• Home
  • About This Blog
  • Contact Me
  • Subscribe
  • Comment Policy

Attempts at Honesty

Reflections on the interplay of the Bible and Culture

  • Westminster Shorter Catechism Series
  • Sermon on the Mount Series
Home Quotation Miles Stanford on Appropriating Blessing

Miles Stanford on Appropriating Blessing

Posted on January 17, 2013 Written by Mark McIntyre 4 Comments


“Let us cease laying down to the saints long lists of ‘conditions’ of entering into the blessed life in Christ; and instead, as the primal preparation for leading them into the experience of this life, show them what their position, possessions, and privileges in Christ already are. Thus shall we truly work with the Holy Spirit, and thus shall we have more, and much more abiding fruit of our labors among the people of God.” – Miles Stanford in The Green Letters

The Green Letters
Click to buy

It is far too common for church leaders to intimate that spiritual blessing is conditioned upon proper behavior. While statements like, “if you give of yourself more, you will experience blessing” or “service is the way to fellowship” are often well meant, they inadvertently damage a believers rest in the promises of God.

The only condition for receiving God’s blessing is to be in Christ. I am blessed because of my relationship with Jesus Christ and it is upon this relationship alone that blessing is conditioned.

Miles Stanford
Miles Stanford

I may not act as if I am blessed. I may not perceive that I am blessed. But if I am in Christ, I am blessed none-the-less. No-one can take that blessing away.

The problem is that I need to remember that this blessing is mine and live as though it is mine. As Miles Stanford states above, I have position in Christ, I have possessions in Christ and I have Privileges in Christ. If you are in Christ they are your blessings also.

We don’t need to earn these blessings; We could not earn them if we tried.We simply need to live as though they are ours.

Because they are.


Filed Under: Quotation Tagged With: blessing, Green Letters, Stanford

About Mark McIntyre

A follower of Jesus Christ who shares observations about how Scripture should impact the church and the world. Mark is the original author and editor of Attempts at Honesty.

Follow Attempts at Honesty

Honesty in your Inbox

Rob Bell

My Response to a Rob Bell interview

A friend asked me to comment on an interview with Rob Bell.. I thought that I would post my response here with some minor edits.

Dependence upon God

Living in dependence upon God

Do you suppose that if every church business meeting and every leadership team meeting began with such an acknowledgement of dependence upon God, our church lives might be more dynamic and satisfying?

Staying on Track

The danger of relying on talent

King Jeroboam is an example of what happens when a man relies on his own talent rather than on the God who gave him the talent. The result is not pretty. We face the same choice today.

A. W. Tozer

Tozer on simplicity

Every age has its own characteristics. Right now we are in an age of religious complexity. The simplicity which is in Christ is rarely found among us. In its stead are programs, methods, organizations and a world of nervous activities which occupy time and attention but can never satisfy the longing of the heart. The […]

Faith and Unbelief

Unbelief and its consequences

In Numbers 20, we have a story of how Moses was denied access to the promised land because he acted in unbelief. What can we learn from this story?

Post Series

  • Westminster Shorter Catechism Series
  • Sermon on the Mount Series
February 2023
SMTWTFS
 1234
567891011
12131415161718
19202122232425
262728 
« Jan    

Categories

Archives

Blogger Grid
Follow me on Blogarama

Copyright © 2023 · Focus Pro Theme on Genesis Framework · WordPress · Log in