What does "I am what I am" reveal about identity in Christ? Setting the Scene: Paul’s Simple Statement • 1 Corinthians 15:10: “But by the grace of God I am what I am, and His grace to me was not in vain. No, I worked harder than all of them—yet not I, but the grace of God that was with me.” • Paul is defending the gospel of Christ’s resurrection and inserting his own story as living evidence. • His words deliver a concise theology of identity: who we are flows from God’s grace, not self-manufacture. Grace Defines the “I” • Grace precedes everything—salvation, calling, purpose. – Ephesians 2:8-9 “For it is by grace you have been saved through faith, and this not from yourselves; it is the gift of God, not by works, so that no one can boast.” • Identity in Christ is rooted in union with Him. – 2 Corinthians 5:17 “Therefore if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come!” • Personal history no longer writes the final definition; God’s unearned favor does. – Acts 9:1-6 shows Paul the persecutor becoming Paul the apostle solely by divine initiative. Grace Energizes the “I” • Paul “worked harder,” yet twice credits grace as the true power source. • The believer’s effort is real, but it functions as a Spirit-charged response, never self-generated merit. – Philippians 2:13 “For it is God who works in you to will and to act on behalf of His good pleasure.” • Identity therefore includes both position (accepted in Christ) and empowerment (enabled by Christ). Grace Redirects the “I” • Old allegiances die; a Christ-centered life rises. – Galatians 2:20 “I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me.” • Values shift from self-advancement to gospel fruitfulness. – Philippians 3:8-9 “I consider everything a loss compared with the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord.” • Even weaknesses become platforms for divine strength. – 2 Corinthians 12:9 “My grace is sufficient for you, for My power is perfected in weakness.” Living Out Our God-Given Identity • Receive grace without reservation—stop earning, start resting. • Respond with diligent obedience—grace fuels perseverance, not passivity. • Renew the mind daily in Scripture, letting truth override old labels. – Romans 12:1-2 presses for living sacrifice and transformed thinking. • Rely on continual grace; the same power that saved sustains and sends. By grace, the believer can echo Paul’s words: “I am what I am,” no longer chained to past failures or driven by self-promotion, but securely, energetically, and purposefully identified in Christ. |
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