"Biblical Self-Image" October 21 Readings: 2 Corinthians 5

 

Reading the Bible Chronologically in 2024

This year, instead of reading from Genesis to Revelation, we will read the Bible as the story flows, as it happened and was written. There are several plans out there and I have worked to combine them into a plan that lets the Bible tell its own story "as it happened." Remember, the Bible is inspired, but not in the order the books appear in our Bibles.  The Old Testament is approximately 3/4 of the Bible, but we will give more emphasis to the New Testament, spending half the year in the Old Testament and half in the New. 

Bible Readings: 2 Corinthians 5

Background:  

How do you view yourself? The world tells us that it is all about our self-image, our self-esteem. 2 Corinthians 5 defines a healthy self-image, one based on the realities of Christ's work in us, not on who we are in ourselves.

• We are people who are of eternity, not of the present.
• We walk by faith, not by sight. 
• We recognize that we will appear before his judgment seat to give account of our lives.
• We are new creatures in Christ. 
• We live to bring others into reconciliation with Christ. 
• We understand where it all comes from (v 21). He who had no sin became sin for us so that we could become the righteousness of God. 

Daily Devotional: Biblical Self-Image

What is the key to having a biblical self-image? If you listen to the social experts in our world (who are the very definition of biblical fools so often) then you believe that it is self-assertion, loving yourself, and never letting anything have a higher priority than yourself in life.

But for the Christian, it is very different. Our self-image flows from the truths of the gospel, summarized in verse 21.

For our sake he made him to be sin who knew no sin, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.

Life does not flow from who I am or my accomplishments, but from the love of God expressed through Jesus Christ. We are what we are not because we picked ourselves up by our bootstraps, not because of our willpower or determination, but because Jesus paid it all. Jesus did it. He made us new people. He gave us an eternal dwelling. He reconciled us to God and gave us a new purpose in life - the ministry of reconciliation. That's who we are and we are that because Jesus made us that.

What matters most to the Christian is who we are in Christ. It is not how we view ourselves but how Christ views us and what he has done for us. 

Father, thank you for all you have done for me in Christ. May my identity be found in Christ, and in him alone. May I not seek identity, satisfaction, achievement, or success in anyone or anything but Christ. 

Consider God's Word:

How do you view yourself? 

Do you focus on your personality and accomplishments or on Christ and his work in you?