Who is God?
Someone who accepts and loves you as you are. Someone who has saved you from death. Someone who wants to have your company, your friendship and your love forever.
"For no one can lay any foundation other than the one already laid, which is Jesus Christ.
If anyone builds on this foundation using gold, silver, costly stones, wood, hay or straw, their work will be shown for what it is, because the Day will bring it to light.
It will be revealed with fire, and the fire will test the quality of each person’s work. If what has been built survives, the builder will receive a reward.
If it is burned up, the builder will suffer loss but yet will be saved—even though only as one escaping through the flames." 1 Corinthians 3:11-15
I believe these verses are talking about the works of a Christian. As you can see, there are all kinds of works from all kinds of Christians.
Some things we do are worth gold; some things we do are worthless. Yet, because the person had faith in Jesus' death for him, he will be saved. For we are not saved by works, but by faith in Jesus alone.
"So it is clear that no one can be made right with God by trying to keep the law. For the Scriptures say, 'It is through faith that a righteous person has life.'" Galatians 3:11
Who am I?
A sinful Christian.
Why are some Christians irritating, awful people? Even the best of Christians can be annoying. Why do we sin by not loving enough? Why do we lose our temper? Why aren't we perfect? Why aren't we more like Jesus?
There are hundreds of reasons for this. The main reason is we are all sinners living in a deeply fallen world. We all come from unique backgrounds with weird family members who can mess us up pretty badly. We join different churches and have different pastors who teach different things. We are born with screwy DNA.
Some of us are dumb; some are smart. Some of us take years to learn things (me); some learn very quickly. Some are born with a sweet disposition; some of us are born angry. Some were abused; some had ideal childhoods.
Paul says this about his own struggle with sin:
"We know that the law is spiritual; but I am un-spiritual, sold as a slave to sin.
I do not understand what I do. For what I want to do I do not do, but what I hate I do.
And if I do what I do not want to do, I agree that the law is good. As it is, it is no longer I myself who do it, but it is sin living in me.
For I know that good itself does not dwell in me, that is, in my sinful nature. For I have the desire to do what is good, but I cannot carry it out. For I do not do the good I want to do, but the evil I do not want to do—this I keep on doing.
Now if I do what I do not want to do, it is no longer I who do it, but it is sin living in me that does it.
So I find this law at work: Although I want to do good, evil is right there with me.
For in my inner being I delight in God’s law; but I see another law at work in me, waging war against the law of my mind and making me a prisoner of the law of sin at work within me.
What a wretched man I am! Who will rescue me from this body that is subject to death? Thanks be to God, who delivers me through Jesus Christ our Lord!
So then, I myself in my mind am a slave to God’s law, but in my sinful nature a slave to the law of sin.
Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus, because through Christ Jesus the law of the Spirit who gives life has set you free from the law of sin and death.
Romans 7:14-25, 8:1
