Missed Charity’s post last Friday? Read it here!
Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus by the will of God, and Timothy, our brother,
To the saints and faithful brothers in Christ at Colossae:
Grace and peace to you from God our Father.
Colossians 1:1-2 ESV
You are a saint. That is what Paul calls the brothers and sisters of the church at Colossae—saints.
This title startles me. It grabs my attention and I do a double-take.
Me, a saint?
I don’t feel like a saint, and I certainly don’t act like one. Yet, that is how Paul addresses believers in all his letters!
And, he is not the only one.
David uses the term when talking to Israel.
Matthew when describing those who rose from the dead after Jesus’ death on the cross.
Luke when referring to believers in Acts.
John when recounting his vision in Revelation.
As far as I am aware, never once do the New Testament authors call born again believers of Jesus Christ, “Sinners.”
Instead, the New Testament authors address them with their new identity in Christ. We are saints in our Father’s eyes—His grace has saved us and Christ’s Spirit has sanctified us.
Yes, we were sinners. Yes, we still sin even now as believers. But, that is not who we are and that is not how it is going to be forever.
Hebrews declares this beautiful, strange mystery of both already being sanctified while still being in the process of sanctification.
For since the Law has but a shadow of the good things to come instead of the true form of these realities, it can never, by the same sacrifices that are continually offered every year, make perfect those who draw near. Otherwise, would they not have ceased to be offered, since the worshipers, having once been cleansed, would no longer have any consciousness of sins? But in these sacrifices there is a reminder of sins every year. For it is impossible for the blood of bulls and goats to take away sins.
Consequently, when Christ came into the world, He said,
“Sacrifices and offerings you have not desired, but a body you have prepared for me;
In burnt offerings and sin offerings, you have taken no pleasure.
Then I said, ‘Behold, I have come to do Your will, O God, as it is written of me in the scroll of the book.'”
When He said above, “You have neither desired nor taken pleasure in sacrifices and offerings and burnt offerings and sin offerings” (these are offered according to the Law), then He added, “Behold, I have come to do Your will.” He does away with the first in order to establish the second. And by that will we have been sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all.
And every priest stands daily at his service, offering repeatedly the same sacrifices, which can never take away sins. But when Christ had offered for all time a single sacrifice for sins, He sat down at the right hand of God, waiting from that time until His enemies should be made a footstool for His feet. For by a single offering He has perfected for all time those who are being sanctified.
Hebrews 10:1-14 ESV
This passage brings me immense comfort and joy. It reminds me that God sees my longing for Him even when I lose track of it and choose my old self over my new one. It reminds me that God sees me and treats me as His own perfected child because of Christ.
But, He also sees that I am on a journey with the Spirit to arrive at that perfected identity and reality. He sees and understands that I am in a fallen world and that I will continue to struggle with sin because Christ has not yet returned a second time to vanquish sin eternally.
The amazing thing about our Father is that He doesn’t require us to live a perfect life because He knows we never could. What He does require is faith in the One who did live the perfect life on our behalf. He desires us to believe that Christ is enough and that there is nothing more we could do to make Him love us more.
The Father fully loves us because we believe in Christ who fully loves us. God desires that the work we do for Him now not be from a feeling of having to earn His love but from love and thankfulness for and to Him.
When we begin to grasp the seriousness of this truth, it causes us to desire and strive to live as God desires. We seek to please Him, the Only One who loves us enough to save us from sin eternally separating us from Himself in exchange for a life of eternal intimacy with Him, our Maker. God created us for intimacy with Himself. God, in Christ, made a way for us to enter into intimacy with Him once again. Since God has declared us to be saints, it means we have that intimacy as a present and eternal promise to seek with our whole hearts.
Friend, today, if you feel defeated by sin, remember you are not defined by it. God calls you redeemed and forgiven (Col. 1:13-14). He calls you reconciled, holy and blameless (Col. 1:21-22). He has filled you with His fullness (Col. 2:9-10), made you alive (Col. 2:13), hidden you in Himself (Col. 3:3) and given you a new self (Col 3:10). He has chosen you and calls you holy and beloved (Col. 3:12).
These are all things I am excited to grow in and focus on in the coming weeks. I believe that revival in the Church can and will happen if we remember where we were before Christ rescued us but fully let go of our guilt and shame to take hold of our new identity in Christ.
We are earthly saints—believers in Jesus who are both sanctified and in the process of being completely sanctified. We still sin and are in daily need of grace and mercy. However, sin no longer defines us. God has forgiven and freed us from all of sin—past, present and future. We are holy, blameless, chosen, righteous and redeemed not because of what we do or don’t do but because of what Christ has done for us. And, this should stir up a hunger in us to do what pleases God because we are beginning to grasp the seriousness of all He has done for us.
Well, we only got through the first two verses this week (I just get so passionate and excited about what God has done!). However, I pray that every time you read the word “saint” from now on that you will believe a little more that you are a beloved saint of God and that your loving, heavenly Father invites you to intimacy with Himself.
Come back next week, and we will continue to dive into Colossians! Please comment and let me know your thoughts! I’d be so encouraged to hear what God is showing you from His Word! If you haven’t yet declared Jesus as Lord and Savior and King of your life but want to learn more about following Him, please contact us. We would love to have some conversations with you.
I love you all with all the love of Christ! Keep on pursuing Him. Don’t grow weary, for Jesus is soon returning.
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