Forty Days Full - An Invitation To Real Life

not found in the Bible and is actually contrary to the truth. I propose to you that modern day believers have embraced the wrong title. The title ‘Christian’ is used only 3x in the Bible and was originally given as a label for believers by the world. The title ‘Saint’ is used over 60x in the Bible for living followers of Jesus. This is the identity the early church embraced about themselves. They were called Christians by the world. They called themselves and each other saints. The word saint (Hagaos) means ‘holy.’ It is the same word used for the Holy (Hagaos) Spirit. Doesn’t this seem almost scandalous to you? How could we who struggle with sin bare the same name as the very Spirit of God? This is the startling truth about the power of the blood of Jesus. The work of Christ has completely changed our nature! Words do matter! The battle for our identity is essential for every believer. We've all heard the confession, "I'm just a sinner saved by grace." Did you know that phrase is not found anywhere in the Bible? Paul comes close to saying it, but he is referring to who he used to be. We who are in Christ, have been so changed, our old identities no longer exist. We are no longer sinners, but we are saints. Paul regularly addresses believers in his letters as saints. A saint is a holy one. Consider the significance of a title. What does a liar do? He lies! What does a thief do? He steals! What does a sinner do? He sins! What does a saint do? He lives a Holy life. I’m not saying we never sin, but as long as we hang on to our old identity, we nullify who Christ says we are. We've been set free from the slavery of sin. Neil Anderson says, "I cannot consistently live in a way other than how I see myself." My life will reflect what I really believe about myself. We cannot change a person through behavioral modification. It might reduce negative