Daily Nuggets of Grace Part 4 Victorious!نموونە

Who You Are

We raised our three children on the family farm. As a homeschooling family, we found immense pleasure in most things outdoors. Loving small animals and investigating insects were part of our routine.

Caterpillars were always a delight. We marveled how these chubby little creatures would one day take flight and flutter through the air as butterflies. A momentous change with great beauty was in the future of these creepy critters.

We knew that once the caterpillar took on its new form as a butterfly, it would never return to its old way of living.

Butterflies were also a common catch. We admired their markings and delicate features, then let them return to butterfly life. The children never looked at a butterfly and wondered if it would behave like a caterpillar again. We studied a completed butterfly’s life process and knew it was now fully what it was created to be.

As Christ's followers, we are now fully what we were created to be. Jesus has given us an entirely new identity in Christ.

We hear comments like, "We're just sinners saved by grace." However, the Lord doesn't address us that way.

Throughout the New Testament, Christians are called saints, holy ones, children of God, and new creations. Does that make you uncomfortable? Do you want to argue against it by saying, “Yes, that is true, but…” It can initially feel awkward to recognize what God's Word says about us. It almost seems prideful.

The truth is that our seeing ourselves as anything less than how God does, assumes that Christ's sacrifice wasn't enough.

As believers in Christ, we would never get on our knees and say to God, “It’s nice that You sent Jesus, but He wasn’t quite enough to make me the new creation referred to in 2 Corinthians 5:17.”

While we wouldn’t go to God and say it, many of us live our daily lives assuming we must identify with who we were instead of who we are now.

This week as we think about victory in Christ, specifically our victory over sin, recognize that this victory begins with seeing yourself as God sees you. You need to see yourself as you are in Christ.

Reflect and Respond

Paul opens several letters with greetings to the saints, not sinners or even sinners saved by grace. Do you think of yourself as a sinner or a saint? What difference does it make in your life?

Pray

Lord Jesus, help me to recognize how You see me. Help me to see myself as God the Father sees me.