Key Verse: I pray that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened in order that you may know the hope to which he has called you, the riches of his glorious inheritance in his holy people, and his incomparably great power for us who believe. That power is the same as the mighty strength he exerted when he raised Christ from the dead and seated him at his right hand in the heavenly realms, . . . (Eph. 1:18-20)
We can think of posture in several ways. One way is like this: “the position in which someone holds their body when standing or sitting.” For example, “She had a very upright posture.” But another way to define it is like this: “a particular way of dealing with or considering something; an approach or attitude.” For example, “When we met him, he took a very aggressive posture.” I want to think about posture in a third way.
A number of years ago, I came across a little book by Chinese pastor Watchman Nee. He had given it the title Sit, Walk, Stand. He used these three words to outline Paul’s letter to the Ephesians. Essentially what he said was this: Chapters 1-3 have to do with being seated with Christ, chapters 4-6a deal with walking in the world, and chapter 6b is about standing up to our enemies. This view of Ephesians has been so helpful to me through the years. I think of these as three postures for Christian growth.
In Eph. 1:20 Paul writes that God exerted his mighty strength “when he raised Christ from the dead and seated him at his right hand in the heavenly realms.” In 2:6 he writes, “And God raised us up with Christ and seated us with him in the heavenly realms in Christ Jesus, . . .” He says we are seated with Christ. This means, before we do anything else, we need to sit at rest in the finished work Christ accomplished at Calvary. Have you placed your confidence in that? Are you now resting in that? That’s the first posture for growth.
Chapter 4 begins like this: “I therefore, a prisoner for the Lord, urge you to walk in a manner worthy of the calling to which you have been called, . . .” (4:1 ESV). If we are resting on what Christ has done for our salvation, we need to then walk in a manner worthy of that. Salvation is by grace through faith, but we need to act like saved people. We need to walk as children of God. If we don’t walk in the faith we won’t grow in the faith. That’s the second posture for growth.
In Eph. 6:11 we read, “Put on the full armor of God, so that you can take your stand against the devil’s schemes.” If we are living in this world, we have spiritual enemies. Paul describes them like this: “For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms” (6:12). We are called to stand against these enemies—not ignore them, or run from them, but stand up to them. That’s the third posture for growth.
So these are the three postures we are to take: sit, walk, stand. How are you doing? Are you resting in the finished work of Christ? Are you walking worthy of your calling? Are you standing against your enemies?
Prayer: Lord, help me to take all three of these postures. Help me to rest in the great salvation You have provided, help me to walk worthy of the calling You have placed on me, and give me the courage to stand up to our enemies. Do it, please, Lord, for your glory.
Author: Lindsay Hislop was raised in southern Scotland and southern Ontario and now lives in the southern United States. He worked in the engineering field for 15 years (mostly in Canada) before pursuing an academic career. He has taught for over thirty years at Columbia International University. He also serves as an elder in his church, where he teaches and preaches regularly. He is married to a wonderful wife Pam and has two terrific children, Holly, who lives in Canada, and Doug, who lives in Columbia. His four grandchildren, Isaac, Madeline, Lindsay, and Dolan, are also pretty special. He likes doing carpentry and odd jobs around the house.
