As You Really Are

What determines our identity? Some may say behavior, others your heritage, profession, relationships or accuulation of wealth. God's point of reference for determining our identity is spirit. We are body soul and spirit interacting and operating as one unit; however, each component is distinctly separate. When Adam died in the garden, it was a spiritual death. When we were born from above, it was a spiritual birth; thus, you became a child of God based on a spiritual reality. On the cross God took away your sin so that He could make your spirit alive by living in you. Spiritually, you were crucified with Christ, buried with Him and raised up a brand new person. The real you is that part of you that is spirit, joined to Christ inseparably. The struggle comes from the real you living in a sin cursed body in a sin cursed world. You will daily struggle with the fleshly part of you. The victory begins with repentance--a change of one's mind. You have to begin by separating in your mind the real you from the flesh. You have to nail down and settle once for all the question of who you are. If you don't, you will be confused, frustrated and disillusioned. Paul told the Corinthians, "Ged rid of the old yeast (flesh or sin) that you may be made a new batch without yeast-as you really are." The miracle and good news of the gospel is that God has dealt with sin once for all, and you have been given a brand new identity. Basically, Paul was telling the Corinthians to act like who they really are. Although we are perfect in Christ already, we are growing into that perfection. The spiritual part of you is growing daily...God is growing you from the inside out. Faith believes, hope inspires and love motivates.