Without a proper understanding of God’s Word and how to apply it, we make the mistake of thinking that He contradicts Himself. One example is the difference between a believer’s stance in Christ and his state. The Bible has Scriptures pertaining to our eternal salvation, which was sealed when we got born again, and our gradual transformation as we continue to mature spiritually on our Christian walk. Our stance before God as righteous and holy was settled when we accepted Jesus Christ; however, our state refers to the lifelong process of God continually working in us during our journey. We are not what we do; God has already declared us His children, regardless of our behavior. He offers us grace and mercy that we do not deserve and could never earn, and we receive it by faith. God chose us as His beloved even before the foundation of the earth, and our state can never change our stance; this is something to thank and praise Him for.