The Saving Work of the Triune God -- By: Lewis Sperry Chafer

Journal: Bibliotheca Sacra
Volume: BSAC 106:422 (Apr 1949)
Article: The Saving Work of the Triune God
Author: Lewis Sperry Chafer


The Saving Work of the Triune God

Lewis Sperry Chafer

(Concluded from the January-March Number, 1949)

C. The Riches of Divine Grace

23. A Heavenly Association. What is termed “the heavenly places” is a phrase which is peculiar to the Ephesian Letter and has no reference to heaven as a place or to specific places of spiritual privilege here on earth; but it does refer to the present realm of association with Christ, which association is the inherent right of all those who are in Christ Jesus. The association is a partnership with Christ which incorporates at least seven spheres of common interest and undertaking.

a. Partners with Christ in Life. The New Testament not only declares that the believer has partaken of a new life, but asserts that this life is the indwelling Christ. In Colossians 1:27 a mystery is revealed which is “Christ in you, the hope of glory”; and in Colossians 3:4 it is also said that “Christ…is our life.” Likewise in 1 John 5:11–12 it is written: “And this is the record, that God hath given to us eternal life, and this life is in his Son. He that hath the Son hath life; and he that hath not the Son of God hath not life.” Upwards of eighty times in the New Testament the truth appears, that among the major features which characterize a Christian is the impartation of a new life from God. Thus a unique partnership in life is established between Christ and all who believe which is both a position and a possession.

b. Partnership in Position. As an incomparable position, the Christian is raised with Christ (Col 3:1), and

seated with Christ in the heavenly association. This truth is clearly revealed in Ephesians 2:6, which declares, “And hath raised us up together, and made us sit together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus.” To be raised with Christ and to be seated with Christ is a partnership in position which is real and abiding. Its contribution to the entire fact of the believer’s association with Christ is enough to characterize the whole. The honor and glory of it are knowledge-surpassing.

C. Partners with Christ in Service. A number of passages unite in a testimony that the service of the Christian is one of copartnership with Christ. Of these, none is more direct and convincing than 1 Corinthians 1:9, which reads: “God is faithful, by whom ye were called unto the fellowship of...

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