I love Jamie MacDonald’s song, Left it in the River. The chorus goes like this…
My life was changed
When I stepped into the water.
Ain’t seen my chains
Since I gave my ‘em to the Father.
Hallelujah, I’ve been delivered.
Where is my guilt?
Where is my shame?
I left it in the river.
I’ve heard Jamie’s testimony and this song speaks about how she was totally changed when she came up out of the water… she was a new person. The apostle Paul says the same thing about you and me: “Anyone who belongs to Christ has become a new person” (2 Corinthians 5:17). Therefore, we must walk in the new not in the old. Let’s examine three things that changed at the moment of our salvation and how we can walk in that new person.
Our identity! Peter writes: “Once you had no identity as a people; now you are God’s people” (1 Peter 2:10). This means that our identity is in Christ and Christ alone, not in our family, our heritage, our country, our church, or our place in society.
So what does it mean to walk in my new identity in Christ? It means that I live out my daily life based on what God says about me not what others say about me. I need to let the truths about what God says guide my actions, choices and emotions every day.
Our vocation! When Jesus called Peter, He said: “Follow me, and I will make you fishers of men” (Matthew 4:19). Peter’s vocation changed from catching fish to catching people. Our vocation changed as well. Our mission is now Jesus’ mission.
So what does it mean to walk in my new vocation? It means that I help God in His work of spreading Christianity. He doesn’t need my help but He chooses to use me as His helper. We are ambassadors of the Kingdom of God (2 Corinthians 5:20). In other words, we are to get in alignment with the Kingdom’s mission… to show people their need for Christ. To share Jesus and the way to salvation everywhere we go.
Our citizenship! Paul says that “our citizenship is in heaven” (Philippians 3:20). He also says that we “must live as citizens of heaven” (Philippians 1:27). I’ve heard people say that when a Christian dies, they just changed addresses. I say hallelujah. This world is crazy, mixed up, and chaotic. So, we should be thankful that our citizenship was changed. We DO NOT belong to this world any longer. We belong to heaven.
So what does it mean to walk in my new citizenship? It means that everything I do has eternal significance. I pour everything into what lasts for eternity… the Word of God, people, and Kingdom work. I build on what the apostles started (1 Corinthians 3:10). I live with an eternal perspective. I am patiently waiting for the return of Jesus. But until then, I keep running the race until I cross that finish line.
Aren’t you thankful that everything changed for you when you were born again?