A Privileged People (Pt One)

The dictionary defines Privilege as an advantage that only one person or group of people has, usually because of their position or because they are rich.

As followers of Jesus we are privileged people. We are individually privileged and also belong to a group of privileged people – the church or body of believers of Jesus Christ.

We can sometimes forget how privileged we are. It’s good to remind ourselves. Let’s take a heavenly perspective today.

We are privileged to live under the Grace of God (our advantage) and to have free access to him as our Father (our advantage) and be in relationship with Him (our advantage) because of what Jesus has done for us through his death and resurrection. The same power that raised Christ Jesus from the dead now lives in each one of us (our advantage).

The blood of Jesus Christ has cleansed us and set us free from the bondage of sin and death and given us life everlasting (our advantage). We have been reborn (our advantage). Our sins have been completely forgiven us – blotted out (our advantage).

Colossians 2 v 13 “and you being dead in your trespasses and the uncircumcision of your flesh, He has made alive together with Him, having forgiven you all trespasses, having wiped out the handwriting of requirements that was against us, which was contrary to us. And he has taken it out of the way, having nailed it to the cross.”

We are now seated in a heavenly position of security only found in Christ Jesus, who God has raised to the highest place. The Lord has through His great love also seated us with Christ Jesus in that position. I can’t even get my mind around the enormity of that promise.

“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), 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. For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, not of works, lest anyone should boast. For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them.” Ephesians 2:4-10

We have found true riches in the Kingdom of Heaven and in the grace of God. The unmerited favour of God. We are the richest people around. We all may not be materially wealthy as the world judges wealth but we have spiritual riches in abundance as heirs to the promise of Jesus and children of a Kingdom that never ends.

“Again, the kingdom of heaven is like treasure hidden in a field, which a man found and hid; and for joy over it he goes and sells all that he has and buys that field.” Matthew 13:44

“Listen, my beloved brethren: Has God not chosen the poor of this world to be rich in faith and heirs of the kingdom which He promised to those who love Him?” James 2:5

With Privilege though comes Responsibility.

There is a story in the bible about a presumptuous man who did not treat God’s holiness and commands with respect. You can read about him in Part 2 of Privileged People which will be posted tomorrow. His name was Korah.

Have a blessed day my Privileged friends. Count your blessings, name them one by one, and you will be amazed at what the Lord has already done.