(by pastor Norman)

How does God see us as individuals or corporately? As Christians, He sees us as forgiven of all our sins past, present and future (Col 1:14). We are justified in His sight, in other words He sees us as if we had never sinned (Rom 4:25), as righteous (2 Cor 5:21). To be righteous is to have right standing with God, no sin separating us from Him. Christ died as a sacrifice to pay the price for our sins and redeem or deliver us form the power of sin in our lives (Gal 3:13-14), we have ben sanctified or set apart for God (1 Cor 6:11). Our loving Father sees us as born again spiritually (John 3:1-7), enjoying renewed fellowship with Him (1 John 1:3). We are His children, “But as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become Children of God, to those who believe in His name” (John 1:12; NKJV). “Do you not know that you are the temple of God and that the Holy Spirit of God lives in you?” (1 Cor 3:16; NKJV). As individuals and corporately as a church we are, “the temple of the living God” (2 Cor 6:16; NKJV). In 1 Peter 2:5-9, we read that we are all living stones being built into a spiritual house, we are a holy and royal priesthood, a holy nation, His own special people, a chosen generation raised up to praise, worship and honour God. In Ephesians 2:19-22, the apostle Paul wrote that we are, “members of the household of God” whose foundation is Jesus and we are growing into a holy temple, “a dwelling place of God in the Spirit” (V 22b). That’s how God sees us! That’s how God sees you!