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<\/a>What I\u2019ve liked about this plan is that each book has taken me in a different direction. Some have allowed me to see where I need improvement for my job. Some have helped me to see where my leadership skills need to be boosted. And yet others have led me to a greater understanding of where I am on my spiritual journey.<\/p>\n<\/p>\n
In one of the books I\u2019m reading about my identity in Christ, the author continues to remind her readers of who we are in Christ. It\u2019s easy for us to dwell on sin (past or current). Sometimes we forget that once we accept Jesus as our Savior, who we are and what defines us changes.<\/p>\n
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Take a look at this excerpt.<\/p>\n
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\u201cIf we continue to label ourselves as sinners rather than saints, we are saying our identity is based on our performance and not on the finished work of Christ on the cross. We are basing our identity on our behavior rather than our new birth, on our performance rather than our position\u2026I am not saying that once we become a Christian we no longer sin\u2026I am saying that our sin no longer defines who we are. I was a sinner who was saved by grace. Now I\u2019m a saint who sometimes sins.\u201d[i]<\/a><\/p>\n <\/p>\n Do you love this as much as I do?<\/p>\n <\/p>\n I Googled the definition for saint. This is what I found. \u201cA person acknowledged as holy or virtuous and typically regarded as being in heaven after death.\u201d[ii]<\/a> I believe this is the way most people would define saint.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n But let\u2019s look at the biblical definition of this word. \u201cThe word \u2018saint\u2019 is derived from a Greek verb (hagiazo) whose basic meaning is \u2018to set apart,\u2019 \u2018sanctify,\u2019 or \u2018make holy.\u2019\u201d[iii]<\/a><\/p>\n <\/p>\n That\u2019s it friend. Once we accept Jesus as Lord of our life, God\u2019s Holy Spirit comes to dwell within us to begin the process of sanctification. He sets us apart and works in our lives to make us holy. That\u2019s what being a saint is all about.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Think of it this way. Did Paul write to the \u201csinners in Ephesus?\u201d No. Paul wrote to the \u201csaints in Ephesus.\u201d Were these perfect people? Nope. The Ephesians were saints who sometimes sinned.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n As a believer of Christ, that is what you and I are as well. Oh, we\u2019ll make our mistakes and blunders. We will sin. But the beauty of being in Christ<\/em> is that His perfection and righteousness covers our sin.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n While preparing to write this blog post, I searched the NIV for New Testament references to the word \u201csaint.\u201d I was surprised. There were zero results. The 2011 New International Version removed the word saint from their text. Why? The word saint is derived<\/em> from the Greek word. There is no word (Hebrew or Greek) for saint.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n In the 2011 NIV, \u201csaint\u201d has been replaced by \u201cGod\u2019s holy people\u201d or another form of this phrase. It\u2019s the same thing. Again, who we are in Christ hasn\u2019t changed. I am still a saint (or holy one) who sometimes sins.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Now that we have that straightened out, I want to remind you that God loved you so much, that He sent Jesus to redeem you. When you believe in Jesus, you will not perish, but will spend eternity with God the Father, Jesus the Son and the Holy Spirit (John 3:16). Remember, God chose you to be part of His beautiful family.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n I\u2019ll be praying for you today.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Grace and peace be yours in abundance,<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Donna<\/p>\n [i]<\/a> Becoming Spiritually Beautiful<\/em>, Sharon Jaynes, Harvest House Publishers, Eugene, 2007, page 45.<\/p>\n [ii]<\/a> https:\/\/www.google.com\/?gws_rd=ssl#q=definition+of+saint<\/p>\n