You are a Saint
Devotional Reading: to equip the saints for the work of ministry, for building up the body of Christ. Ephesians 4:12 ESV
Søren Kierkegaard a theologian and a philosopher once said, ‘God creates out of nothing. Wonderful, you say. Yes, to be sure, but He does what is still more wonderful: He makes saints out of sinners.’
Most times, believers often say this statement “I’m sinner saved by grace”. This statement is not born out of humility, but out of lack of understanding of who we are. Let me explain. At one time you were a sinner, but now that you are saved, your sin-driven past is behind you. You are currently a saint who sometimes sins. There is a big difference between the two!
The difference is in how God looks at you. Look at how Paul describes who you are in Christ:
Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus by the will of God, and Timothy our brother, To God’s holy people in Colossae, the faithful brothers and sisters in Christ: Grace and peace to you from God our Father. (Colossians 1:1-2)
The term “holy” is the same word used for “saint.” If you continue to say that you are “just a sinner saved by grace,” you are saying that your identity is still that of a sinner.
Not true! At the very moment you trusted Christ, you stopped being a sinner and started being a saint. You were indeed saved by grace from your sin, but your identity as a sinner, which you inherited at birth, is gone. Because Christ saved us, we are now God’s sons and daughters
Yet to all who did receive him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God—children born not of natural descent, nor of human decision or a husband’s will, but born of God. (John 1:12-13)
If we walk around constantly identifying ourselves as sinners saved by grace, we are communicating to ourselves and to others that we are defined by our previous identity as a sinner. It’s tricky, isn’t it? We want to fully acknowledge to the Father and those around us that we continue to sin, but the Father does not want His children to run around and identify themselves as sinners.
Am I just playing with words here? Absolutely not! The distinction between seeing yourself as a sinner or seeing yourself as a saint makes a huge difference in the way you live your life. Because you will act out the way you view yourself. Think about that.
Prayer and Confession
Lord Jesus, You have given me a new identity. I am not defined as being a sinner any longer. I am a saint who sometimes sins. I still mess up, but I am a new creation in You. Give me the strength and courage to recognize this and to begin to live in the victory that it proclaims! Amen.
Further Reading: 1Corinthians 1:2, 1Corinthians 6:11
