Defined

As I sit at my desk and type this essay I can look up and see my Bachelor’s degree in Math-Physics from Fredonia State. Underneath it is a graduate certificate for an NSBA Steel Bridge design course. On the wall behind me are my Bachelor’s Degree in Civil Engineering and my Master’s Degree in Structural Engineering from the University of Buffalo.  On my desk at work is my New York State Professional Engineer’s License. While I worked hard for these degrees and Professional credentials, and I am proud of them, they do not define me. I’ll tell you what defines me.

Twice in 1 Corinthians Paul states I was bought with a price. (1 Cor 6:20 and 7:23). What price and who bought me? Paul answers in Galatians 

^{3 “}Grace and peace to you from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ, ⁴ who gave himself for our sins to rescue us from the present evil age, according to the will of our God and Father, ⁵ to whom be glory for ever and ever. Amen.”  - Galatians 1:3-5^[1]

I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me. -Galatians 2:20 ^[2]

Christ bought us by his death and reconciled us to God. We were crucified with Him.  If we profess to be Christians, i.e. followers of Christ, our lives are not defined by what we do, how much money we make, etc etc. Our lives are defined by what Christ did for us on the cross. That is where we were redeemed and our life started.

¹⁹ For God was pleased to have all his fullness dwell in him, ²⁰ and through him to reconcile to himself all things, whether things on earth or things in heaven, by making peace through his blood, shed on the cross. ²¹ Once you were alienated from God and were enemies in your minds because of^a your evil behavior. ²² But now he has reconciled you by Christ’s physical body through death to present you holy in his sight, without blemish and free from accusation^[3]- Colossians 1:19-22

This righteousness from God comes through faith in Jesus Christ to all who believe. There is no difference, ²³ for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, ²⁴ and are justified freely by his grace through the redemption that came by Christ Jesus. ²⁵ God presented him as a sacrifice of atonement,^a through faith in his blood. He did this to demonstrate his justice, because in his forbearance he had left the sins committed beforehand unpunished— ²⁶ he did it to demonstrate his justice at the present time, so as to be just and the one who justifies those who have faith in Jesus.^[4] – Romans 3:22-26

My thoughts as we start a new year is to remember what defines us and focus on that, and cast off all that hinders. For 2015 one of my life verses is Joshua 24:15 as for me and my house, we will serve the Lord.

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^[1]The Holy Bible : New International Version. 1996, c1984 (electronic ed.) (Ga 1:3-5). Grand Rapids: Zondervan.

^[2]The Holy Bible : New International Version. 1996, c1984 (electronic ed.) (Ga 2:20). Grand Rapids: Zondervan.

^a Or minds, as shown by

^[3]The Holy Bible : New International Version. 1996, c1984 (electronic ed.) (Col 1:19-22). Grand Rapids: Zondervan.

^a 25Or as the one who would turn aside his wrath, taking away sin

^[4]The Holy Bible : New International Version. 1996, c1984 (electronic ed.) (Ro 3:22-26). Grand Rapids: Zondervan.