boyradd

Who Am I?

Romans 1:16 – For I am not ashamed of the gospel, because it is the power of God that brings salvation to everyone who believes: first to the Jew, then to the Gentile.

John 18:15-17 – And Simon Peter followed Jesus, and so did anotherdisciple. Now that disciple was known to the high priest, and went with Jesus into the courtyard of the high priest. But Peter stood at the door outside. Then the other disciple, who was known to the high priest, went out and spoke to her who kept the door, and brought Peter in. Then the servant girl who kept the door said to Peter, “You are not also one of this Man’s disciples, are you?”

He said, “I am not.”

A few months ago, I read some guy’s blog in which he explains who he is.  Then a few weeks ago, for a team building exercise for work, I had to write my autobiography in 4 pages or less.  Being 43 years old, you can imagine how tough THAT was (thank God He gave me such a bad memory).  I started putting it together, realizing that, for example, I am both unashamed of the gospel of Christ AND just like Peter denying Christ in the same body.

But it got me thinking, just who am I?

At first, when I starting coming up with this idea, I wanted to make it full of humor and seemingly contradicting tidbits of information.  But then I realized that I would not be bringing glory to God if I did this.  So I want to make this a little more generic to all Christians.  Who are WE?  I believe there are 10 verses that speak directly to who Christian people really are.

Psalm 27:1 -Though my father and mother forsake me, the Lord will receive me. 

The Lord receives us…always.  He is always available to us.  Even those we love more than anything on this earth, our parents, will let us down from time to time.  But, through prayer, God is always available.  And God is not just some nebulous force, but He is active in our prayers.  When we talk to Him, He answers back.

Matthew 5:14-16 – You are the light of the world. A city on a hill cannot be hidden…In the same way, let your light shine before men, that they may see your good deeds and praise your Father in heaven.

In the Hebrew Bible, God’s word is associated with light.  Light reveals the truth.  Those who knew God’s Word were seen poetically as stars, or lights.  God placed people who knew His Word all over the countries, thus resembling the lamps that were in the first century Jewish homes.  Although we as Christians are spread across the land, we are His light.  We are to share the Word of God and truth bearers throughout this world.

I Corinthians 6:11 – You were washed, sanctified, and justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and by the Spirit of our God.

This was written to the Corinthian church, most likely the most corrupt church in the New Testament.  This verse was written as part of the warnings that Paul was giving to them.  These people were prideful and filled with sin.  They hoped that their actions could bring about their justification.  How many times do we do something good for someone only to feel good about ourselves?  Too often.  But that should never be our focus for doing good deeds.  Our justification comes only through the blood of Jesus Christ.  Our desire to do good deeds should come only from a desire to serve Jesus.

I Corinthians 6:19-20 – Do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from God? You are not your own, you were bought with a price. Therefore honor God with your body.

God is the owner of our bodies.  God doesn’t live in a church, He lives in the believer.  We don’t have the choice to do what we want with our bodies.  If we borrow a friend’s lawnmower, we make sure to take care of it so we can return it in good shape.  God has the rights to your body.  Whether you are doing drugs, alcohol, having an abortion, engaging in immoral acts or whatever, realize that you are doing this in God’s rightful property.

II Corinthians 5:17 – Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has gone. The new has come

A new believer acts upon new principles.  The believer is created fresh again.  He has a new heart.Even though you may be the same as a human being, you have a new character. 

II Corinthians 5:20 – We are therefore, Christ’s ambassadors, as though God were making his appeal through us. We implore you on Christ’s behalf. Be reconciled to God

Those who are faithful are seen as Christ’s ambassadors.  We approach every person in God’s name.  We are to approach ever sinner with the same message of peace and reconciliation that Christ shows us.  Any act that we do that brings dishonor to us, brings dishonor to God.  Ambassadors need to realize that they willingly give up their rights to act on their own so that they can bring about the better of Christ. 

Ephesians 1:5 – He predestined us to be adoptedas his sons through Jesus Christ, in accordance with his pleasure and will.

I’m not going to explain predenstination again as I already did 2 other blog posts about it here and here which gave me such a headache for a long time that I’m going to simply say read what I wrote.  But I will speak on adoption.  This adoption is an act of God’s love for us.  We had no legal right to His kingdom, yet He makes us heirs to it.  God has taken us and added us to His family, without requiring anything of us.  THAT is the definition of love.

Colossians 1:22 – He has reconciled you by Christ’s physical body through death to present you holy in his sight,without blemish and free from accusation.

Jesus has made us holy through His death on the cross.  When a man gets married, he wants his bride to be umblemished.  He wants her not only to look stunning at the altar, but he wants to make sure she doesn’t have any past issues such as sexual promiscuity, addictions, etc….  God’s gift of crucifixion paid the price and made us righteous.  Because of what He did, our sins of the past are wiped away clean. 

I Peter 1:3 – In his great mercy he has given us new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead.

Born again.  Distinguished from our first, human, birth, this birth is spiritual, holy, and to prepare us for heaven.  We are brought alive, spiritually, to the world in which He wants us to be a part of.  We are sensitive to spiritual things.  We desire that which brings God glory.

I John 3:1 – How great is the love the Father has lavished on us, that we should be called the children of God.

We are children of God!  That brings tears to my eyes and joy to my soul.  This world, which I am a stranger in, does not understand my happiness.  It does not understand how persecution brings about energy and makes me more alive.  We are becoming more and more like our Father before us every day.

So, Christian, these attribute are not only who I am, but they are who YOU are as well.  They define you.  They show the transformation that Christ has done inside you.  When the world sees you, they see Christ.

Amen.