Grace That Shapes Our Identity
Read 1 Corinthians 15:10 “But by the grace of God I am what I am, and His grace toward me did not prove vain; but I labored even more than all of them, yet not I, but the grace of God with me.”
What do we mean when we talk about our “identity”? It’s usually a combination of things. It’s how other people in our life see us. It’s what we do for a living. It’s our successes and our failures. All of those come together to answer the question — “Who am I?” Unfortunately, our failures and mistakes tend to make up too much of our identity.
I often wonder if the Apostle Paul ever struggled with his identity. Think about it. In his early days he persecuted Christians! He was their enemy. He was someone to be feared. Then, Jesus appears and turns his life upside down. Now he’s a member of this group he had just been persecuting. Jesus gave him a new identity, but those old ways of persecuting Christians never left his memory. It’s who he was. In 1 Corinthians 15, Paul is declaring the reality of Jesus’ resurrection, and all the people Jesus appeared to. In verse 9, he identifies himself as the last one Jesus appeared to: “the least of the apostles and not fit to be called an apostle”. Paul’s identity could have been defined by what he used to be… an enemy of Christians.
But there’s good news. In verse 10 Paul reveals the means by which he received a new identity, “By God’s grace I am what I am.” That’s a strong identity statement. When we believe in Jesus, we get a new identity. No longer are we defined by what we do or who others say we are. Because of God’s grace, Paul didn’t have to be known as the “least of the apostles.” Not only that… with God’s grace fueling his new identity, Paul was able to accomplish more in his ministry than any of the other apostles. Paul was clear that these accomplishments were not his own. The grace of God that gave him a new identity accomplished this work.
Did you know that if you have put your faith in Jesus you have a new identity? You’re not defined by the mistakes you’ve made. You’re a child of God. You’re a new creation. Through God’s grace you are who He says you are. As you seek to follow Jesus and serve Him well today, know that His grace will provide all you need to live out this new identity in everything you do.
I often wonder if the Apostle Paul ever struggled with his identity. Think about it. In his early days he persecuted Christians! He was their enemy. He was someone to be feared. Then, Jesus appears and turns his life upside down. Now he’s a member of this group he had just been persecuting. Jesus gave him a new identity, but those old ways of persecuting Christians never left his memory. It’s who he was. In 1 Corinthians 15, Paul is declaring the reality of Jesus’ resurrection, and all the people Jesus appeared to. In verse 9, he identifies himself as the last one Jesus appeared to: “the least of the apostles and not fit to be called an apostle”. Paul’s identity could have been defined by what he used to be… an enemy of Christians.
But there’s good news. In verse 10 Paul reveals the means by which he received a new identity, “By God’s grace I am what I am.” That’s a strong identity statement. When we believe in Jesus, we get a new identity. No longer are we defined by what we do or who others say we are. Because of God’s grace, Paul didn’t have to be known as the “least of the apostles.” Not only that… with God’s grace fueling his new identity, Paul was able to accomplish more in his ministry than any of the other apostles. Paul was clear that these accomplishments were not his own. The grace of God that gave him a new identity accomplished this work.
Did you know that if you have put your faith in Jesus you have a new identity? You’re not defined by the mistakes you’ve made. You’re a child of God. You’re a new creation. Through God’s grace you are who He says you are. As you seek to follow Jesus and serve Him well today, know that His grace will provide all you need to live out this new identity in everything you do.
Reflection Questions:
- In what areas of your life have you looked for identity?
- What are the potential issues with searching for an identity outside of what God says about you?
- How has God’s grace toward you shaped who you are today?
Posted in Free- by the Grace of God
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