Who Am I?

Read This: Romans 7:1-25

Think About This: Have you ever done something and then immediately regretted it? I mean something as simple as making a sarcastic comment right when it gets completely quiet and everyone stares and looks at you? Maybe you asked the nice lady at church when her baby was due, only to find out that she’s not even pregnant! Yikes! I know we all could admit that sometime, somewhere, we’ve done something that we regret. Romans 3:10 is evidence of the fact that nobody is perfect, or even close to perfection. Lets make it a little more personal. Remember when you made that decision at summer camp, youth conference, or church and then a few days later you found yourself doing the same thing you promised to give up? Why is that? Who are you, really? Are you the person that makes spiritual decisions, responds during the invitation, and daily strives to maintain a walk with God? Or are you the failure who has given up on those decisions and constantly find excuses to skip devotions? Who am I?

Paul had a similar experience in Romans 7. He states several times that his mind and true desire was to serve God, but he constantly found himself acting on what his flesh wanted to do, and therefore ended up in sin. He even cries out in agony and frustration “O wretched man that I am!” (Rom. 7:24). So what was Paul’s answer? Who was Paul? The answer is found in II Corinthians 5:17. We find that “…if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature.” Paul’s true identity was not found in his failures, his sin, or even in his desire to do right! Paul’s true identity was found in Christ! Every time you stumble and fall in the Christian life the Devil will be quick to say that’s who you really are. He loves to make the Christian feel like have no true potential to serve God. Let me assure you young person, Jeremiah 29:11 is a promise that God loves His children, so much so that He wants to bless you and “give you an expected end.”

Perhaps you’ve asked yourself that question in the past few days or even weeks: who am I? Let me challenge you with the truth of God’s Word. The Christian ought to find their identity in their Savior, and not in the sin they were saved out of. Sure, in this life we will constantly battle the world, the flesh, and the Devil. We might even stumble and fall every now and then. Remember, that’s not who you are! We are more than conquerors (Romans 8:37), and our true person is found in Christ! I know beyond a shadow of a doubt that my salvation is not based on my ability to take me to Heaven (Ephesians 2:8-9). Therefore I know that my daily Christian walk is not based on my ability to live it out, but on the ability of the One that called me! So let me ask you, who are you?