I'm A Saint!

Hello everyone,

I hope you are all well as you read this today! What a glorious day it is?! It is so beautiful here in town! I love it - kinda makes you wonder what I'm doing sitting on a computer huh?!?

I had a thought this morning and I'm going to develop it a little more for you all. I hope it doesn't bore you. And I also can't take credit for the thought - it originally came from a book called "Walking in Freedom" by Neil Anderson and Rich Miller. It is a great devotional that is helping me understand my freedom in Jesus Christ.

So, here was the thought that Anderson and Miller had me think through today - God is holy. Wow - just dwell on that! It is so cool!

Okay, after that, I thought through this a little. God is holy and no sin will enter His presence. It cannot. That is why we all need Jesus because He is the satisfaction of God's wrath and the perfect high priest that enters God's presence to intercede for us. All forgiveness starts with the cross of Jesus Christ.

When we understand what Jesus has done for us and how we are forgiven only through His sacrifice, there is a transfer that occurs. We are born again, into a sainthood. So, as I worked through the thought that I am a saint, I started to realize who I am in Christ.

Only through Him am I forgiven. And only through Jesus can I know that I will be preserved by God and the Holy Spirit unto eternity. The devotional also had me look at who I am now. I am a saint - not a sinner. I often think of myself as a sinner, but I am a saint who is capable of sinning still. There is a difference. There is no hope for sinners (the Bible is clear on that), but for saints - that's a different story!

Anderson and Miller then had me take a gander at 1 Corinthians, which is written to "those who are sanctified in Christ Jesus and called as saints." (verse 2) The book then goes on to address very un-saintly behavior. So, those who are called saints are still capable of sinning.

Isn't that cool to know that we are saints and we are becoming more like Christ based all on how we trust Him. There is a deep reliance we need to have in Christ, but in Him we are made into a new person.

I think Satan likes to remind us that we are sinners and we have a natural inclination to the negative aspects associated with sin. That drags us down. But when we see ourselves as saints, there is a change that occurs in our thoughts. Maybe it is just me, but the thought that I am a saint persevered by the grace of God alone really astounds me.

And with that, I am made more and more into the likeness of Christ and that changes how I can pursue after Him. Knowing this gives me deeper passion to know Him more and know that He keeps me. That astounds me how I am eternally kept by Jesus Christ Himself. What a wonderful Savior we have! What He has bonded nothing will loose.

Glory to Jesus! Bless His Holy name! Praise belongs to Him alone!

Blessings to y'all!

Brandon