Sometimes, when I circle back to Paul’s letters, especially those penned to the Ephesians or Galatians, I get caught up in the tension between who I am in Christ and how I live day to day. There’s this dance — or maybe a tug-of-war — between our “standing” and our “state.” Standing is our position: unshakable, legal, fixed in the finished work of Jesus. State? That’s the messy, often unpredictable reality of our daily walk. And honestly, if we don’t grasp this difference, we can easily trip up, confusing what we are in Christ with what we do or feel in the world.
I’m speaking as a grace believer who holds to rightly dividing the Word of Truth (2 Timothy 2:15), so I’m not downplaying the practical side of living out grace. But I’m equally cautious about making our experiences the gospel’s foundation. It’s that fine line where many stumble—thinking that if they fail, their position is compromised. Spoiler: It isn’t.
Why Our Position Is Non-Negotiable
Let’s stop pretending like our position in Christ is negotiable or dependent on our performance. Ephesians 2:8-9 is crystal clear: “For by grace you have been saved through faith… not of works.” This isn’t just theology for Sunday school; it’s a lifeline, especially when life drags you through the mud.
Our standing is legal, judicial, and final in the sight of God. The moment we place faith in Christ, everything changes on God’s ledger. We’re clothed in righteousness, set apart, and adopted into His family. That’s our standing. No amount of good days or bad days, no moral wins or losses, alter that reality.
That’s why grace is so radical. It doesn’t ask us to clean up first. It gives us a new identity regardless of our current state.
But What About Our State? The Daily Walk Isn’t Always Pretty
Here’s where my own journey gets real. If you’re anything like me, you wake up some mornings feeling miles away from who you know you are in Christ. Doubts, temptations, failures—they lurk. Our state, the condition of our hearts and choices each day, doesn’t always line up with our perfect standing.
And that’s okay. It’s part of living in this fleshly tent while walking by the Spirit. Paul himself struggled (Romans 7 anyone?). He knew the battle between what he wanted to do and what actually happened.
But here’s the kicker: our state doesn’t define us. It reveals us. It shows us our need for grace anew every single day. We don’t earn grace; we receive it. And it’s abundant.
Some believers get trapped thinking their inconsistent walk means they’ve lost their position. That’s the enemy getting crafty. The devil wants us to believe that failure equals judgment from God’s side. But our standing is “in Christ,” not “in ourselves.”
Living from Our Standing, Not Our State
So how do we live this out without turning grace into an excuse for spiritual laziness? It starts with a mindset shift.
Imagine standing on a rock that never moves beneath stormy seas. Your daily emotions and circumstances might toss you around, but your foundation is immovable. Knowing your position means you can face temptations with peace because you’re not trying to earn God’s love every morning—it’s already given.
This doesn’t mean sin is acceptable or to be ignored. The Spirit convicts, corrects, and restores because He loves us. Our walk should reflect the transformation happening inside. But the motivation? Grace, not guilt.
That’s why rightly dividing Scripture is crucial. The Old Testament law and the New Testament grace don’t contradict; they reveal God’s full plan. But confusing law for grace or grace for law leads to either legalism or license.
Walking in Freedom Means Understanding Both
It’s a paradox we all wrestle with: we are positionally perfect but practically imperfect. The key is to live from our standing, letting that truth shape our responses to failure, not define them.
What happens when we forget this? We live under a cloud of condemnation, swinging between self-righteousness and defeat. But when we remember who we are in Christ—not because of what we do, but because of what He’s done—we gain freedom.
Here’s a thought. How often do we seek Scripture for immediate comfort or instruction, but miss the bigger picture? I recently came across a treasure trove at Verse for the Day, where daily verses remind me that God’s promises aren’t about my performance but about His faithfulness.
A Final Word on Standing vs. State
It’s tempting to let our current state dictate our identity. But the gospel demands better. It invites us into a reality where our “standing” is fixed, and our “state” is a work in progress. Grace isn’t a one-time gift that leaves us alone to figure it out; it’s the power that sustains us as we grow.
So, if you’re feeling like your walk doesn’t match your position, don’t despair. You’re not outside God’s love or losing your footing. You’re simply human—living out the mystery of grace that both frees and disciplines.
Instead of beating yourself up over stumbles, lean into the grace that says you’re accepted, loved, and empowered for the journey ahead. And when you need a reminder, there’s always a fresh word waiting to encourage you at Verse for the Day’s daily scripture.
The Christian life isn’t about flawless living but faithful standing. It’s not about who we are by nature but who we are by grace. Walk in that truth. Let your standing shape your state, not the other way around. Because the finished work of Christ is finished—it’s done, complete, and eternally sure. And that, my friend, changes everything.