“Now if we have died with Christ we believe that we shall also live with Him,” Romans 6:8
How important it is for every member of any sports team to know their position on the field and play accordingly. Understanding this and for each player to play their position, is vital for the success of the whole team against its opponents.
This analogy can rightly applied to the local church ’team.’ Our ‘field’ is not a once a week game or sporting fixture where we can relax after the game is over. Our “game’ is lifelong and far more demanding. Our ‘field’ is the world, our opponents are the ‘flesh’ and our adversary coach is the Devil. So it’s ‘game on’
So what is so hard about keeping and ‘playing your position’ as a member of the body of Christ - because that’s who we are as Christians?
Surprisingly, so often the greatest difficulty is not the opposition with his foul mouth, debauched lifestyle, ridiculing tongue or godless worldview. It’s closer to home. It’s us! It’s our failure to understand and know our position of power in Christ. We doubt or disbelieve that within each of us, Jesus Christ dwells (Rom .8:11). What happens is, we tend to look back and allow past sin and life choices or present fleshly desires to swamp us with guilt and feelings of inadequacy to do what God has gifted us to do.
Believers, who come to appreciate their position in Christ, will be those who have buried the past where it belongs and are taken up with rejoicing in the fact that you are what you are by the grace of God and are prepared to take on whatever the Lord gives opportunity to serve Him in. Remember, you are part of His team and as we have died with Christ, we now live with Him!