“For this very reason, make every effort to supplement your faith….For whoever lacks these qualities is so nearsighted that he is blind, having forgotten that he was cleansed from his former sins.”
2 Peter 1:5, 9
What does that even mean? Why is Peter telling us to remember that we have been cleansed from our sins? Why are we blind? Many of us have an identity crisis…a type of chosen amnesia that has made us forget who we are and why we were born. We have chosen to believe our identity comes from self-improvement, self-reliance, self-love, self-promotion, pride, independence, and self-worship. We say that we are saved by grace alone in Christ alone but then each day we order our steps according to the above list…endlessly trying to prove to ourselves and others that we CAN define ourselves by what we do and with whom we hang. We have forgotten our identity. Me included.
Our identity rests with our Creator. We are made in His image for a purpose…His glory. He receives glory when we remember that we were bought with a price and that we are not our own. We have been cleansed from ALL our sin! This gospel message not only saves us initially, it transforms and sustains us. Is there anything in this message that relies on my own self-worth, whether I am popular, respected, a winner, or well-fed? No! Sweet sister, you are a child of the living and loving God! You have been adopted into the family of the all-powerful God that will never leave you or forsake you, no matter if you are a winner or not, popular or not, respected or not! You have received grace, mercy, a full inheritance of the kingdom, forgiveness for all time, all heavenly blessings, and Jesus! Catch this. You have received this, not earned this.
Peter reminds us that if we forget this gospel truth, our justification, redemption, and reconciliation, we will always struggle with our sanctification. We will never have lasting change in our lives until our hearts are transformed with the good news…over and over and over again! Our virtue won’t grow until we appreciate that we have been cleansed, forgiven, and loved. Our knowledge of the Savior will not increase until we RUN to Him with no fear and a veracious desire to know Him more. Our self-control will be difficult because we will run to our idols for comfort rather than trusting that Christ is our ultimate comfort. We won’t desire to be godly until we truly desire to be like Christ, to fix our eyes on Him and not what the world is offering. Our affection for our brothers and sisters won’t increase until we are full of the knowledge of how much God loves and cares for them. And we won’t love until we fully grasp how deep the Father’s love is for us.
So sister, let us not forget our identity. We are sinners saved by grace alone. Created in the image of God, weak and dependent on His grace and mercy for each breath. Yet we were chosen before the foundation of the world to be adopted as sons with full inheritance and rights of the kingdom. When we truly begin to grasp this, failures are not devastating, being lonely has a cure, sicknesses will be ultimately healed, our need for self begins to decrease and our joy comes from loving God and loving our neighbor. Let us wake up each morning refreshed in the knowledge of gospel truths! Remember your identity!
Your sister in Christ,
Colleen