Appropriation: Receiving What Is Already Ours in Christ

Miles Stanford’s chapter on Appropriation in The Green Letters offers a profound exploration of how believers move from recognizing their identity and possessions in Christ to practically experiencing and living out those truths. Appropriation is not about acquiring something new, but about embracing and applying what already belongs to us in Christ.

Key Truths from the Chapter

1. Appropriation: Taking Hold of What Is Already Ours
   Appropriation is the practical reception of the blessings that are already ours in Christ. This involves two essentials:

   • Seeing what is ours in Christ.

   • Recognizing our need for what He has provided.

   William R. Newell aptly reminds us that understanding begins with recognizing the facts of our identity in Christ (Ephesians 1–3) before acting upon them (Ephesians 4:1).

2. Faith in Action
   True appropriation requires specific, scriptural trust. As H. F. notes, “Life is meant to bring a succession of discoveries of our need of Christ.” Each need we encounter opens the door for a fresh inflow of Christ’s sufficiency. However, between seeing and receiving lies a vital process: the testing of our faith and the patient waiting required for God to work these truths into our daily lives.

3. The Waiting Period
   Appropriation often involves a waiting phase—a time during which God works these truths into our character and experience. T. Austin-Sparks emphasizes that truth is established in us through conflict and testing. This process deepens our understanding of and reliance on the life of Christ within us.

4. The Peril of Admiration Without Application
   Stanford warns against merely admiring spiritual truths without stepping into them by faith. Appropriation demands not just intellectual assent but practical engagement, as the Holy Spirit integrates these realities into our lives.

5. No Shortcuts in Spiritual Growth
   God’s transformative work in us is a deliberate process. As Watchman Nee points out, the truths we live and embody often require years of God’s shaping and refining. This ensures that what we minister to others flows not from theory but from a life deeply formed by Christ.

Practical Applications

1. Recognize What Is Already Yours in Christ:
   Spend time in Scripture to understand your position, possessions, and privileges in Christ. Reflect on verses like Ephesians 1:3, Colossians 3:3, and 2 Corinthians 4:11, which affirm the riches already bestowed upon believers.

2. Acknowledge Your Need:
   Life’s challenges reveal areas where we need Christ’s sufficiency. Instead of resisting or denying these needs, view them as opportunities to draw upon the “supply of the Spirit of Jesus Christ.”

3. Exercise Faith in the Waiting:
   Trust that God is working, even when His promises seem delayed. Wait with patience and confidence, knowing He is shaping you for His purposes.

4. Move Beyond Admiration to Application:
   Do not merely admire the truths of Scripture—stand on them in faith. Trust God to bring them to life in your daily walk.

5. Embrace the Process of Transformation:
   Spiritual growth is not instantaneous. Allow God the time and space to work His character into you, trusting that His ways are perfect.

Reflection Questions

1. What are some spiritual blessings in Christ that you have yet to fully appropriate?

2. How do you respond during the waiting period between trusting God’s promises and experiencing their fulfillment?

3. What practical steps can you take to move from admiring biblical truths to actively living them out?

4. How has God used life’s challenges to deepen your dependence on Christ and shape your character?

Closing Prayer

Father, we thank You for blessing us with every spiritual blessing in Christ. We acknowledge the fullness of Your provision and the riches we already possess in Him. We rest in Your perfect timing as You work these truths into our lives. With gratitude, we trust in Your promises, standing firmly in the assurance of who You are and what You have done. May Your life within us overflow to those around us, bringing glory to You and conforming us more to the image of Christ. Amen.

Final Thought

Appropriation is not about striving but trusting—receiving by faith the fullness of Christ already given to us. As we patiently wait on God and allow Him to work these truths into our lives, we grow in maturity and reflect His glory more fully to the world.

This post is inspired by Miles J. Stanford’s The Green Letters: Principles of Spiritual Growth, which offers timeless insights into the believer’s journey of faith.