In All ThingsSample

Part of the Family

In his introduction to Philippians, Paul identified himself as a servant of Christ Jesus and he wrote to the saints in Christ Jesus. His word choice here is significant on both counts. All throughout the Old Testament, the leaders of the Israelites were given the distinction of being called servants of God. 

When Paul introduced himself, he made one slight change. Paul didn’t call himself a servant of God or a servant of the Lord. He said he was a servant of Christ Jesus. This word choice has an important implication: he equated Jesus with God. 

While this might be old news to you and me, it’s significant from a historical perspective that Paul believed Jesus and God are the same. The understanding that Jesus is God isn’t a legend that developed hundreds of years after His death, when people had forgotten the real person. Those who followed Him and knew Him personally believed Jesus was both fully God and fully man. 

It’s also encouraging to note that Paul addressed the Philippians as saints. In fact, this is the term he regularly used in his letters when referring to fellow believers. (Paul never wrote to the “sinners in Rome” or anywhere else for that matter.) 

Once we’re part of the family of God, we’re considered saints, not sinners. Being a saint doesn’t mean we’re perfect. It’s who we become when we believe. Our identity doesn’t mean we are free from our fight against sin. We’ll make mistakes all our lives. However, there’s a big difference between being a saint who struggles with sin and being a sinner who’s trying to be a saint. 

Be encouraged today: you’re a beloved saint of God! You may not feel like one, but your identity is unchanging, rooted in God’s disposition toward you. By faith in Jesus, we’re adopted by God and we’re part of His family. 

Spend some time in prayer, asking God to renew and refresh your heart with this good news. It’s easy to become discouraged by mistakes and failures. Certainly we should mourn and confess our sin. But we also need to rejoice in our new identity. Go to the Lord now, freely, expectantly, boldly, and full of hope. He sees you as His child, and you can bring all your hopes, fears, and failures to Him. 

Why is our identity in God something in which to rejoice?