One Another Ministries

Last week we explored how a Christian should respond to suffering. Click the link below to read if you missed it.

If you are a follower of Jesus you are a multifaceted sinner, sufferer and saint. I first heard of this concept from Edward T. Welch. He is a well respected author and teacher at the Christian Counseling & Education Foundation (CCEF).

If you are a follower of Christ you are a sinner, sufferer and saint. I know, we can relate more to the first two, but saint? I don’t know about you, but I often don’t feel like a saint. We have to be careful with the words we choose. Feelings are neither right or wrong, they are just feelings but can not be trusted. They tend to change with the wind and are often not based on the truth. Being a saint is not based on our feelings; it is based on our identity. Who God says we are.

Paul addresses believers in Rome and Corinth as saints:

In Romans 1:7, he writes, “To all in Rome who are loved by God and called to be saints.” Similarly, in 1 Corinthians 1:2, he addresses “those sanctified in Christ Jesus and 
called to be saints”. 

We are set apart for a holy purpose. That purpose is to love God and love all persons created in the image of God.

We are to be set apart from the world. To be set apart as odd to those that don’t have a biblical world view. We must be in the world but not of the world.

1 Peter 2:9: “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.”

You are chosen by God, a royal priesthood. Not because you are good but because Christ lives in you. His Spirit is in you and that is what makes you holy. You are God’s possession. You are not your own. The Father purchased you the moment you put your trust in Him for the forgiveness of your sins. Jesus justified you before God. Just as if you never sinned. But who did all the work. Jesus did.

Not feeling so saintly? Maybe you have forgotten your identity in Christ or you are living with life dominating sin that leads to much guilt and shame.

Is there a mature christian in your life that you can talk to about this? There is power in speaking our struggles with others. God has provided christian friends, pastors, elders, deacons, and counselors to help you. Will you take the first step?

Next time I will write about our identity as a sinner. God has provided many means of grace and has provided for the way out of life dominating sin.

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Blessings Saints,

Roger Corbin