Discover your potential

“Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus by the will of God, to the saints who are in Ephesus, and are faithful in Christ Jesus: ² Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.”
Ephesians 1:1-2 English Standard Version (ESV)

Paul is writing to the saints… Saints are those who have received the grace of God by faith (Ephesians 2:8; Titus 2:11). God relates to us by grace and we relate to Him by faith. By faith, we live in grace-land where we are treated better than we deserve.

I like how he writes to the saints as plural and not singular because God didn’t intend for anyone to be a saint alone. There are no lone-rangers in God’s kingdom. Yes, you are a saint because of your personal faith in Jesus but we are better saints when we’re doing life in a community, together (church). If you aren’t plugged into a good local community of believers, you are seriously missing out.

Paul writes to the saints and the faithful. Every born-again believer is included in the saints, but not all saints are included in the faithful. Once again, we are being treated far better than we deserve (grace) but this grace does not lead to passivity and it does not breed apathy. Receiving grace enables us and ignites within us a fruitful life, including a life of faithfulness. Paul was writing to all the saints in Ephesus, but he made special mention of the group within “the saints at Ephesus” – those who are faithful. Faithful means that they were trustworthy, dependable and reliable. Faithfulness isn’t a mystical spiritual gift that cannot be seen but rather it’s a component of character that’s expressed and manifested in a tangible way.

Think about this for a moment: Who would you call on for help in a moment of crisis? Why would you call on that individual or those people? Probably because they have proven themselves as faithful and trustworthy to you in some way. Someone can say they are dependable, but you don’t go by what they say, you go by what you’ve seen and experienced.

As believers, we are all saints – holy ones – but we are not all faithful. Faithfulness is something which is proven over time as opportunities arise for you to show yourself as someone who is dependable. Faithfulness is a mark of Christian maturity. Sadly, there are always fewer faithful than there are saints because you don’t have to do anything to be a saint (except receiving Jesus) but you’re only faithful if you’re being faithful. It’s important for us to remember that our acceptance in Christ is not based on whether we are faithful or not (2 Timothy 2:13) but faithfulness (a fruit of maturity) promotes you as a saint. Maturity will cause you to be used by God more because you are more usable. As a saint, you are enabled and empowered to mature in Christ and be faithful. It’s not something that happens to you without your consent; it is something you choose. And you have the potential to be faithful!

There is always a smaller group of individuals who are the faithful. They are the dependable ones who are there. They selflessly serve, give, support and pitch up. Thank God for every saint but thank God for the faithful! 

There is no condemnation for any saint who realizes that they are not faithful. Don’t feel bad if you realize that you have some maturing to do. God still loves and accepts you. Don’t allow condemnation in your heart – in Christ, there is no condemnation (Romans 8:1). If you realize that you’re not where you should be, take it as an opportunity to grow and mature. You have amazing potential in Christ! We all do! And we can all live up to our potential but sadly, not everyone does. Make the decision today, to discover your true identity in Christ and to start walking in your potential. The more you discover who you are in Christ, the more power will be unleashed in your life, enabling you to live like Jesus!