"To the church of God that is in Corinth, to those sanctified in Christ Jesus, called to be saints together…"

(1 Corinthians 1:2 ESV)

The church isn’t a museum for saints, it’s a hospital for sinners. 

You may have heard this saying before. I certainly have said it, and I stand by it. We aren’t meant to be an impressive people. Jesus doesn’t draft prospects, He saves sinners. We are needy and rebellious people. 

Every metaphor breaks down at some point, and this one is no exception. Because we are meant to be a showcase people. We are called to be a city on a hill. God calls us saints. Isn’t that wild? Do you see yourself as a saint? If you’re a follower of Jesus, that’s what you are. Sure, you’re a sinning saint — but your sin does not remove your status.

Why does this matter? And how does this affect your life today? In every way. 

When a young man became a knight in the Middle Ages, his status changed. In a ceremony, the king would often wave his sword over each shoulder of the kneeling candidate, and grant him the status of knighthood. The young man, now a knight, rose with a new identity. His identity drove his life. 

So it is with us. Who you think you are will determine who you become. And this is why God-given identity is crucial, because all other identities are costumes which wear out. If you earn your identity, you will be humiliated when you lose it. Be it money, physical strength, beauty, or reputation, these earned identities are like papier-mache — they melt in the rain of suffering, time, and failure. But an identity bestowed by God is fixed, permanent. You can rest in who God says you are and you can become what God says you are as you live into His declaration.

So, my dear brother or sister, how can you live this out? 

1. You must recognize that you did nothing to earn your status and if anything, you have given the King reason to reject you. We are like traitors kneeling before the King, not honorable squires who have proven our worth. A sinner becomes a saint by the grace of God, not by demonstrating worthiness. Saints in the Christian sense are, by nature, humble recipients of their sainthood. They realize that Jesus wore their sin on the cross so He could give them His garment of spotless righteousness (2 Corinthians 5:21). Saints realize they’re wearing Jesus’ robe.

2. You must value private devotion to God over public performance for God. In the gospels, Jesus constantly rails on people who are religious performers — those who want to be seen as righteous. Saints are not celebrities, they are lovers of God. The Greatest Commandment in Deuteronomy 6:5 is to love God, and you know you really love God when you love Him when no one is looking. Saints are formed in their prayer closets, at their kitchen table with an open Bible, and on walks with the Lord. This is not a means to an end, an incubation period before you hatch as an impressive Christian. Private devotion is an end in itself, as we get to worship God intimately and receive the pleasure of knowing Him. 

3. You must confess your sin to God and others. A saint is someone who believes the gospel, and therefore trusts God enough to confess sin out loud. A saint is a person of repentance. Now you may be thinking that’s wonderful because you repented 12 years ago when you surrendered to Jesus. Amen! Praise God for that. But the Christian life is one of repentance, of turning our back on sin and our face toward God. The motive is not to become better for God, but rather because sin separates us from God and we want more of Him.

If you don’t like — or even hate — the person you see in the mirror, remember that the true essence of who you are is not in the mirror’s reflection but in God’s declaration. He calls you a saint, and by the Spirit in you, He is helping you become what He says you are.