Seated In Heavenly Places

Ephesians 2:6-7 (ESV) —

‘….. and raised us up with him and seated us with him in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus, so that in the coming ages he might show the immeasurable riches of his grace in kindness toward us in Christ Jesus.’

Perhaps this is one of the most incredible statements in the whole Bible. Those of us who belong to Christ have been raised up with him and are now seated with him in heavenly places! This phrase is very definitely in the past tense; it is not Paul’s way of describing what will happen when we die.

So how can we be living our everyday lives on this planet and simultaneously be seated in heavenly places? I think the clue is in the phrase ‘in Christ Jesus’. We have been united with Christ and our position is now ‘in him’, so that what is true of him is now true of us. We died with him, were buried with him, crucified with him and raised with him (‘so that we too might walk in newness of life’, Romans 6:2-4). The Greek word translated ‘with’ in Ephesians 2:6, means together with, in an intimate relationship with, so that we are joined with him in the position and status he has been granted. We clearly don’t yet experience physically being seated in heavenly places but positionally and spiritually it has already taken place, as we abide ‘in him’.

Imagine someone with a high position and status in society eg a prince of the realm. Should he decide to dress and live as a commoner and take up manual employment, he is nevertheless still a prince and still has many of the benefits of that position. In the same way we have an amazing, privileged status in Christ, even when our daily lives feel very humdrum and ordinary.

Be encouraged and inspired to press on to make more of what we are ‘in Christ’ real and relevant to our daily lives.

Prayer: Thank you Lord for uniting me with Jesus and for all that I am ‘in him’. It is amazing.