In Christ: Identity, Sainthood, and Faithful Living

Aug 09, 2026

Devotional

Day 1: Saints Set Apart, Not Self-Made

When we say “yes” to Jesus, God stamps our identity with the word “saint” – not because we act holy, but because He declares us holy. This new status changes everything: we’re no longer defined by past failures or religious checklists, but by Christ’s finished work. A saint isn’t a spiritual superhero – it’s anyone rescued from darkness and transplanted into God’s kingdom. Our calling isn’t to earn this title, but to live like we believe it’s true. [44:07]

Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus by the will of God, To the saints who are in Ephesus, and are faithful in Christ Jesus: Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. (Ephesians 1:1-2, ESV)

Reflection: Where do you still struggle to believe God calls you “saint”? How might embracing this truth change one relationship or habit this week?

Day 2: Grace First, Peace Follows

God’s grace isn’t a one-time deposit – it’s daily bread for the journey. Before we face today’s battles, He serves up unmerited favor (grace) that births unshakable calm (peace). These twin gifts flow from our position in Christ, not our performance. When storms come, saints don’t white-knuckle through – they feast on grace and rest in the Prince of Peace. [41:29]

Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. (Ephesians 1:2, ESV)

Reflection: What current struggle needs more grace than grit? How can you actively receive Christ’s peace instead of manufacturing your own?

Day 3: Redeemed, Not Religious

Religion says “clean yourself up.” Redemption declares “Christ already did.” The cross transfers us from Satan’s prison to God’s throne room, not through sacraments or self-help, but through Jesus’ blood. Our new identity as saints isn’t a reward for good behavior – it’s a rescue mission completed while we were still rebels. [54:16]

In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of his grace. (Ephesians 1:7, ESV)

Reflection: Where do you still try to earn what Christ already gave freely? What would it look like to live from redemption rather than for redemption?

Day 4: Daily Bread for Saintly Steps

Sainthood isn’t sustained by willpower but by daily grace. Like manna in the wilderness, God provides just enough strength for today’s battles. Tomorrow’s worries can wait – saints live in the present tense, trusting the same power that raised Christ from the dead fuels their next faithful step. [55:58]

But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly of my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may rest upon me. (2 Corinthians 12:9, ESV)

Reflection: What “weakness” are you hiding that God wants to transform with His strength? How can you practice relying on daily grace instead of weekly reserves?

Day 5: Sovereign Peace in Chaotic Times

When chaos reigns, saints remember who really holds the scepter. God’s sovereignty isn’t a theological puzzle – it’s the anchor for our souls. His absolute control over every molecule means our storms have purpose and our pain has an expiration date. Peace isn’t the absence of trouble, but the presence of the King who rules it. [57:07]

And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. (Philippians 4:7, ESV)

Reflection: What situation feels out of control where you need to reaffirm God’s sovereignty? How might trusting His rule change your posture toward this challenge today?

Sermon Summary

Ephesians opens with one big drumbeat: in Christ, in Christ, in Christ. Paul does not point believers to religion, denominationalism, works, or a cleaned-up version of the old life. The Bible says that when anyone is in Christ, “the old is gone” and “the new is here.” Christianity is not behavior modification. Jesus did not come to make bad people good. Christ came to raise spiritually dead people and bring them back to life.

The Bible stands as God’s holy word, the final authority for faith and practice. The question is not what a tradition said, what a man said, or what somebody online said. The question is, “What does the Bible say in proper biblical context?” Then the real tension comes: what response does God’s word require?

Paul writes to the “saints” in Ephesus, and that word matters. The Spirit calls those in Christ holy ones, set-apart ones, consecrated ones. Sainthood is not a title earned by miracles, church ceremonies, or some super-spiritual resume. Sainthood is an identity given the minute a person says yes to Jesus Christ.

That identity changes everything. God’s people are not saints because they always act like saints. God’s people are saints because God has made them saints through Christ. Identity comes before behavior. A believer’s life starts with who God says that believer is, and then faithfulness grows out of that new standing.

Ephesians also brings up big words like election, predestination, foreknowledge, and sovereignty. Those words are not meant to make God’s people fight with tiny little three-and-a-half-pound brains. Those words are meant to make God’s people praise. There is a God, and it is not mankind. Sovereign God has the first and last word, and that same God says, “I got you.”

Grace, peace, redemption, and every spiritual blessing are all found in Christ. Saving grace brings a person from death to life. Enabling grace gives daily bread for daily need. Peace comes because what is bigger than the believer is not bigger than sovereign God. Redemption means Jesus did what sinners could not do, so sinners could receive what they did not deserve.

The gospel call is clear: knowing about Jesus is not the same as knowing Christ. Redemption is in Christ alone, not religion, works, or what anyone brings to the table. Jesus was crucified, buried, and raised again, and the proper response is faith, repentance, and a life turned over to him.

Key Takeaways

1. The Bible Gets Final Authority The Bible stands over inherited religion, denominational habits, and whatever a person was simply told growing up. A faith that cannot be traced to God’s word is living on borrowed authority, not rooted conviction. God’s people are called to ask what the Bible says in context, then let obedience become the honest response. [32:54]
2. Sainthood Is Given In Christ Sainthood is not a trophy for unusually holy people or a title granted after enough spiritual accomplishments. Paul calls ordinary believers “saints” because Christ has made them holy, set apart, and consecrated. That identity is not fragile, because it rests on Christ’s work rather than personal performance. [48:18]
3. Identity Comes Before Behavior The believer does not become faithful in order to earn a new identity. God gives the identity first, and faithfulness grows from knowing what God has already made true. When a person knows who he or she is in Christ, yes and no begin to carry kingdom weight. [52:09]
4. Grace Is Also Daily Strength Grace is not only the doorway into salvation. God’s grace also becomes daily bread, daily protection, and daily power for the situation right in front of the believer. Saving grace brings life, and enabling grace keeps forming that life from the inside out. [54:49]
5. Sovereign God Gives Real Peace Peace does not come from figuring God out or controlling every outcome. Peace comes from knowing that sovereign God rules over what feels too big, too heavy, and too chaotic. The storm may still be real, but it is not bigger than the One who says, “I got you.”

## [56:46]

Youtube Chapters

[00:00] - Welcome
[31:06] - Kingdom Transfer and Bible Authority
[34:14] - In Christ, Not Religion
[35:41] - New Creation, Not Behavior Modification
[38:02] - Big Words and Sovereign God
[41:15] - Paul Writes to the Saints
[43:18] - Identity Determines How Life Works
[48:18] - Sainthood Is Given in Christ
[50:34] - God’s Work Requires Faithful Response
[54:16] - Grace, Peace, and Redemption
[56:46] - Sovereign God Gives Daily Peace
[58:30] - Every Spiritual Blessing in Christ
[60:16] - Knowing Christ, Not Just Religion
[65:15] - Saying Yes to Jesus
[68:39] - Walk Worthy and Faithful

Bible Study Guide

Bible Reading

Ephesians 1:1-3
“Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus by the will of God, To the saints who are in Ephesus, and are faithful in Christ Jesus: Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in Christ with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places,” [41:15] [41:29] [41:38] [58:46]

2 Corinthians 5:17
“Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come.” [35:41] [36:09]

Philippians 2:12
“Therefore, my beloved, as you have always obeyed, so now, not only as in my presence but much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling,” [37:17]

John 3:3
“Jesus answered him, 'Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born again he cannot see the kingdom of God.'” [55:03]

Observation questions

In Ephesians 1:1-3, what words or phrases are repeated, and what do those repeated phrases seem to emphasize? [41:43]
According to 2 Corinthians 5:17, what happens to a person who is “in Christ,” and how is that different from just trying to become a better person? [36:14]
In Ephesians 1:1, how are the believers in Ephesus described, and what two identity words stand out in that verse? [51:08]
In Ephesians 1:2-3, what specific gifts or blessings are named as belonging to those who are in Christ? [54:16]

Interpretation questions

Paul calls ordinary believers “saints.” What does that seem to mean about how God sees his people right now, not just someday in the future? [48:18]
If identity comes before behavior, how does that help explain why faithfulness grows out of grace instead of earning grace? [52:09]
The Bible says believers are new creations, and Philippians says to “work out” salvation. How do those truths fit together without turning Christianity into behavior modification? [37:17]
Grace and peace are both tied to God’s sovereignty. How does knowing that God has the first and last word help explain why a believer can have peace in real trouble? [56:46]

Application questions

A lot of people know about Jesus without truly being in Christ. Where does that question land personally right now: is there confidence of a real relationship with Christ, or has faith mostly been religion, habit, or background? [01:05:15]
If God calls his people saints, what part of life most needs to come under that identity right now—speech, relationships, thought life, generosity, habits, or something else? [53:16]
Identity comes before behavior. When failure, shame, or old patterns start talking loudly, what helps remember who God says a believer is in Christ instead of slipping back into the old identity? [49:43]
God’s word gets final authority. What is one belief, tradition, or assumption that needs to be tested more honestly by the question, “What does the Bible actually say?” [50:28]
God gives not only saving grace but also daily grace. What is one situation right now that needs to be brought before God specifically for today’s grace rather than trying to carry it alone? [55:33]
Peace grows when it becomes clear that what is bigger than a believer is not bigger than sovereign God. What burden, fear, or uncertainty feels biggest right now, and what would it look like to entrust that to God in a practical way this week? [57:04]
The faithful in Christ are described not just by what they believe but by how they live. What is one concrete step of faithfulness that would show a life turned over to Jesus this week? [01:08:39]

Sermon Clips

61s

#SaintByIdentity

“``I don't know what you're thinking when you think a saint, but I want you to hear this. Saint is not a title earned. It's an identity given when you say yes to Jesus Christ to the saints. And I know it feels a little weird, and I'm not saying walk around and say, Saint Anthony of Salem. I'm not saying we walk around, like, introducing ourselves. Like, I'm talking about our identity in Christ. Eventually, you're gonna see where the bible says, walk worthy of your calling, where I will bring you all the way back to chapter one where right out of the gates, God says, here's part of your calling. You're called saint. That's pretty cool. Amen?”

75s

#IdentityNotBehavior

“Let me just put it up on the board for you. Listen, you're not a saint because you always act like one. You're a saint because God has made you one through Christ. And I'm not trying to be weird here. I'm not trying to have like, you know, this kind of weird mumbo, ultra spiritual junk. I'm talking about your identity in Christ. That the holy spirit, the author of the bible. Because we don't ask what does the denomination say? What does my preacher say? What did the priest say? What do these people on TikTok say? No. No. No. We wanna know what does saith the Lord. So we ask, what does the bible say? What does the Bible say in proper biblical context? And then we wrestle with what are you gonna do? Why? Because God's work in us, what God has done for us requires a a a proper response from us.”

81s

#BlessedInChrist

“That Jesus Christ did for me what I couldn't do for myself so that I could have what I don't deserve. Verse three says this. It says, blessed be the God and the father of our Lord Jesus Christ who has what? Blessed. He's blessed us with every heavenly blessing, every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus. Let me show you again read it with me, has blessed us. I'm not only a saint of God because of the redemption of Christ. I have grace, I have peace, and I have God's blessing in my life. If you're in Christ today, if you are in Christ, you are incredibly blessed. Not because of who you are, but because of whose you are.”

57s

#InChristNewIdentity

“Why do you keep saying in Christ? Because we're studying the book of Ephesians. And as you read the book of Ephesians, the New Testament book, six chapters, read it, your homework for the month, you will see these two words keep popping up. In Christ. In Christ. In Christ. Not in religion, not in denominationalism, not in you, not in works, but in Christ. And when you are in Christ, all of a sudden, here's what Jesus does. He puts you he he you you become a part of a new kingdom. You you have a new identity in Christ. And we are called to walk a new way because of who we are in Jesus Christ. So when I ask you a question. Alright? If Jesus Christ has radically redeemed and restored your life by his amazing grace and mercy, would you put your hands together and thank him for that?”

38s

#SaintAtConversion

“Sainthood matters. You don't become a saint by performing miracles. You don't become a saint by through a church ceremony. You become a saint the minute you accepted Jesus Christ as your savior. That's what the bible says and that matters because understanding who we are in Christ ought to dictate how we live out our faith. Amen? You say, man, I I you know, how many would admit we still got issues? Come on. How many would say the person next to me sometimes doesn't act like a saint?”

58s

#OnlyMediatorJesus

“You're lost, you need to be found. I was lost. I thank God Jesus found me. Jesus Christ was crucified, buried. Three days later, he rose again from the dead. That's what he did. But you and I have a responsibility by faith to respond to what Jesus Christ did for us. The bible says that I have to ask Jesus to forgive me of my sins. I don't ask a preacher. I don't ask a priest. I ask the one who was crucified, buried, and rose again from the dead. Why do you say that? Because in first Timothy, it says, there's only one mediator between mankind and God the father. It's Jesus Christ.”

53s

#SetApartInChrist

“And I wanna repeat something because it's a big deal. Your identity and understanding who you are in Christ is a big deal because understanding who you are will determine how you live. Amen. It will determine what you say yes to and what you say no to. And I wanna show you again, and I really want this to land today that if you said yes to Jesus Christ, are a saint. You are a saint which literally means as you saw in the original language that you've been declared holy, set apart, consecrated, that you are a child of God with a unique identity that the bible calls saint.”

52s

#WalkWorthy

“This is a big deal because eternity hangs in the balance. No games. So welcome to the family of God. To all of you saints in Christ, know who you are, walk worthy of your calling, and may we be described the way the Ephesians were described. May God call us faithful. Thank you, Jesus, for what you've done. You are worthy of all glory and praise. Thank you for these that suggest to you today. God, continue to have your will and way in all of our lives.”

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