MERE HUMANITY
Embracing the Godly Nature in a Broken World
“I’m only human,” we often say when we fall short, when we make mistakes, or when we react out of anger or fear. It’s a phrase that has become a sort of self-excuse, as though to acknowledge our weaknesses is to explain away our flaws. But what if I told you that while we are indeed human, we were never meant to stay in our broken, limited human nature? What if I told you that, through Christ, we have been redeemed to live in a new, godly nature one that reflects His image and aligns with His perfect will? Let me tell you a quick story about a man named James. He struggled with anger something that ran in his family. He would snap at his kids, argue with his spouse, and feel deep regret afterward. “I’m only human,” he would say, trying to justify his actions, but the guilt would weigh on him like a thousand pounds. One evening, after another argument, James broke down in tears and prayed for the first time in a long while. "God, help me. I can’t do this on my own." It was in that moment, through God’s grace, that James began to experience a transformation. Over time, his anger subsided, and in its place, patience and kindness grew. He realized that he wasn’t bound by his human nature anymore. Through Christ, he was being shaped into something better, something more like Jesus. This is the power of redemption. Through Christ’s sacrifice, we are given the ability to walk out of the limitations of our human nature and into the fullness of the godly nature He desires for us.
Human nature, in its unredeemed state, is fraught with weakness, selfishness, and sin. In Romans 7, Paul talks about the inner conflict every believer faces:
“For I have the desire to do what is good, but I cannot carry it out. For I do not do the good I want to do, but the evil I do not want to do—this I keep on doing.”
— Romans 7:18-19 (NIV)
The truth is, our human nature is fallen. We were born with a propensity to sin, to choose what is wrong, to act out of our desires rather than God’s will. This is the “old man” (Ephesians 4:22), the person we were before we knew Christ. But God doesn’t leave us in this state. Through Jesus, we are offered redemption—a way out of our fallen nature and into a life of transformation. Christ not only forgives us but also empowers us to live differently.
“The road to transformation is not for the faint of heart, but for those who are ready to lay down the old and embrace the new in Christ. Let the journey begin.”
Through Christ, we are invited into a new identity. The apostle Paul tells us in 2 Corinthians 5:17:
“Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come: The old has gone, the new is here!”
— 2 Corinthians 5:17 (NIV)
The statement "I’m only human" often reflects an excuse for not trying harder, for settling into patterns of behavior that are less than God's best for us. It’s true that we are human, and it’s true that we will never be perfect in this life. But the beauty of the gospel is that Christ has already made us perfect before God. His sacrifice on the cross was the ultimate price for our redemption. He didn’t just save us from sin; He saved us for a new way of living—a life empowered by His Spirit to reflect His nature.
Romans 6:6-7 puts it plainly:
“For we know that our old self was crucified with him so that the body ruled by sin might be done away with, that we should no longer be slaves to sin because anyone who has died has been set free from sin.”
— Romans 6:6-7 (NIV)
We are no longer slaves to our human nature. Through Christ, we are set free. The old man has been crucified, and we have been raised to walk in the newness of life (Romans 6:4). So, what does this mean for us as believers? It means that while we may still experience the temptations and struggles of our human nature, we are not bound to it. Through Christ, we are empowered to choose the higher road, to live according to God’s Spirit and His Word. We are to walk in the newness of life, allowing God to lead us through the challenges of life. It’s not an easy journey. There will be times when we stumble, when we give in to our human impulses. But we can always return to the grace of God, knowing that through Christ, we have been given everything we need to live the life He’s called us to. If you are tired of living according to the old nature, if you are weary of the battle between your flesh and spirit, remember this: Christ has already won the victory for you. Don’t settle for less. Step into the fullness of the life God has for you. The road may be challenging, but it is one worth walking, and you do not walk it alone.
WALK THE ROAD. CHALLENGE THE NORM. LET GOD LEAD.
