To the Sinners in Ephesus?

Today's topic revolves around the confusion that seems to be prevalent in the church concerning whether or not we are saints or sinners - saved by grace. I can emphatically say that we are saved by grace, but once we have been redeemed, we are no longer sinners of any kind. Once we are saved, we have a new nature. We have new desires. The Bible tells us that we are 'new creations,' the old has passed; the new has come. It's time the church read the New Testament.

Neil Anderson, in his book titled "Who I Am in Christ" says, "If I walked into any church in America and asked how many perceive themselves as a sinner saved by grace, almost everyone would raise their hands. But then if I asked how many perceive themselves as saints, few, if any, would raise their hands." How sad that the church at large has not come to the knowledge of the truth in this area.

If you read through Ephesians, you will soon see that Paul addressed the Christians there as 'saints.' This is what the believers were called and are still called today, it's just that many don't recognize that fact. Maybe they 'feel' that being called a saint is above them or even that it would be prideful to consider oneself a saint. But our feelings regarding the truth don't matter. The truth is the truth. Our feelings don't change it. Our feelings are very often wrong. We can't depend on them.

It's very important to know your identity; to realize that you are a saint. We behave according to what and who we perceive ourselves to be. If we think that we are still sinners, we will behave like sinners. Joyce Meyer has a quote on this. She says, "Where the mind goes, the man follows." And she is absolutely right. It's all about renewing your mind to the truth of God's Word.