Identity
is not just about your name, it’s about who
you think you are. Do you define yourself as a sinner, saint, bad, good,
worthy, worthless? Paul addresses Christians in most of his letters as ‘saints.’ He called the believers at Corinth that. They
were actually a mess of sin! They abused
the gifts of the Spirit, were sexually impure, were deeply afflicted by greed,
and split into a bunch of factions. Yet, Paul writes to “those sanctified in Christ Jesus and called to be holy, together with
all those everywhere who call on the name of our Lord Jesus Christ—their Lord
and ours.” (1 Cor. 1:2) Those ordinary, failing human beings were
invited to accept God’s declaration about who they were and to take on a NEW
identity
If you are ‘in Christ,’ God has given you an identity, and the ability to fulfill His call to be ‘holy.’ “Who me,” you ask, ”I’m holy?” No, naturally we are not! The Bible says that "The heart is deceitful above all things and beyond cure. Who can understand it?" (Jeremiah 17:9, NIV) David, praying for forgiveness after falling into terrible sin, says "I recognize my rebellion; it haunts me day and night. ... For I was born a sinner- yes, from the moment my mother conceived me." (Psalm 51:3,5, NLT)
Genuine spiritual transformation starts when the Holy Spirit brings crushing conviction of our sinfulness. It’s not pleasant to take an honest look at what the Spirit exposes. We prefer to say, "I'm OK, you're OK." We comfort each other in our lust, greed, and addictions. I'm all for compassion and I love authenticity! I pray I'll never forget 'the pit from which He pulled me.'
BUT, I don't
want to leave people in their sins nor do I want to stay there! God created me in His image and at great cost
made it possible for me to leave depravity behind me. He will restore my true
identity- son and saint!
Ephesians declares that because of Christ and the Spirit, being captives of sin and Self is a past tense experience for disciples. "It wasn't so long ago that you were mired in that old stagnant life of sin. ... It's a wonder God didn't lose his temper and do away with the whole lot of us. Instead, immense in mercy and with an incredible love, he embraced us. He took our sin-dead lives and made us alive in Christ. ...
He picked us up and set us down in highest heaven in company with Jesus, our Messiah. ... Saving is all his idea, and all his work. All we do is trust him enough to let him do it. It's God's gift from start to finish! ...
No, we neither make nor save ourselves. God does both the making and saving. He creates each of us by Christ Jesus to join him in the work he does, the good work he has gotten ready for us to do, work we had better be doing." (Ephesians 2:1-10, The Message)
What do you believe about your identity? Who is telling you who you are? Why not take the word of your Creator? "I pray that your hearts will be flooded with light so that you can understand the confident hope he has given to those he called—his holy people who are his rich and glorious inheritance." (Ephesians 1:18, NLT)
Ephesians declares that because of Christ and the Spirit, being captives of sin and Self is a past tense experience for disciples. "It wasn't so long ago that you were mired in that old stagnant life of sin. ... It's a wonder God didn't lose his temper and do away with the whole lot of us. Instead, immense in mercy and with an incredible love, he embraced us. He took our sin-dead lives and made us alive in Christ. ...
He picked us up and set us down in highest heaven in company with Jesus, our Messiah. ... Saving is all his idea, and all his work. All we do is trust him enough to let him do it. It's God's gift from start to finish! ...
No, we neither make nor save ourselves. God does both the making and saving. He creates each of us by Christ Jesus to join him in the work he does, the good work he has gotten ready for us to do, work we had better be doing." (Ephesians 2:1-10, The Message)
What do you believe about your identity? Who is telling you who you are? Why not take the word of your Creator? "I pray that your hearts will be flooded with light so that you can understand the confident hope he has given to those he called—his holy people who are his rich and glorious inheritance." (Ephesians 1:18, NLT)
Here's
a word from the Word. Saint, go live it.
Be holy ‘in Christ.’ "Whenever anyone turns to the Lord, the
veil is taken away. Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the
Lord is, there is freedom. And we, who with unveiled faces all reflect the
Lord's glory, are being transformed into his likeness with ever-increasing
glory, which comes from the Lord, who is the Spirit." (2
Corinthians 3:16-18, NIV)
______________
Lord, the light of Your love is shining
In the midst of the darkness shining;
Jesus, Light of the World, shine upon us;
Set us free by the truth You now bring us.
Shine on me, shine on me.
Lord, I come to Your awesome presence.
From the shadows into Your radiance;
By the blood I may enter Your brightness,
Search me, try me, consume all my darkness.
Shine on me, shine on me.
As we gaze on Your kingly brightness,
So our faces display Your likeness;
Ever changing from glory to glory,
Mirror'd here, may our lives tell Your story.
Shine on me, shine on me.
Shine, Jesus, shine.
Fill this land
With the Father's glory;
Blaze, Spirit, blaze.
Set our hearts on fire.
Flow, river, flow.
Flood the nations
With grace and mercy;
Send forth Your Word,
Lord, and let there be light.
Shine, Jesus, Shine
Kendrick, Graham
© 1987 Make Way Music (Admin. by Music Services)
CCLI License No. 810055
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