Jean Coleman's Blog - Posts Tagged "butterfly"
ARE YOU A SINNER OR A SAINT?
I was a sinner who was saved by grace, but now I am no longer a sinner. Through grace I have become a saint, a holy person who is being conformed into the image of Christ. I am now a new creature and this new creature (or creation if you prefer) is sanctified and holy, one who has been cleansed from all sin by the blood of Jesus. The sinner I used to be has been miraculously transformed into a saint.
Jesus' first miracle was changing water into wine at the wedding feast at Cana. And Jesus' first miracle in us is also the miracle of change. He changes a sinner into saint. When we come to the cross and trust in Jesus as our Savior, we are changed from sinners into saints in the eyes of God.
When a caterpillar becomes a butterfly. is it still referred to as a caterpillar? Or does it become a totally new creature with a new name? From the moment of transformation, it becomes known as a butterfly? The old caterpillar was designed to squirm along confined to the dirt and dust of the earth, but when it became a butterfly it was set free and could soar to new heights in the heavenlies. The butterfly didn't fly around shouting, "Look at me. I'm a caterpillar." It was no longer a caterpillar, but it had become a beautiful butterfly. It had been transformed into something completely new. It had been changed. The caterpillar has become a butterfly and the sinner has become a saint.
The Bible says that "as a man thinks in his heart, so is he." If you believe you are a sinner, you will continue to sin. That is the nature of a sinner. But if you recognize that the old putrid sinner (the dead man) has been buried in the waters of baptism, then you know that you have been raised from the watery grave as a new creature to walk in a new and living way. No longer a sinner, you are a saint.
Once a man came to pray for me at a meeting. He laid his hands upon my shoulders and began to pray, "Lord, I know that I'm just a dirty old sinner and don't deserve for you to hear my prayer, but I'm going to make a request anyway."
I was shocked by his words. "Just a minute!" I thought. "I certainly don't want a dirty old sinner praying for me!" How sad it is when someone who has been born again through the grace of God and the blood of the Lamb still views himself as a "dirty old undeserving sinner." God forbid! We need to begin to see ourselves as God sees us.
Gideon was declared to be a mighty man of valor when he was actually a wimp hiding behind the wine press. He needed to see himself the way that God saw him. Gideon was called, chosen and empowered to be a mighty man of valor. Once he believed that God had the power to change him, Gideon was able to become the victorious person that the Lord had called him to be.
And we have been redeemed! We are new creatures in Christ Jesus. "If any man is in Christ, he is a new creature. Old things have passed away and behold, all things have become new." But we have to believe for the miracle of transformation to take place in our lives.
So here's the big question I'm asking born again Christians: Are you a sinner or a saint? Think about it. The strength of your Christian walk will depend upon how you answer that question. Are you a sinner or a saint?
by Jean Coleman
Jesus' first miracle was changing water into wine at the wedding feast at Cana. And Jesus' first miracle in us is also the miracle of change. He changes a sinner into saint. When we come to the cross and trust in Jesus as our Savior, we are changed from sinners into saints in the eyes of God.
When a caterpillar becomes a butterfly. is it still referred to as a caterpillar? Or does it become a totally new creature with a new name? From the moment of transformation, it becomes known as a butterfly? The old caterpillar was designed to squirm along confined to the dirt and dust of the earth, but when it became a butterfly it was set free and could soar to new heights in the heavenlies. The butterfly didn't fly around shouting, "Look at me. I'm a caterpillar." It was no longer a caterpillar, but it had become a beautiful butterfly. It had been transformed into something completely new. It had been changed. The caterpillar has become a butterfly and the sinner has become a saint.
The Bible says that "as a man thinks in his heart, so is he." If you believe you are a sinner, you will continue to sin. That is the nature of a sinner. But if you recognize that the old putrid sinner (the dead man) has been buried in the waters of baptism, then you know that you have been raised from the watery grave as a new creature to walk in a new and living way. No longer a sinner, you are a saint.
Once a man came to pray for me at a meeting. He laid his hands upon my shoulders and began to pray, "Lord, I know that I'm just a dirty old sinner and don't deserve for you to hear my prayer, but I'm going to make a request anyway."
I was shocked by his words. "Just a minute!" I thought. "I certainly don't want a dirty old sinner praying for me!" How sad it is when someone who has been born again through the grace of God and the blood of the Lamb still views himself as a "dirty old undeserving sinner." God forbid! We need to begin to see ourselves as God sees us.
Gideon was declared to be a mighty man of valor when he was actually a wimp hiding behind the wine press. He needed to see himself the way that God saw him. Gideon was called, chosen and empowered to be a mighty man of valor. Once he believed that God had the power to change him, Gideon was able to become the victorious person that the Lord had called him to be.
And we have been redeemed! We are new creatures in Christ Jesus. "If any man is in Christ, he is a new creature. Old things have passed away and behold, all things have become new." But we have to believe for the miracle of transformation to take place in our lives.
So here's the big question I'm asking born again Christians: Are you a sinner or a saint? Think about it. The strength of your Christian walk will depend upon how you answer that question. Are you a sinner or a saint?
by Jean Coleman
