Your Identity In Christ part 2

But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for his own possession, that you may proclaim the excellencies of him who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light. Once you were not a people, but now you are God's people; once you had not received mercy, but now you have received mercy. 1 Peter 2:9-10

Well blogger family I'll share what started this whole question of sinner or saint shortly. First I want to thank all who participated in this discussion. You can click here to see the previous responses from the original post Dec. 2008.  It is great when believers can come together and examine our practice in light of scripture. Through the power of the Holy Spirit may we be transformed even more into the image of Jesus Christ.

When God calls a sinner to receive salvation by the blood of Jesus Christ that individual becomes a saint. There is the greatest miracle! A walking, talking DEAD man or woman made ALIVE through the power and work of Jesus Christ on Calvary's Cross. That individual is now a saint and should no longer identify themselves with what was sin. It is like the Jews relying on the law. Christ fulfilled the whole law and for one to go back to it (the law) is to deny the power of the Christ. By identifying oneself with what God has called you out of is to say that Christ isn't enough!

Many struggle with this and so we should take a closer look at it. I'm a practical person and so my examples will be also. Once you are married your name changes. Along those lines if I am married am I also single? No I am married. Likewise if I cheat on my spouse am I no longer married to him? Nope, still married. I used that example to say, as saints we will struggle with sin, yet are not bound to or by sin.

There are lots of scripture that tell us not to look back to the former. See Luke 9:62, Phil 3:14, Eph 4:17-24, 1 Peter 1:13-16. Yes we need to remember how sinful we were but the memory should only cause us to worship, honor, and adore Christ all the more. Again it is not by your wonderful works (or should I say bloody menstrual pad) that you are a saint, but by the work of Jesus Christ and Him alone.

The payment for sin is death. Christ paid for your sin from 20 years ago, the sin from today, the sin of tomorrow, and the sin 20 years from today. It is PAID for by the pure, clean, spotless blood of the Lamb Jesus Christ! To continue the claim of sinner is to deny the saving power of Christ.

Oh yeah, how this started. I have been around many saints and I noticed there to be a strong connection with the sins of old and a very weak understanding of our present place in Christ. Tommy hit the nail on the head about defeated saints. We need to see ourselves as God sees us. We tell that to sinners all the time but not so much with saints. You are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation....see above. God loves His children. No matter how you have messed up in times past, present or future, Christ blood is enough. When God looks at you saint, He sees Jesus (whom He was pleased to crush for you!). The righteousness of Christ is placed upon you and your sin was placed upon Him over two thousand years ago. Don't look back saint or you will make His crushing in vain (if it were possible).

Your Identity in Christ! part 1

I have chosen to do a repost today. This was written in December 2008, and here it is March 2010 and I see that many people yet struggle with this truth.   I want to create a little dialog amongst believers. Are you in the same place you were before?  Have you been enlightened on a truth of scripture?  Do you yet struggle with your identity in Christ? 

Again this post is designed for dialog.  We may not all agree and that is fine.  However we need to talk about these things.  So if you read any further YOU MUST POST A COMMENT in response to the questions below!  Smile!

1. Is the individual whom the Lord called to receive salvation a sinner or a saint?
2. Should believers refer to themselves as sinners or saints? Why or why not?
3. What does God's word say about sinners and saints?
4. Do you find yourself creating an identity with something God has called you out of?
5. If so then who is your trust in?

Come back tomorrow for part 2.  By the way men, you can participate as well!  :)

 

REDEMPTION!

While visiting my in laws, Phil and I stumbled across a television program. Older Black women were discussing sex, STD's, and purity with pre-teens and teens. One of the young teens asked a very thought provoking question. She said, " What do you say to a girl who has already been sexually active and feels like what is the point in stopping? She can't start over again." In traditional television style, they went to commercial break.

Then Phil asked me, "What would I say?". At first I was stumped. Then I remembered my own life. I was raped at 12, then sexually active with two different people over the course of three years. The answer was the reason I stopped. CHRIST REDEMPTIVE POWER! Christ redeemed me and set me free from the bondage of sin. So He can do likewise in the life of any person. I remember referring to myself as the born again virgin. The gripping power of sin is NO MATCH for the REDEMPTIVE BLOOD OF THE LAMB! I would say that in eternity past God knew their condition and was willing that Christ would step into human history and be crushed of the Father that all whom He would call would be redeemed. Sins of the past are just that...past, behold all things are made new. In Christ you are new! As a result my theme for this year is redemption. God has, does, and will redeem His children.

Take comfort in these verses: Isaiah 44:21-24 and Galatians 3:13-14. I would post the actual verses but I rather encourage you to seek them yourself. Let the Lord minister to your heart about how He is shown as REDEEMER!

Are There Any Poets In The House?

Sinner or Saint (part2)

But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for his own possession, that you may proclaim the excellencies of him who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light. Once you were not a people, but now you are God's people; once you had not received mercy, but now you have received mercy.
1 Peter 2:9-10

Well blogger family I'll share what started this whole question of sinner or saint shortly. First I want to thank all who participated in this discussion. It is great when believers can come together and examine our practice in light of scripture. Through the power of the Holy Spirit may we be transformed even more into the image of Jesus Christ.

When God calls a sinner to receive salvation by the blood of Jesus Christ that individual becomes a saint. There is the greatest miracle! A walking, talking DEAD man or woman made ALIVE through the power and work of Jesus Christ on Calvary's Cross. That individual is now a saint and should no longer identify themselves with what was sin. It is like the Jews relying on the law. Christ fulfilled the whole law and for one to go back to it (the law) is to deny the power of the Christ. By identifying oneself with what God has called you out of is to say that Christ isn't enough!

Many struggle with this and so we should take a closer look at it. I'm a practical person and so my examples will be also. I love how Steve mentioned marriage and the changing of the names. Along those lines if I am married am I also single? No I am married. Likewise if I cheat on my spouse am I no longer married to him? Nope, still married. I used that example to say, as saints we will struggle with sin, yet are not bound to or by sin.

There are lots of scripture that tell us not to look back to the former. See Luke 9:62, Phil 3:14, Eph 4:17-24, 1 Peter 1:13-16. Yes we need to remember how sinful we were but the memory should only cause us to worship, honor, and adore Christ all the more. Again it is not by your wonderful works (or should I say bloody menstrual pad) that you are a saint, but by the work of Jesus Christ and Him alone.

The payment for sin is death. Christ paid for your sin from 20 years ago, the sin from today, the sin of tomorrow, and the sin 20 years from today. It is PAID for by the pure, clean, spotless blood of the Lamb Jesus Christ! To continue the claim of sinner is to deny the saving power of Christ.

Oh yeah, how this started. I have been around many saints and I noticed there to be a strong connection with the sins of old and a very weak understanding of our present place in Christ. Tommy hit the nail on the head about defeated saints. We need to see ourselves as God sees us. We tell that to sinners all the time but not so much with saints. You are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation....see above. God loves His children. No matter how you have messed up in times past, present or future, Christ blood is enough. When God looks at you saint, He sees Jesus (whom He was pleased to crush for you!). The righteousness of Christ is placed upon you and your sin was placed upon Him over two thousand years ago. Don't look back saint or you will make His crushing in vain (if it were possible).

SINNER OR SAINT?

I have been very busy. So I thought I just post something that would create a little dialog amongst believers. So if you read this post you HAVE TO COMMENT! SMILE...

Is the individual whom the Lord called to receive salvation a sinner or a saint?

Should believers refer to themselves as sinners or saints? Why or why not?

What does God's word say about sinners and saints?

Do you find yourself creating an identity with something God has called you out of?

If so then who is your trust in?



I hope these questions make sense. I am going somewhere with it. Before I go any further I want to hear from believers. So again if you read this post you must respond.