Devotion 6 - Identity as Saints & Servants

Devotion 6 - Identity as Saints & Servants

Sainthood is one of the most misunderstood identities for Christians. Many think that saints are exceptionally godly and holy people. However, the truth is that every believer is a saint. We can see that in most of Paul’s greeting in his epistles:

Eph.1:1 – “Paul, an apostle of Jesus Christ by the will of God, to the saints who are in Ephesus…”

Phil.1:1 – “Paul and Timothy, bondservants of Jesus Christ, to all the saints in Christ Jesus who are in Philippi…”

 

Col.1:1-2 – “Paul, an apostle of Jesus Christ by the will of God, and Timothy our brother, to the saints and faithful brethren in Christ who are in Colosse…”

 

Sainthood is not a spiritual attainment, but rather, a new identity of every believer. A saint is someone who has been sanctified, and sanctified means ‘to separate or set apart for God’. As believers, we have been set apart to be Christ’s own possession. Thus, all Christians are saints by status.

 

Tit.2:14 – “who gave Himself for us, that He might redeem us from every lawless deed and purify for Himself His own special people…”

 

1 Pet.2:9 – “But you are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, His own special people…”

 

As saints, we no longer ‘own’ our lives, nor live as we please. Christ is the Lord of our lives, which means that He owns our lives.

 

1 Cor. 6:19-20 – “Or do you not know that your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit who is in you, whom you have from God, and you are not your own? For you were bought at a price; therefore, glorify God in your body and in your spirit, which are God’s.

 

Indeed, we are not our own, we were bought with a price – the blood of Jesus Christ. Having been purchased, we no longer belong to ourselves. Thus, we should be more conscious and thoughtful in ensuring our decision and action are pleasing to our ‘owner’, Lord Jesus Christ. Whatever we do, are we doing it for our Lord’s glory?

 

1 Cor.10:31 – “Therefore, whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God.”

 

Rom.12:1 – “I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that you present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God, which is your reasonable service.”

 

In this verse, Paul is appealing to us to acknowledge Christ’s ownership by presenting our bodies, or our entire selves to him continuously and daily as living sacrifices. This is only the right response to his love and mercy toward us. Thus, our identity involves both privileges and responsibilities.

 

 

Identity as Servants

Rom.1:1 – “Paul, a bondservant of Jesus Christ, called to be an apostle, separated to the gospel of God”

The word ‘bondservant’ here literally means slave. During the times of Romans, slaves were owned by their masters.

Col.3:22-24 – “Bondservants, obey in all things your masters according to the flesh, not with eyeservice, as men-pleasers, but in sincerity of heart, fearing God. And whatever you do, do it heartily, as to the Lord and not to men, knowing that from the Lord you will receive the reward of the inheritance; for you serve the Lord Christ.

 

As bondservants, we see that all our services rendered are to serve Christ our master. All our works be it secular or in the kingdom of God are indeed serving Christ. Just as every believer is a saint, so every believer is like Paul, a bondservant. This is a very important aspect of our identity which we need to embrace and live out daily.

If this truth is a reality in our lives, we will not only say ‘Thank God it’s Friday’ but instead ‘Thank God it’s Monday’ as we see every piece of work we do as a privilege of serving Christ. As Christians, we are bondservants of Christ, far more so than we are employees, parents, spouses, children, etc. Everything we do, we are doing it unto the Lord and for the glory of God. In that sense, every one of us are ‘called”, be it in a full-time ministerial vocation or in the secular. There is no second-class citizen in the kingdom of God.

Ps.139:16 - “Your eyes saw my substance, being yet unformed. And in Your book, they all were written, the days fashioned for me, when as yet there were none of them.”

 

Through this Psalm, David was saying God has a plan for each one of us before we were born, which He will execute day-by-day throughout our life. God has ordained some to be doctors, some to be scientists, some to be cleaners and some to be missionaries, etc.

 

1 Pet. 4:10 – “As each one has received a gift, minister it to one another, as good stewards of the manifold grace of God.”

 

Every believer has a spiritual gift to serve others. Thus, there should not be any ‘consumer Christians”. We are all set apart for the gospel of God. Thus, sainthood and servanthood are an essential part of our identity, of who we are in Christ Jesus.