Who Am I?

While talking to the Lord this morning He reminded me of some important truths about my personal holiness. Far too often I fixate on 'who I am NOT' and lose sight of 'who I AM' in Christ. When I focus on what I am lacking (that is, my sinfulness), I am unable to see what I have (that is, God's righteousness). The former has "[my] mind set on what the flesh desires" (Romans 8:5) whereas the latter "fixes [my] eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of faith" (Hebrews 12:2). This is not a denial of reality but a view of reality through different lenses. Jesus restored the image of God within fallen humanity through a vision of His kingdom on earth as it is in heaven. The present reality is being transformed by the presence and power of Holy Spirit through whom "inwardly we are being renewed day by day" (2 Corinthians 4:16). Therefore, we should "fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen, since what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal" (2 Corinthians 4:18).

Joseph Prince nailed it when he wrote, "It is time to awake to righteousness and sin not. Believe that you are righteous and you will start living like a righteous man or woman of God" (Joseph Prince, 'Destined To Reign').

God's righteousness in me has nothing to do with who I am or what I have done but everything to do with who Christ is and what He has done. Right belief always leads to right behaviour! In this case, right belief is much more than an intellectual understanding of a new reality but an integrated application of this inherited new reality in Christ.

“Righteousness represents the state of God’s character – his goodness, his purity, his character.    We inherit God’s righteousness when we have faith and believe in him.    Faith and belief in the spirit of God’s grace is what constitutes our righteousness."  (Mae Elise Cannon, 'Social Justice Handbook')