What Are “Positional Truths”?

Many truths in the Bible are practical in nature. You hear or read what the Word of God says and you do it, like “Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her” (Ephesians 5:25). These are practical truths. Yet there are revelational and positional truths as well. A revelational truth isn’t practical, but it reveals something important; and so changing your beliefs accordingly will benefit you, such as the nature of eternal life.

Meanwhile a positional truth is a truth that reveals your position in Christ and therefore how God sees you because of this position. For instance, Colossians 1:22 declares that we are “holy in His sight, without blemish and free from accusation.” This is how God sees you because this is who you are in Christ.

A good example from the Old Testament is Gideon, who viewed himself as the weakest and least, but God saw him as a “mighty warrior” (Judges 6:12-16). He had to change his thinking in order to fulfill his calling.

Here are ten positional truths to chew on and renew your mind:

You are holy (Colossians 1:21-22).
You are a child of God (John 1:12-13).
You are a new creation (2 Corinthians 5:17).
You are the righteousness of God (2 Corinthians 5:21).
You are dead to sin (Romans 6:11, 6:14, 6:18).
You are more than a conqueror (Romans 8:37).
You are a temple of the Holy Spirit (1 Corinthians 6:19-20).
You are rich (2 Corinthians 8:9).
You are healed (1 Peter 2:24).
You are a royal priest of the Most High God (1 Peter 2:9).

Why is this important? Because the book of wisdom points out: “Be careful what you think for your thoughts run your life” (Proverbs 4:23 NCV). In other words, if you think you’re an unholy slave to sin who can’t do anything right, that is what you will be.

Thankfully, these positional truths will set you free of any such disempowering thoughts (John 8:31-32).

For important details, here’s a video that covers the topic at length: