A senior pastor and minister once asked us this question during a small-group discipleship session: "Are you a saint or a sinner?"
When it was my turn to answer, thinking about the areas I still struggled with, I said, "I know I should be a saint by the power of the Holy Spirit to live a holy life, but I think I am still a sinner."
After hearing everyone's thoughts on that question, he reminded all of us that we are all called to be saints. It is a calling from God, an identity given to us who believe in His Son Christ Jesus as our redeeming Savior.
He went on to explain how medical students who just graduated and entered the workforce at the hospital might not feel like they are now doctors. Nothing much has changed in their skills and knowledge from their graduation last week to their first week at work, but they have a new identity now. They are now doctors in charge of human life and no longer medical students churning through books of theories.
They can't go on in their new identity with the accountability and commitment of a student, more accountabilities are now expected of them. Even if they make mistakes that their new identity as doctors should not make, it doesn't revert their identity back to medical students. They have to brace for the challenging transition process and make time to grow into the capacity of the accountabilities that come with their new identity.
What he said really sticks with me through many years until today. It has become one of the greatest encouragements to me when I feel small and not measured up to the saint God has called me to be.
What about you? What would be your answer to the question, "Are you a saint or a sinner?"
I hope this short article helps to affirm our identity in Christ and encourages us to brace for the transition process as we make an intentional effort to grow into our new identity as true worshippers in Christ.