Every true believer has a deep desire to pursue a greater discovery of this new life and victory in Christ. We want to know what the depths of this life in Christ is really like in all of its fullness and power. We want to receive every benefit of this life in Christ. Since we are “redeemed through His blood” and have received “the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of His grace,” we should press on to discover everything that God has made available to us in Christ, (Ephesians 1:7-12). God has provided the depth of the riches in Christ for everyone who places their faith, hope, and trust in Him. Watch how God’s rich mercy brings us into the depths of His grace through Christ.
Ephesians 2:4–5 NKJV But God, who is rich in mercy, because of His great love with which He loved us, even when we were dead in trespasses, made us alive together with Christ (by grace you have been saved),
Ephesians 2:6–7 NKJV and raised us up together, and made us sit together in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus, that in the ages to come He might show the exceeding riches of His grace in His kindness toward us in Christ Jesus.
This is the secret of the new life that we have in Christ.
In the past, we were aligned with the world, but new life began when we came to Christ Jesus. Look closely at what He has done for us. God has made us alive together with Christ. He made us alive with Christ through His mercy and love.
First, by mercy.
God did not wait until we proved we were worthy. He stepped in and took action that bypassed our goodness or works and had mercy on us.
Second, through love.
God took the initiative to save us because He loved us. The amazing thing about God’s grace and mercy is He did this while we were unlovely and still in sin. That does not describe our behavior thoroughly. We were doing all manner of evil deeds and were working against God, but God in mercy and love stepped in to save us.
Third, He did it with Jesus Christ.
Jesus provided the necessary purification, atonement and cleansing for our sins.
Hebrews 1:3 ESV After making purification for sins, He sat down at the right hand of the Majesty on high.
Jesus has provided a new life for everyone who puts their trust in Him.
Notice what God has done for us through Christ.
Ephesians 2:6 NKJV and raised us up together, and made us sit together in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus.
We should unpack that and see what God has done for us in Christ.
God raised us up together with Christ.
It is absolutely necessary for each of us to recognize that we were crucified with Christ. When Jesus went to the cross, He took and bore away your sins. Take note of what the scriptures say happened.
2 Corinthians 5:21 NKJV For He made Him who knew no sin to be sin for us, that we might become the righteousness of God in Him.
Jesus took your sin upon Himself so that you might become righteous before God.
Matthew 8:17 NKJV He Himself took our infirmities and bore our sicknesses.
Christ has become your Healer and your Savior. Provision has already been made for you to be healed. When Christ arose in victory, it was for you. Ephesians 2:6 said, He “raised us up together, and made us sit together in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus.” God took the initiative to lift you up and out of your disasters and distresses.
Colossians 3:1 NKJV If then you were raised with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ is, sitting at the right hand of God.
God has done something amazing for you in Christ.
He has broken the power that ensnared you in your old life and has given you the power and victory that is needed in Christ. God has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places in Christ. Not only have we been raised from our old life, we have been made to sit together in the heavenly places in Christ. This is not attained by human effort. The One who raised Christ from the dead has done this. He has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places in Christ. (Ephesians 1:3) Now we are invited to sit down and enjoy what God has done for us in Christ.
What does it mean to “sit down?”
When we sit down, we are in a position of rest and have taken the load off our feet. When we sit down, we are not carrying our load. This is what God has done for us in Christ. God has put our load of sin, shame, and death on Christ, Who has become our burden bearer.
Hebrews 1:3 ESV After making purification for sins, He sat down at the right hand of the Majesty on high.
The Lord not only bore your load, He put away your load and then He sat down when all things were dealt with. Now, He invites you to come and sit down with Him and enjoy the privileges and blessings of His sacrifice. There is a place of release from your burden in Christ. Stop trying to work it all out and put your trust in Christ. By faith, enter directly into Christ’s finished work.
Jesus Christ has become your rest.
Hebrews 4:9–10 NKJV There remains therefore a rest for the people of God. For he who has entered His rest has himself also ceased from his works as God did from His.
This new life in Christ is realized when we are made to sit with Christ.
When you are resting in Jesus, you are resting from your own labors. You are resting on His righteousness and victory. There remains a rest in Christ and you can enter by faith. Take God’s rest as your rest. Sin is defeated and victories are won in Christ. Healing is completed in Christ’s finished work and all of the blessings are given.
We all need to make this discovery.
Ephesians 1:18–20 shows us the depth of what God has accomplished for us in Christ. When God raised Jesus and gave Him a name above every name and seated Him in a place of honor at His own right hand, He gave you a position of victory in Christ. We need to discover the reality of what we have been given in our new life in Christ. God has provided a place of rest from all those things that have tormented us. He has brought us into the finished work of His Son and He says, “please sit down.” Stop trying to carry that load. Stop trying to work it out. Let Jesus be your righteousness, peace and joy. Let His victory be your portion and let Him be your Savior, Healer, and Deliverer.
To help us discover what it means to sit with Christ, we must see where He is and what this means for us.
Watch closely the fact that by God’s mighty power, Christ was raised and by grace has made us sit with Him. Then see how God is showing us His grace in His kindness toward us in Christ Jesus. The key to receiving the exceeding riches of God’s grace is discovered by sitting together with Christ. This discovery demonstrates the awesome position and privilege that we have gained in this new life in Christ. We need to discover “the hope of His calling, the riches of the glory of His inheritance in the saints, and the exceeding greatness of His mighty power which the Father worked in Christ when He raised Him from the dead.” Christ’s position at the Father’s right hand and His authority in that position impacts every believer.
Everything that Christ accomplished has been brought down to our account.
It is His, but the Father has given it to us with Christ. Without Christ we have nothing, but in Him we receive it all. We have the hope which is laid up for us in heaven, (Colossians 1:5). That hope is the anchor of the soul, both sure and steadfast, and which enters the presence behind the veil, (Hebrews 6:19).
The riches of the glory of His inheritance in the saints encompasses everything Christ has received.
There are two ways to understand this. First, the saints are His inheritance. Second, it means the Father has given everything to His Son and we have been made to share with Him as His Bride.
God’s power that raised Christ is exceedingly great power.
His power is able to bring all of this to pass. God exercised and energized the greatness of His power when He raised Christ from the dead and then God extended that great power toward everyone who believes. God does not depend on your ability to achieve this victory, but does it by His own mighty power.
Christ has been seated at the Father’s right hand, far above all principality, power, might, dominion, and every name that is named.
Christ has received a position of rule, authority, power and dominion that is far above every other. God our Father put all things under Christ’s feet, and gave Him to be head over all things to the church. We are going to share in His boundless dominion. You can make that personal.
God has raised you up to sit together in the heavenly places in Christ.
We need to discover the depth and richness of these benefits that are ours in Christ Jesus.
What are we to receive since we are “raised and made to sit together in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus?”
God made provision for His benefits.
Psalm 103:1–3 NKJV Bless the Lord, O my soul; And all that is within me, bless His holy name! Bless the Lord, O my soul, And forget not all His benefits: Who forgives all your iniquities, Who heals all your diseases,
Psalm 103:4-5 NKJV Who redeems your life from destruction, Who crowns you with lovingkindness and tender mercies, Who satisfies your mouth with good things, So that your youth is renewed like the eagle’s.
You have been given new life in Christ.
Consider then the depth of the present and eternal benefits that are made available in Christ Jesus.
This is your position of rest in Christ Jesus and you have been invited to sit down in heavenly places in Christ Jesus and enjoy what He has achieved. You have been made a partaker of His life, victory, and exalted position. All of His benefits are ours in Christ Jesus.
- He forgives all our iniquities. In Christ, He abundantly pardons and makes us alive in Christ Jesus our Lord.
- He heals all your diseases. The provision for your healing is part of your rest in Christ.
- He redeems your life from destruction. In Christ, you are mighty through God to pull down strongholds and Satan’s access is broken in Christ Jesus.
The exceeding riches of His grace in kindness toward us in Christ Jesus should be considered here.
You have been invited to come and sit with Christ in heavenly places, for all things are ready. We talk about heaven our eternal home and blessed hope. We look forward to the rest that we will have when we sit with Christ in that place.
The benefits that are in Christ have already started.
God is not just talking about sitting with Christ when we get to heaven. He is talking about our present and eternal position of “sitting with Christ.”
Every benefit that Christ Jesus has gained in His victory is already being freely bestowed on us in Christ. (Ephesians 1:6-7)
Ephesians 1:3 “God the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places in Christ.”
Do you understand the present reality that God has “made you sit in heavenly places in Christ Jesus?”
We can enjoy salvation and the forgiveness of sins right now. When you put your faith and trust in the finished work of Jesus Christ, heaven’s resources are available. Since Jesus died on the cross, your sins are forgiven. Since He is exalted to the throne, you are given power from on high. God has sent out an invitation for you to… “Come, for all things are ready.” God wants to show you “the exceeding riches of His grace in His kindness toward us in Christ Jesus,” (Ephesians 2:7). So, God says: “Come and sit together in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus.” (Ephesians 2:6) You have been invited to come and partake of heaven’s best in Christ Jesus.
