Devotion #5: Identity in Christ

I do not know about you, but there are many times in my life when I have felt the pressure to perform. Recently, I came across an old box full of my yearbooks from high school and middle school. Looking through them, I saw names and faces of people I had not thought of in decades, and reading through the words people wrote to and about me, led to laughter and some self-reflection. One common theme from all of my yearbooks was that my teachers loved me. I know teachers often write nice and encouraging notes to their students, but it was more than that. It was extremely evident to me and everyone else that I was a perpetual teacher’s pet. This was not accidental. I wanted my teachers to know that not only was I going to be their star student, but that I was happy to go the extra mile to make them adore me. Give me a rule, and not only will I follow it, but I will follow it as closely to perfection as possible. Give me a contest, and I will win. Even with the subjects that I did not naturally excel at (I am looking at you, ceramics and calculus), it did not really matter because I could just charm my way to a higher grade. If, for some reason, I could not get that higher grade or could not be the best, my world would feel like it was crashing down. This did not just apply to my teachers but also to my friends, family, and even God. When I looked at my mistakes and failures, I would convince myself that if I just worked harder or charmed more, I could earn their approval. Much has changed over the years as I have matured and come to understand my identity in Christ, but it is still easy to fall into the trap of believing that my relationship with God is based on what I can do rather than who He is and what He has already done for me.  

In Romans 3:27-31 (NLT), Paul speaks to the heart of this struggle, addressing an issue that was central to the early church but is just as relevant today. It must be a universal truth that human beings tend to boast in our own efforts and rely on what we can achieve rather than rest in the grace of God. He writes, “Can we boast, then, that we have done anything to be accepted by God? No, because our acquittal is not based on obeying the law. It is based on faith. So we are made right with God through faith and not by obeying the law. After all, is God the God of the Jews only? Isn’t he also the God of the Gentiles? Of course he is. There is only one God, and he makes people right with himself only by faith, whether they are Jews or Gentiles. Well then, if we emphasize faith, does this mean that we can forget about the law? Of course not! In fact, only when we have faith do we truly fulfill the law.” Paul makes sure that his listeners know that there is no room for pride and boasting in the Kingdom of God because our justification comes not from what we can do, but from our faith in what Christ has already done. This is so contrary to our human nature. We like to measure ourselves by our own accomplishments, validating ourselves by the things we achieve. However, this is not how things work in God’s Kingdom! Our righteousness is not something we can produce on our own. We cannot just give a great performance and earn it. It is a gift from God, only made possible through Jesus Christ.     

When I read this passage, I am reminded that my relationship with God does not depend on my ability to follow all of the rules perfectly. It is not about keeping a scorecard of all of my good deeds and showing others how well I have performed. It is about faith in the One who loved me so much that He made a way for me to be right with Him. Paul makes it clear that this truth applies to everyone - Jews and Gentiles alike. As was then, there is no distinction in God’s eyes - all of His children are justified by faith alone. Regardless of your background or your heritage, what matters is that you place your trust in Jesus, the only perfect person to ever live, the One who takes our sin and trades it for His righteousness. That is great news! No matter what your story is, God’s grace is available to you. You do not have to be weighed down by the pressure to earn His favor or compare yourself with others. Praise the Lord that I no longer have to carry the burden of trying to prove myself to Him when I know that He has already proven His love for me by sending His son, Jesus, to die in my place. My worth is found in Christ, and His finished work on the cross is enough!