Romans 7:24,25 “What a wretched man I man! Who will rescue me from this body of death? Thanks be to God – through Jesus Christ our Lord!”
What is your identity? Are you a filthy unworthy sinner, or a saint clothed in righteousness? In the above verse, Paul knew he was wretched, but also fully redeemed through Jesus. Peter wrote that we are “a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, that [we] may declare the praises of him who called [us] out of darkness into his wonderful light” (1 Peter 2:9). Knowing our true identity in Christ is critical to being able to live out our purpose in Him.
Do you believe you’ve got what it takes to be who God has called you to be? He does! Yet for many of us, we struggle to grasp the potential God sees in us. Mark Aldridge writes: “Purpose can only be redefined when we have first redefined identity. If I am a worm squirming in the mud of my sin then my purpose is miniscule. If I am a saint clothed in the holiness given by Christ I might just do more collateral damage to the kingdom of darkness than I once imagined… Now with identity and purpose fixed in my renewed mind I can at last set out on my adventure. I am done with vicarious heroes; I want to be one myself. Someone once said that ‘if your life’s work can be accomplished in your lifetime then you’re not thinking big enough’. I like that. It tells me that it is not just about my adventure but ours. As the people of God we are in something together.”
We’re all sinners, but beyond that we’re all redeemed saints. As martyred missionary Jim Elliot once said: “The saint who advances on his knees, never retreats.” We’ve work to do. There are battles to be fought and adventures to be lived – and by his grace, we’ve got what it takes.
Father, thank you that by your grace I’m a saint. Use me to accomplish your purposes today. Amen!
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