"I'm just a sinner saved by grace..."
Have you ever heard that statement before? I have. A lot. It's one of those "Christianese" phrases you hear once you've been in church long enough. The person saying it usually means well, often tying it to the idea of amazing grace and how much we've been forgiven. Fine. But I have a confession.
I hate it.
"JUST a sinner saved by grace..." Every time I hear it, I can't help but think that we aren't JUST anything when we've been saved grace, when we are found in Christ. We are so much more! We're so much more than we used to be, and so much more than we often think of ourselves. There are two dangers in the Christian life: to think too much of ourselves; or to think too little.
Luckily, even a cursory reading of the New Testament reminds us that there is more to who we are than just sinners saved by grace.
We are the light of the world. (Matthew 5)
We are the salt of the earth. (Matthew 5)
We are children of God. (John 1)
We are branches of the True Vine. (John 15)
We are friends of God. (John 15)
We are servants (slaves) of righteousness. (Romans 6)
We are heirs of God and co-heirs with Christ. (Romans 8)
We are saints of the Body. (1 Corinthians 1; Ephesians 1; Philippians 1; Colossians 1)
We are temples of the Holy Spirit. (1 Corinthians 6)
We are united with the Lord. (1 Corinthians 6)
We are members of the triumphal procession in Christ. (2 Corinthians 2)
We are new creations. (2 Corinthians 5)
We are the righteousness of God. (2 Corinthians 5)
We are sons and daughters, heirs through God. (Galatians 4)
We are freed slaves. (Galatians 5)
We are recipients of every spiritual blessing of Heaven. (Ephesians 1)
We are God's own possessions. (Ephesians 1)
We are bearers of the seal of the Holy Spirit. (Ephesians 1)
We are the spiritually alive. (Ephesians 2)
We are members of God's household. (Ephesians 2)
We are God's workmanship, created to do good. (Ephesians 2)
We are member's of Christ's Body. (Ephesians 3, 5)
We are new men and women in God's image. (Ephesians 4)
We are children of the Light. (Ephesians 5)
We are citizens of Heaven. (Philippians 3)
We are full in Christ. (Colossians 2)
We are the ones who will be revealed in glory with Christ when He appears. (Colossians 3)
We are the chosen, holy, and dearly loved of God. (Colossians 3)
We are children of the light and of the day. (1 Thessalonians 5)
We are living stones, a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, and a people belonging to God. (1 Peter 2)
And more.
No Christian is just anything. We are being filled with the fullness of the Infinite One to overflowing. The day I reduce myself as a Christian to any one thing... no matter what it is... is to reduce the One who is doing a work in me!
May you be reminded today that you aren't "just" anything... Read through the list above again. Who are you in Christ? You are MORE than you were yesterday, and tomorrow you'll be MORE than you were today. How awesome is that??? Message me or comment this post if you're struggling with your identity in Christ and how you see yourself. I'd love to talk!
Have you ever heard that statement before? I have. A lot. It's one of those "Christianese" phrases you hear once you've been in church long enough. The person saying it usually means well, often tying it to the idea of amazing grace and how much we've been forgiven. Fine. But I have a confession.
I hate it.
"JUST a sinner saved by grace..." Every time I hear it, I can't help but think that we aren't JUST anything when we've been saved grace, when we are found in Christ. We are so much more! We're so much more than we used to be, and so much more than we often think of ourselves. There are two dangers in the Christian life: to think too much of ourselves; or to think too little.
Luckily, even a cursory reading of the New Testament reminds us that there is more to who we are than just sinners saved by grace.
We are the light of the world. (Matthew 5)
We are the salt of the earth. (Matthew 5)
We are children of God. (John 1)
We are branches of the True Vine. (John 15)
We are friends of God. (John 15)
We are servants (slaves) of righteousness. (Romans 6)
We are heirs of God and co-heirs with Christ. (Romans 8)
We are saints of the Body. (1 Corinthians 1; Ephesians 1; Philippians 1; Colossians 1)
We are temples of the Holy Spirit. (1 Corinthians 6)
We are united with the Lord. (1 Corinthians 6)
We are members of the triumphal procession in Christ. (2 Corinthians 2)
We are new creations. (2 Corinthians 5)
We are the righteousness of God. (2 Corinthians 5)
We are sons and daughters, heirs through God. (Galatians 4)
We are freed slaves. (Galatians 5)
We are recipients of every spiritual blessing of Heaven. (Ephesians 1)
We are God's own possessions. (Ephesians 1)
We are bearers of the seal of the Holy Spirit. (Ephesians 1)
We are the spiritually alive. (Ephesians 2)
We are members of God's household. (Ephesians 2)
We are God's workmanship, created to do good. (Ephesians 2)
We are member's of Christ's Body. (Ephesians 3, 5)
We are new men and women in God's image. (Ephesians 4)
We are children of the Light. (Ephesians 5)
We are citizens of Heaven. (Philippians 3)
We are full in Christ. (Colossians 2)
We are the ones who will be revealed in glory with Christ when He appears. (Colossians 3)
We are the chosen, holy, and dearly loved of God. (Colossians 3)
We are children of the light and of the day. (1 Thessalonians 5)
We are living stones, a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, and a people belonging to God. (1 Peter 2)
And more.
No Christian is just anything. We are being filled with the fullness of the Infinite One to overflowing. The day I reduce myself as a Christian to any one thing... no matter what it is... is to reduce the One who is doing a work in me!
May you be reminded today that you aren't "just" anything... Read through the list above again. Who are you in Christ? You are MORE than you were yesterday, and tomorrow you'll be MORE than you were today. How awesome is that??? Message me or comment this post if you're struggling with your identity in Christ and how you see yourself. I'd love to talk!