By Justin Edwards
I was a sinner in rebellion against Almighty God (Romans 3:23; 1 John 3:4).
I loved my sin and I loved darkness (John 3:19 ; Psalm 36:1-4)
I was a mere hearer of the Word (James 1:22).
My righteous acts were filthy rags (Isaiah 64:6).
I was a thief, an adulterer, a murderer, an idolater, a blasphemer, a fornicator, a drunkard, and a liar (Matthew 5:21-22; 27-28; 1 Corinthians 6:9-10).
I was a friend of the world and an enemy of God, in fact, I hated Him (James 4:4).
I was a slave to my sin and hostile to the Law of God (John 8:34; Romans 8:7)
The works of the flesh were manifest in me (Galatians 5:19-21)
I loved the world and the things of the world, and the love of the Father was not in me (1 John 2:15).
The world loved me (John 15:19).
I was a child of wrath and lived to gratify the lusts of my flesh (Ephesians 2:3).
I followed the ways of the world and submitted to the god of this world (Ephesians 2:2).
I did not understand the things of God, nor could I (1 Corinthians 2:14).
I was a dead man walking (Ephesians 2:1).
I did not seek God (Romans 3:11).
I willfully lived in sin and was of the devil (1 John 3:8).
I hated the brethren (1 John 5:1-2).
I walked in darkness (1 John 1:6).
I lived according to my sinful nature and had my mind on what that nature desired (Romans 8:5).
I was born into sin (Psalm 51:5).
I lived as an enemy of the cross and my mind was set on earthly things (Philippians 3:18-19).
I was ashamed of the name of Jesus (Luke 9:26).
I stored treasures on the earth (Matthew 6:19-21).
I tried to serve two masters (Matthew 6:24).
I lived in worldly sorrow (2 Corinthians 7:10).
I claimed to know God but my actions denied Him (Titus 1:16).
I was on my way to hell, and deservedly so (Romans 6:23)
But God!
I have been granted repentance (2 Timothy 2:25).
I have been adopted as a son according to the sovereignty of God and the counsel of His own will (Ephesians 1:4-11).
I have been washed, sanctified, and justified by faith alone (1 Corinthians 6:11; Hebrews 10:10; Romans 3:24; Romans 5:1).
I am clothed with the righteousness of Christ (Philippians 3:9).
I have been made alive in Christ Jesus (Ephesians 2:4).
I am forgiven and redeemed (Ephesians 1:6).
I am born again of the Spirit of God (John 1:13; John 3:5-6; 1 Peter 1:23).
I am the prodigal son (Luke 15:24).
By God's grace, I am surrendering to the Lordship of Jesus Christ (Luke 9:23; Luke 14:33; Luke 18:22).
I have God's seed planted in me and no longer live a habitual lifestyle of sin (1 John 3:9).
I have the yoke of Christ upon me so I may learn from Him (Matthew 11:3).
I am a sheep of the Good Shepherd, and nothing in all of creation can snatch me out of His hand (John 10:27-29; Romans 8:38-39).
I have been chosen to bear fruit that will last (John 15:16).
I abide in Christ and He abides in me (John 15:4; 1 John 2:24-25, 28).
I have overcome the world (1 John 5:4-5).
I am purifying myself in cooperation with the Holy Spirit (1 John 3:3; 2 Corinthians 7:1).
I love the commandments of God and they are not burdensome to me (1 John 5:3).
I desire to love the Lord my God will all of my heart, soul, mind, and strength (Matthew 22:37-40).
I desire to love all of my enemies (Matthew 5:44; Luke 6:27-28).
I have a passion to reach the lost (Mark 16:15).
I love God and am able to love God because He first loved me (1 John 4:10).
I am hated by the world because the world hated Christ first (1 John 3:13; John 15:18).
I am sealed by the Holy Spirit until the day of redemption (Ephesians 1:13-14).
I am a co-heir with Christ (Romans 8:17; Galatians 4:7).
My life is not my own because I have been bought at a great price (1 Corinthians 6:19-20).
I am crucified with Christ and it is no longer my life but Christ who lives in me (Galatians 2:20).
I have the Peace that passes all understanding (Philippians 4:7; John 14:27).
I have the enduring Hope within me (1 Thessalonians 1:3).
I am covered by the blood of Christ and can boldly approach the throne of God (1 John 1:7; Hebrews 4:16).
I am dead to sin and can no longer live in it (Romans 6:2).
I am a new creation (2 Corinthians 5:17).
I have died to myself and am now free from sin (Romans 6:6-7).
I am a slave of the Lord Jesus Christ (James 1:1; Romans 6:22).
I am a slave to obedience (Romans 6:16-18).
Nothing good lives in my sinful nature, which is still in me, but does not have dominion over me (Romans 7:18; Romans 6:14)).
There is no condemnation in me for I am in Christ Jesus and have been set free from the law of sin and death (Romans 8:1).
By the power of the Holy Spirit I now walk according to the Spirit (Romans 8:4-5; Galatians 5:16).
I have a Father in heaven by whom I call, "Abba", like a child who calls upon his daddy (Romans 8:15).
I share in the sufferings of Christ (2 Corinthians 1:5; 1 Peter 2:20-21; 2 Timothy 3:12).
I am most blessed through persecution and there is a great reward awaiting me in heaven (Matthew 5:10-12; 1 Peter 4:14-16).
I can count it all joy when I got through all kinds of trials (James 1:2-3).
I am more than a conqueror (Romans 8:37).
I offer my body as a living sacrifice to God because this is my reasonable service (Romans 12:1).
I am no longer conformed to the world but am being conformed to likeness of Christ (Romans 8:29).
I am being transformed by the renewing of mind (Romans 12:2).
I am storing my treasures in heaven, where I am an eternal citizen (Colossians 3:2; Philippians 3:20).
There is waiting for me a glorified body, which I will receive in the twinkling of an eye at the last trumpet call (1 Corinthians 15:51-52).
I seek to not be yoked with unbelievers or anything of the world (2 Corinthians 6:14).
I hate sin and the things that God hates (Psalm 119:104).
I am blessed by the fruit of the Spirit within me (Galatians 5:22).
I have crucified the sinful nature with its passions and desires (Galatians 5:24).
I am a child of light (1 Thessalonians 5:5).
I am faithful (Ephesians 1:1)
I am called to be holy as God is holy (1 Peter 1:15; Hebrews 12:14).
I desire to imitate God (Ephesians 5:1).
I desire to conduct myself worthy of the Gospel of Christ (Philippians 1:27).
My strength is in Christ (Philippians 4:13).
Christ is my life (Colossians 3:4).
I am not ashamed of the name of Jesus or the proclamation of the Gospel (Matthew 10:32; Romans 1:16).
I long for the appearing of Christ, and there is a award awaiting me in heaven (2 Timothy 4:8).
God works in me to do His will and act according to His good purpose (Philippians 2:13).
By God's grace, I am a doer of the Word (James 1:22).
I live for the will of God (1 Peter 4:2; 1 Thessalonians 4:3).
I love the brethren (1 John 4:7).
I am kept from the wrath of God (1 Thessalonians 1:10; Revelation 3:10).
I have eternal life (1 John 5:11-12).
And I will reign with the King of kings and the Lord of lords forever and ever (Revelation 5:10). Amen!
So, who am I? I am nothing...apart from Christ (John 15:5).
How about you?
Who are you according to the Word of God?
Is there anything in the second list you cannot identify with? Do you find yourself trapped among the things in the first list? What other things might be included in these lists pertaining to the old and new natures?
Let's talk about it - please post your questions or comments below.
