Grace Based Identity

Kathryn Peckman, a fellow recovering perfectionist, shares her journey to a biblical understanding of the encompassing identity of our gracious God. She also shares the powerful impact that has had on her Christian life as she embraces her own identity "soaked with grace." Kathryn shares, “Every individual who met with Jesus was changed; not just changed behavior but a changed identity. We see lepers become spotless, adulterers become blameless, and the weak become strong. God’s identity changes people’s identity”… do you let it define yours? About the Speaker:Kathryn Peckman is a wife, mom, and Campus Minister from Southern California. She and her husband Dustin have served in the full-time ministry for five years. She enjoys baking, cooking, reading with her three kids, and spending time in nature.  She is a recovering perfectionist who seeks God’s grace in every season & loves helping others do the same.Episode Notes:There’s no such thing as a happy perfectionistBook Rec: The Complete Guide to Grace, by Jim LeflerIsaiah 55:8-9 We can’t look to the world or pop-Christianity to understand grace, we need to look in the Word.Definitions- what do you THINK grace, mercy, and forgiveness mean? These are unique and not synonymous although they feed into each other. Grace: charis (Greek) chen (Hebrew): favor, charm, generosity, gift “charisma;” not in the definition: meritMercy: eleos (Greek) checed (Hebrew): goodness, kindness, compassion, especially toward the afflicted; not in the definition: judgment or pityForgiveness: aphesis (Greek): release from bondage or imprisonment, pardon of sins as though they never were committed, drop & leave behind (ex: when fishermen “leave their nets & father behind” to follow Jesus); not in the definition: keeping scoreGracious God: Grace is God’s identity. It’s the subtitle on his autobiography.Grace or gracious is used as a descriptor of God over 125 times in the Bible.One phrase is used by 5 different authors to describe God: “The Lord is gracious and compassionate, slow to anger and abounding in love.” Exodus 34:6, Nehemiah 9:17, Psalm 86:15, 103:8, 145:8, Joel 2:13, Jonah 4:2Isaiah 30:18-19 Interacting with the gracious God means changes for your own identity as well.Grace Identity- John 10:1-18  v.3 “The gatekeeper opens the gate for him, and the sheep listen to his voice. He calls his own* sheep by name and leads them out.”He doesn’t just want us to know His scripture or know the church but to KNOW HIS VOICE… Can I recognize it? *Idios (greek): pertaining to one’s self, one’s own, belonging to one’s self      v.10 “The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they may have     life, and have it to the full. I am the good shepherd.”d)    diabolos (greek): prone to slander and accusing falsely. How does the thief steal, kill, and destroy? Through accusation, shame, & often, woundse)     You can’t follow the shepherd while you listen to the stranger’s voice f)      Grace, mercy, and forgiveness are the OPPOSITE. They are intended to heal the wounds, silence the accusations, and free us from shame. We didn’t become disciples to become slaves again to a set of rules or accusations or false labels. Support the showThank you so much for supporting the show. Check out our website or follow us Instagram!