Have you ever taken ten years to do something simple? A close friend got married ten years ago and I just updated her last name in my phone. She’s not the only one. For some reason, I find it to be an insignificant task. I’ll do it later, I think to myself.
I’ve had trouble acknowledging another identity: my new identity in Jesus. Identifying with Adam, I’m ready to embrace the shame of “sinner,” but am timid to rejoice in the freedom of “saint.” Who am I to call myself a saint?
I’m not alone. Many of us view ourselves as hidden under fig leaves. Like Adam and Eve, we try to cover our shame with the work of our own hands. Yet, for the Christian, our Creator has clothed us with something better. Just as he provided covering for shame in the garden of Eden, he has clothed us in the righteousness of his Son.
Embracing the Doctrine of Imputation
Many in our culture believe we are born inherently good. Scripture, however, teaches that when Adam sinned, he passed the curse of a fallen nature down to every person (Rom. 5:12–14, 19a). His sin was imputed to us as if we were with him in the garden.
In kindness, the Father sent his Son to take on human nature, becoming fully God and fully man, in order to live the sinless life we couldn’t and die the death we deserved. On the cross, Jesus took all our sin upon himself (1 Pet. 2:24; Isa. 53:5–6; 2 Cor. 5:21). But we still lacked the holiness needed to be near to God. This is why Jesus transferred his perfect righteousness to us (Isa. 53:5b; Rom. 5:19b), becoming sin “so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.” (2 Cor. 5:21). All of this, by grace through faith alone (Eph. 2:9–9).
Identity in Adam
Our new identity in Christ means we no longer identify with Adam. We have been delivered from the “domain of darkness” and transferred into the “kingdom of his beloved Son” (Col. 1:13). No longer are we “children of wrath,” but children of God (Eph. 2:3; John 1:12–13). This is why Jesus says we must be born again to enter his kingdom (John 3:3). If we are in Christ, we are born of God—a new creation with a new nature and a new identity (2 Cor. 5:17).
But we still sin. The world still tempts. Our flesh still seeks to devour us. It’s claws in our back make it easy to identify with our old sin nature rather than newness in Christ. Jesus has set us free from the bondage of sin, yet sometimes we don’t feel free. We feel like sinners, not saints.
For years, I would have told you my identity was in Christ while inwardly naming myself “sinner.” I had no trouble telling others I’m totally depraved, but I felt it prideful to think myself a saint. I’d torn down God’s banner of love and replaced it with one of shame: shame my Savior already bore on my behalf. And it hindered my belief in God’s love for me, which in turn harmed my relationship with him.
The Dangers of Clutching Our Old Nature
Placing our identity in our previous sin nature will reap harm. It can cause a fixation on our sin resulting in doubt of our salvation and doubt of God’s love for us: How could he love us when our sins are uncountable? In our doubt, we’re prone to forget our new identity, our union with Christ. In our union with Christ, we’re united with him in his life, death, burial, and resurrection. By bringing us near to himself through our union with his Son, God’s love for his children is proven true.
Scripture calls us to lift our gaze to Christ. There’s a reason Paul said to “set [our] mind[s] on things that are above” where Christ is before calling us to put off sin in the verses that follow (Col. 3:1–3, 5–10). Though it’s important that we search our hearts and repent of sin, it’s not where our eyes should linger. In repentance, the Holy Spirit beckons us to look up. He draws us away from ourselves to turn our eyes upon Jesus. This is how we are changed.
To All the Saints…
Though the epistles were often written to correct sin, they never address the recipients as sinners—they call them saints (Col. 1:2; Eph. 1:1). We need this balance in the Christian life. Solid doctrine, informed by Scripture, encourages us toward holy living and protects us from finding our primary identity in sin rather than Christ. It equips us to fight sin. Our union with him moves us from fear to worship.
My Bible study teacher recently asked our group how it felt to read a verse that declared believers “beloved by God” (2 Thes. 2:13). Most women said, “humbled and grateful.” My answer? “I don’t truly believe that.”
My faith struggled under the weight of identifying with Adam. Unbelief was the fruit of it. But God carried me through that time of doubt and grew me despite myself. Fully embracing the doctrine of imputation and my new identity in Christ has taken me from navel-gazing to beholding my Lord. Though I sin, God has declared me “saint” (1 Cor. 6:11). I’m choosing to believe him.
To all the saints, look up.
