Monday, January 24, 2011

saints and servants (Phil 1:1)

Phillipians 1:1

Paul and Timothy, servants of Christ Jesus, to all the saints in Christ Jesus who are at Phillipi, with the overseers and deacons.

We are saints. Saints are not a special brand of Christian, people who impressed God because of the "exemplary way they lived their lives". All Christians are saints. How can I be considered a saint when I now what's going on inside me? Because I am a saint IN Christ Jesus. Jesus took my sin and gave me His righteousness. I can enter God's presensce freely because I am clothed in Jesus righteousness.

We are also servants. Paul was a senior leader but he considered himself to be a servant of Jesus, and that involves serving the church in Phillipi. Leadership is not lording it over people, it is lovingly serving them as part of our service of Jesus. Loving them enough to bring hard words if necessary, as Paul often does, but also words of encouragement, as Paul also does. Jesus deserves to serve but said that he came to serve, we don't deserve it but often think others should be serving us!

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