; faithful in
Hebrews 2:17; and true in 1 Timothy 3:1. Since God has given us the Holy Spirit,
He has entrusted His spiritual riches to us, which is the gospel. God views us
as responsible enough to deliver the gospel worldwide.
God
has also given us the faith to believe in Him, because man with a sin permeated
mind could never believe in God on his own. God implants in us the desire to be
faithful so His work on earth could be completed to His glory. We may not feel
faithful all the time, but again, what has God written in the Bible? Don't take
my word for it, use a concordance and a King James Bible and do your own study
on our focus words in this chapter.
We
must never trust our feelings because many times we may not feel saved. Just
because I do not feel saved does not mean I am not. If God says I'm saved, I'm
saved! Matter settled! God does not work according to our feelings. The hymn we
sing at Christmas which refers to only Christians is, "O Come All ye Faithful."
2
Timothy 2:2 states we shall commit the gospel to "faithful men." The word used
here is "pistos." What God seems to be telling us is that He has empowered us
through the Holy Spirit to take the true gospel to the ends of the earth. So God
views you, YES YOU, as part of His reliable and responsible army of believers!
Put this study down and start thanking Him, but pick it back up again because
there is more to come.
Grace
be to you, and peace, from God our Father, and from the Lord Jesus Christ.
(Ephesians 1:2, KJV)
The
Greek word "eirene" is translated "peace" throughout the New Testament except in
three places. The first place is Acts 7:26 where it is rendered "one again"
which carries the meaning of reunification of two which were separated. The
second place is Acts 9:31 where it is rendered "rest" which carries the idea of
a state of peace, tranquility with the inducement of a state of security. The
third place is Acts 24:2 where it is rendered "quietness" which also carries
with it the idea of a place of security and repose. The regular translation of
"eirene" into peace carries with it the idea of inner peace resulting from
forgiveness and a renewed relationship with God.
Therefore being justified by
faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ: (Romans 5:1, KJV)
We
see in this one word how God views the believer as being reunited with Him. Sin
separated the whole human race from God but the cross of Christ has given
reconciliation to every believer. The word also reveals we have a state of
security. God views the believer as being secure in Him no matter what the
outward circumstances are. For ye are
dead, and your life is hid with Christ in God. (Colossians 3:3, KJV)
God
gives His children quietness and sweet repose. Remember the pastoral promise in
Psalm 23:2, "He maketh me to lie down in
green pastures: he leadeth me beside the still waters." God gives inward
peace in an age of chaos.
Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who hath blessed us with
all spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ: (Ephesians 1:3, KJV)
Every
spiritual need the believer has on earth was already supplied. The word
"blessing" is the Greek word "eulogia" which means "good speaking, praise." God
has given His praises to those in Christ Jesus. We literally have a divine
commendation as we read in Romans 2:29,
"But he is a Jew, which is one inwardly; and circumcision is that of the heart,
in the spirit, and not in the letter; whose praise is not of men, but of God."
This verse speaks of the believer as being praised by God because of our
relationship to His Son. This is not to imply that God worships man because that
would be outright blasphemy. God was well-pleased with Christ and because of
Christ, He is well-pleased with the Christian. Nowhere in the Bible do we find
that God is pleased with the sinner.
Remember we are beginning to see how God views the believer and we must do this
from a biblical perspective. Program your mind to think biblically and you will
begin to think as God thinks, to the extent that a human is able to do so.
According as he hath chosen us in him before the foundation of the world, that
we should be holy and without blame before him in love: (Ephesians 1:4, KJV)
The
word "chosen" comes from the Greek word "eklegomai" which means to "select,
choose, elect." Here we read that God has literally hand-picked every Christian.
"All that the Father giveth me shall come
to me; and him that cometh to me I will in no wise cast out." (John 6:37, KJV)
Man did not choose God but God chose man.
"But as many as received him, to them
gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name:
{13} Which were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the
will of man, but of God." (John 1:12-13, KJV)
This may be borne out with many other Scriptures. For a Christian to
proclaim "I have accepted the Lord" is a misnomer, since it is God who accepted
us, the reprobate sinner. When we begin to realize that it was God who saved us,
and it was not by our own action, we will have a better appreciation of our
salvation, since we realize we had no part in it.
When
we know that God reached down and chose the Christian, we will have more desire
to serve Him in whatever capacity He chooses. The normal teaching is that God
waits for the sinner to accept or reject Christ. This will never occur since man
is spiritually dead (Eph. 2:1-3). If a person is dead, how is it possible to
hear, never mind respond? We respond because God opens our spiritual ears,
making us aware we are sinners and that we need a savior, it is none of man's
doing. God has chosen you to be His child. What will you do with the life He has
given you?
According as he hath chosen us in him before the foundation of the world, that
we should be holy and without blame before him in love: (Ephesians 1:4, KJV)
The
same root word in the Greek is used for both "saint" and "holy." If God says we
are holy, how can we just be sinners?
According as he hath chosen us in him before the foundation of the world, that
we should be holy and without blame before him in love: (Ephesians 1:4, KJV)
The
words “without blame” may be translated "without blemish of sin, disgrace, or
unblameable." This phrase shows how unscriptural the phrase "sinner saved by
grace" is when describing the Christian, because God is stating He views us as
having no blemish of sin. Because of Christ, God sees us as pure, without sin,
even though that is not how we see ourselves. Remember, it is not our
pre-programmed thoughts that count but it is the Bible which is the final
authority. Two good commentaries on this verse are found in Romans 8:33 &
Revelation 14:5:
Who
shall lay any thing to the charge of God's elect? It is God that justifieth.
(Romans 8:33, KJV)
These
are they which were not defiled with women; for they are virgins. These are they
which follow the Lamb whithersoever he goeth. These were redeemed from among
men, being the firstfruits unto God and to the Lamb. {5} And in their mouth was
found no guile: for they are without fault before the throne of God. (Revelation
14:4-5, KJV)
God
is the one who declares the Christian to be free of sin, and we better start
analyzing the pet sayings we hear. God has declared His children sinless because
of Christ. Let me emphasize because we sin after salvation, God does not view us
as sinners. I challenge anyone to show me in the Bible where God calls redeemed
saints "sinners saved by grace." If we were not declared sinless, we would be on
our way to Hell, not Heaven, because it takes only one sin to send us there.
Having predestinated us unto the adoption of children by Jesus Christ to
himself, according to the good pleasure of his will, (Ephesians 1:5, KJV)
The
word predestinated may also be translated "predetermined, foreordain, or decree
beforehand". This one word reveals to us that we were already in God's plan eons
ago. God chose to save you, and He predetermined your life as He did for
Jeremiah, Paul, and John the Baptist:
Before I formed thee in the belly I knew thee; and before thou camest forth out
of the womb I sanctified thee, and I ordained thee a prophet unto the nations.
(Jeremiah 1:5, KJV)
But
when it pleased God, who separated me from my mother's womb, and called me by
his grace, (Galatians 1:15, KJV)
But
the angel said unto him, Fear not, Zacharias: for thy prayer is heard; and thy
wife Elisabeth shall bear thee a son, and thou shalt call his name John. {14}
And thou shalt have joy and gladness; and many shall rejoice at his birth. {15}
For he shall be great in the sight of the Lord, and shall drink neither wine nor
strong drink; and he shall be filled with the Holy Ghost, even from his mother's
womb. {16} And many of the children of Israel shall he turn to the Lord their
God. {17} And he shall go before him in the spirit and power of Elias, to turn
the hearts of the fathers to the children, and the disobedient to the wisdom of
the just; to make ready a people prepared for the Lord. (Luke 1:13-17, KJV)
This
is where election comes in. Because of Adam's sin the whole human race was
condemned to hell, yet God in His mercy predestined millions to be saved. Why He
doesn't save everyone is unknown to us but God's holiness must be vindicated
since it was man's free will in Eden which caused all that sin and suffering
throughout the ages.
And
this is the condemnation, that light is come into the world, and men loved
darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil. (John 3:19, KJV)
As it
is written, There is none righteous, no, not one: {11} There is none that
understandeth, there is none that seeketh after God. (Romans 3:10-11, KJV)
If
you are a Christian, then God has predestinated you for Heaven, so let us not
argue doctrine and just thank Him. We have just seen that predestination is a
doctrine of Scripture not an invention of John Calvin.
Having predestinated us unto the adoption of children by Jesus Christ to
himself, according to the good pleasure of his will, (Ephesians 1:5, KJV)
When
God saves us he transfers us from the family of Satan to the family of God and
gives us full rights as if we were natural children. He makes us an heir of all
things and gives us His family name, "Christian." The name "Christian" carries
with it the meaning of “being attached to or an adherent of Christ.”
God
shows us we are His children and are in His family with permission to call Him
"Father." This means He expects us to pray and speak with Him, to love and
understand Him. Since we are His children, we should read His word with joy
because it is like receiving a letter from home. Many believers do not
understand their relationship between God and themselves. When Christians study
the Bible more intently, they will see God's intentions toward them are not
hostile but loving.
For I
know the thoughts that I think toward you, saith the LORD, thoughts of peace,
and not of evil, to give you an expected end. (Jeremiah 29:11, KJV)
To
the praise of the glory of his grace, wherein he hath made us accepted in the
beloved. (Ephesians 1:6, KJV)
The
"beloved" in view is the Lord Jesus Christ. The word we are focusing on is
"accepted," which may also be translated "to make lovely, endue with special
honor, or to bestow grace upon." No matter how we feel we are accepted by Christ
because of His sacrifice. Isn't it marvelous how God made us accepted and never
to be rejected? When the world rejects us for any reason, we know that we may
come to Christ who will never reject us. (Hebrews 13:5) Since we are accepted we
may come with confidence to the throne of grace (Hebrews 4:16) and speak
whatever is on our heart. The unsaved cannot do this because they are not
accepted. Let us remember that it is with God we are going to spend eternity, so
if the world rejects us, so what, because this world is fleeting away but the
believers life is ready to flourish. So have courage because you are accepted!
In
whom we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to
the riches of his grace; (Ephesians 1:7, KJV)
“Redemption” is another glorious word in this spiritual catalog. Redemption may
also be translated "ransom in full, a buying back, deliverance from guilt and
punishment from sin." Never will a believer have to stand in judgment for their
sin because the work of Christ was complete on our behalf. We were totally
redeemed from all sin and guilt. This applies to past, present, and future
because when Christ went to the cross all your sins were in the future. Our
redemption was secured by God Himself plus He declares us sinless. It would do
good to read Romans 8:33 again. So let the accusers accuse, the mockers mock,
the gossipers gossip, because God knows who His children are and once He has
declared them redeemed, it is forever.
The
word "forgiveness" may also be translated "freedom, pardon, or release from
sin." This word states the Christian has absolute pardon from all their sin.
Since we have been totally forgiven, we are eternally secure because God sees us
as sinless. Being in Christ guarantees our place in Heaven. We are totally free
from all spiritual penalties owing to sin. However, there may be physical
penalties for sin, such as AIDS for sexual sins or liver disease from drinking
and others which we previously saw. You can take comfort that even though our
flesh is corrupting, the inner man is being renewed daily. (2 Corinthians 4:16)
This is why the believer radiates an inner joy because all the baggage of
sin has been removed permanently and figuratively cast behind God's back:
Behold, for peace I had great bitterness: but thou hast in love to my soul
delivered it from the pit of corruption: for thou hast cast all my sins behind
thy back. (Isaiah 38:17, KJV)
This
is why the believer is free to do the work of the Lord because sin no longer
impedes the believer. However, if there is a besetting sin in a believer's life,
this may cause an impediment. A besetting sin will definitely be a hindrance to
usefulness in God's kingdom. Just because someone has been placed on the shelf
by God does not take away from the fact they are totally forgiven. Total
forgiveness does not justify a believer for continuing in the life of sin,
he/she must mortify the deeds of the flesh (Romans 8:13) and it will not be
easy.
In
whom also we have obtained an inheritance, being predestinated according to the
purpose of him who worketh all things after the counsel of his own will:
(Ephesians 1:11, KJV)
The
word "inheritance" may also be translated "to allot, to obtain, possess." The
Christian is guaranteed to inherit heaven and all the spiritual blessings as we
previously discovered. If our hope was only in this world, I would definitely be
depressed but because God is viewing us as His children, He has given us the
greatest inheritance that we could ever ask for or dream of, HIMSELF! Genesis
15:1 states:
After
these things the word of the LORD came unto Abram in a vision, saying, Fear not,
Abram: I am thy shield, and thy exceeding great reward. (Genesis 15:1, KJV)
The
word "reward" may also be translated "pay or wages." The believer’s wages will
actually be God Himself! Talk about an inheritance which is beyond
comprehension. Compare these wages to the wages of sin in Romans 6:23:
For
the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus
Christ our Lord. (Romans 6:23, KJV)
We
have looked at only eight verses and we saw the marvelous way which God views
His children and how He has provided for us. No other group in the world is
going to experience what you and I will. Don't just stop at these verses, as you
grow in your biblical knowledge you will be able to analyze all the promises of
God, and as you do, you will become better acquainted with God. Before we leave
this study I wish to offer some Scriptures from both the Old and New Testaments
furthering our insight on how God views His redeemed children.
God
will bless the work of our hands
And
the LORD thy God will make thee plenteous in every work of thine hand, in the
fruit of thy body, and in the fruit of thy cattle, and in the fruit of thy land,
for good: for the LORD will again rejoice over thee for good, as he rejoiced
over thy fathers: (Deuteronomy 30:9, KJV)
Lot
of God's Inheritance
For
the LORD'S portion is his people; Jacob is the lot of his inheritance.
(Deuteronomy 32:9, KJV)
The
Holy Hill
A
Psalm of David. LORD, who shall abide in thy tabernacle? who shall dwell in thy
holy hill? (Psalm 15:1, KJV)
The
Lord Preserves His People
For
the LORD loveth judgment, and forsaketh not his saints; they are preserved for
ever: but the seed of the wicked shall be cut off. (Psalm 37:28, KJV)
The
Congregation of the Lord's Poor
O
deliver not the soul of thy turtledove unto the multitude of the wicked: forget
not the congregation of thy poor for ever. (Psalm 74:19, KJV)
The
Assembly of the Saints
God
is greatly to be feared in the assembly of the saints, and to be had in
reverence of all them that are about him. (Psalm 89:7, KJV)
The
Assembly of the Upright
Praise ye the LORD. I will praise the LORD with my whole heart, in the assembly
of the upright, and in the congregation. (Psalm 111:1, KJV)
God
Protects His People
A
Song of degrees. They that trust in the LORD shall be as mount Zion, which
cannot be removed, but abideth for ever. {2} As the mountains are round about
Jerusalem, so the LORD is round about his people from henceforth even for ever.
(Psalm 125:1-2, KJV)
The
Congregation of the Saints
Praise ye the LORD. Sing unto the LORD a new song, and his praise in the
congregation of saints. (Psalm 149:1, KJV)
The
Mountain of the Lord's House
And
it shall come to pass in the last days, that the mountain of the Lord's house
shall be established in the top of the mountains, and shall be exalted above the
hills; and all nations shall flow unto it. (Isaiah 2:2, KJV)
God
will gently shepherd us
He
shall feed his flock like a shepherd: he shall gather the lambs with his arm,
and carry them in his bosom, and shall gently lead those that are with young.
(Isaiah 40:11, KJV)
We
are His witnesses in the world
Ye
are my witnesses, saith the LORD, and my servant whom I have chosen: that ye may
know and believe me, and understand that I am he: before me there was no God
formed, neither shall there be after me. (Isaiah 43:10, KJV)
The
Branch of God's Planting
Thy
people also shall be all righteous: they shall inherit the land for ever, the
branch of my planting, the work of my hands, that I may be glorified. (Isaiah
60:21, KJV)
Beulah
Thou
shalt no more be termed Forsaken; neither shall thy land any more be termed
Desolate: but thou shalt be called Hephzibah, and thy land Beulah: for the LORD
delighteth in thee, and thy land shall be married. (Isaiah 62:4, KJV)
Sought Out, A City not Forsaken
And
they shall call them, The holy people, The redeemed of the LORD: and thou shalt
be called, Sought out, A city not forsaken. (Isaiah 62:12, KJV)
A
Pleasant Portion
Many
pastors have destroyed my vineyard, they have trodden my portion under foot,
they have made my pleasant portion a desolate wilderness. (Jeremiah 12:10, KJV)
God
Loves His Children Eternally
The
LORD hath appeared of old unto me, saying, Yea, I have loved thee with an
everlasting love: therefore with lovingkindness have I drawn thee. (Jeremiah
31:3, KJV)
The
Place of God's Throne
And
he said unto me, Son of man, the place of my throne, and the place of the soles
of my feet, where I will dwell in the midst of the children of Israel for ever,
and my holy name, shall the house of Israel no more defile, neither they, nor
their kings, by their whoredom, nor by the carcases of their kings in their high
places. (Ezekiel 43:7, KJV)
The
City of Truth, the Mountain of the Lord, and the Holy Mountain
Thus
saith the LORD; I am returned unto Zion, and will dwell in the midst of
Jerusalem: and Jerusalem shall be called a city of truth; and the mountain of
the LORD of hosts the holy mountain. (Zechariah 8:3, KJV)
A
Pearl of Great Price
Again, the kingdom of heaven is like unto a merchant man, seeking goodly pearls:
{46} Who, when he had found one pearl of great price, went and sold all that he
had, and bought it. (Matthew 13:45-46, KJV)
The
Vineyard
They
say unto him, He will miserably destroy those wicked men, and will let out his
vineyard unto other husbandmen, which shall render him the fruits in their
seasons. (Matthew 21:41, KJV)
Resurrection Hope
And
this is the Father's will which hath sent me, that of all which he hath given me
I should lose nothing, but should raise it up again at the last day. {40} And
this is the will of him that sent me, that every one which seeth the Son, and
believeth on him, may have everlasting life: and I will raise him up at the last
day. (John 6:39-40, KJV)
The
Fold of Christ
And
other sheep I have, which are not of this fold: them also I must bring, and they
shall hear my voice; and there shall be one fold, and one shepherd. (John 10:16,
KJV)
The
Church of God
Take
heed therefore unto yourselves, and to all the flock, over the which the Holy
Ghost hath made you overseers, to feed the church of God, which he hath
purchased with his own blood. (Acts 20:28, KJV)
God
is on our Side
What
shall we then say to these things? If God be for us, who can be against us?
(Romans 8:31, KJV)
God
is our Justifier
Who
shall lay any thing to the charge of God's elect? It is God that justifieth.
(Romans 8:33, KJV)
We
are God's Tilled Field
For
we are labourers together with God: ye are God's husbandry, ye are God's
building. (1 Corinthians 3:9, KJV)
We
are the Temple of the Living God
And
what agreement hath the temple of God with idols? for ye are the temple of the
living God; as God hath said, I will dwell in them, and walk in them; and I will
be their God, and they shall be my people. (2 Corinthians 6:16, KJV)
The
Israel of God
And
as many as walk according to this rule, peace be on them, and mercy, and upon
the Israel of God. (Galatians 6:16, KJV)
The
Body of Christ
And
hath put all things under his feet, and gave him to be the head over all things
to the church, {23} Which is his body, the fulness of him that filleth all in
all. (Ephesians 1:22-23, KJV)
God
sees us reigning in Heaven already
And
hath raised us up together, and made us sit together in heavenly places in
Christ Jesus: (Ephesians 2:6, KJV)
We
are His Workmanship
For
we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath
before ordained that we should walk in them. (Ephesians 2:10, KJV)
The
Family of Heaven and Earth
Of
whom the whole family in heaven and earth is named, (Ephesians 3:15, KJV)
We
are reconciled unto God
And
you, that were sometime alienated and enemies in your mind by wicked works, yet
now hath he reconciled (Colossians 1:21, KJV)
Church of the Living God & Pillar and Ground of Truth
But
if I tarry long, that thou mayest know how thou oughtest to behave thyself in
the house of God, which is the church of the living God, the pillar and ground
of the truth. (1 Timothy 3:15, KJV)
City
of the Living God & Mount Zion
But
ye are come unto mount Sion, and unto the city of the living God, the heavenly
Jerusalem, and to an innumerable company of angels, (Hebrews 12:22, KJV)
Church of the Firstborn
To
the general assembly and church of the firstborn, which are written in heaven,
and to God the Judge of all, and to the spirits of just men made perfect,
(Hebrews 12:23, KJV)
We
have a Reserved Inheritance
Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, which according to his
abundant mercy hath begotten us again unto a lively hope by the resurrection of
Jesus Christ from the dead, {4} To an inheritance incorruptible, and undefiled,
and that fadeth not away, reserved in heaven for you, (1 Peter 1:3-4, KJV)
Chosen, Holy, and Royal People
But
ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar
people; that ye should show forth the praises of him who hath called you out of
darkness into his marvellous light: (1 Peter 2:9, KJV)
The
Flock of God
Feed
the flock of God which is among you, taking the oversight thereof, not by
constraint, but willingly; not for filthy lucre, but of a ready mind; (1 Peter
5:2, KJV)
The
Sons/Daughters of the Living God
Beloved, now are we the sons of God, and it doth not yet appear what we shall
be: but we know that, when he shall appear, we shall be like him; for we shall
see him as he is. (1 John 3:2, KJV)
The
Heavenly Jerusalem
Him
that overcometh will I make a pillar in the temple of my God, and he shall go no
more out: and I will write upon him the name of my God, and the name of the city
of my God, which is new Jerusalem, which cometh down out of heaven from my God:
and I will write upon him my new name. (Revelation 3:12, KJV)
The
Holy City
And I
John saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down from God out of heaven,
prepared as a bride adorned for her husband. (Revelation 21:2, KJV)
The
Bride of Christ