JB and I met in a high school Spanish class. We students jokingly referred to our teacher as la bruja (the witch) even though she was the sweetest marshmallow of a Cuban lady you could ever hope to meet. And I honestly don’t remember much of what she taught us because I’ve had little reason to speak or read Spanish since.
But I do remember one thing. In Spanish there are two verbs that mean “to be”. The verb estoy refers to how I am right now. For instance, Estoy caliente means, I am hot. I may be hot because of the current temperature outside or from having just finished exercising. But I will not always be hot. If I jump into a swimming pool I might feel refreshed. Later I might be tired or hungry or bored. My condition, emotion, location, and behavior are all changeable. But none of those physical or emotional states last forever, and they don’t define me as a person.
Soy, on the other hand, refers to how I am all the time. For instance, Soy mujer means I am female. (Don’t get me started on whether that’s changeable. Your chromosomes don’t change, even if you have surgery.) Soy Americana (I am American. I was born in America.) Soy una madre. (I am a mother–and I have the kids to prove it!) I may be a hot American or a hungry mom, but no temporary feeling or action can undo my American-ness or my relationships by birth.
In the same way, once you put your faith in Christ and believe in your heart that His death and resurrection fully paid for your sin, you are righteous. You could say in Spanish, Soy justo. I am righteous—or justified by my faith. Or Soy santo—I am holy! Righteousness is your new and permanent and unchanging identity. And your temporary actions or emotions cannot change that. 2 Corinthians 5:21 – He made Him who knew no sin to be sin in our behalf, so that we might become the righteousness of God in Him.
Think about Noah’s ark. All those riding in the ark were dry. Everyone else in the entire world was wet! As far as salvation, you are either on the ark or you’re not. You could also think about it as being either a caterpillar or a butterfly. No creature can waver back and forth between the two. A butterfly might choose to walk everywhere instead of fly, but it is still an entirely new creature.
2 Corinthians 5:17 (AMP) confirms, Therefore if any person is [ingrafted] in Christ (the Messiah) he is a new creation (a new creature altogether); the old [previous moral and spiritual condition] has passed away. Behold, the fresh and new has come!
God’s Word comforts us with the truth that once in Christ, we will never be condemned, regardless of our behavior, emotions, or temporary state. Therefore there is now no condemnation at all for those who are in Christ Jesus (Romans 8:1). Nothing we say, think, or do can change who we are in Christ!
