The Panda Definition

"A panda walked into a restaurant, sat down, and ate breakfast.  When he was finished, he stood up, shot the waitress, and walked out. The owner of the restaurant ran after him, yelling, 'what in the world are you doing?'

"'I'm a panda,' the panda yelled.  'Look it up in the dictionary.'

"So the owner did just that.  He looked up 'panda' and read 'Panda: noun, mammal.  Eats shoots and leaves." 
     ~Jon Courson

In a message I heard recently from Pastor John Mark Comer I was presented with two definitions for "Christian."  And with these two definitions in mind, I stop to ask: What definition are you living by?

Are you living by the definition of "sinner?"  Often, we hear pastors define Christians as "sinners saved by grace."  But how does the Bible define us?  It defines us as "saints."

I understand the heart behind what pastors are saying.  They're recognizing that, as Christians, it is not because we are "special" that we are saved.  It is because of the grace of God.  We do not enter heaven because of what we've done, but because of what He has done for us.

But what He did for us does not just get us into heaven.  It also gives us a new identity in Christ as we walk this earth. 

Who were we?  We were sinners.  But now we are saints in the eyes of our Lord.  I must beg the question: are you living by the definition of "sinner" or the definition of "saint?"