So many of us have labels that bind us because somewhere in our past someone called us something or somebody characterized us in some way.  Or maybe we did something that earned us a label that we’ve moved beyond, but still has a prominent place in our lives.  It might have even been ourselves - maybe we've believed a lie about our self that isn't true and we are living under the labels of the past.  

When I was a kid growing up I wasn’t the skinniest kid in school.  I was overweight then - and now as well - but back then there was a group of kids that came up with a name for me: Chuck the Truck.

This wasn’t the cute mis-pronunciation that I get from kids when they call me, “Pastor Truck”.  No, this was an insult.  It was masked in fun, but it was an insult.  And when people called me this they weren’t thinking of a little Ford Ranger.  And we weren’t even talking about an 18 wheeler.  No, we were talking about a big truck.

Let’s just say that it wasn’t too flattering, and it wasn’t meant to be flattering.  It was meant to be an insult.  It was meant to be a put-down.  Granted, the name doesn’t really bother me anymore......but I’m still kind self-conscious about my weight - or my overweight, as the case may be.

A lot of you can relate to that because, at some point in your life, you were given a negative label that followed your name.  It might be someone's called you the doormat; you know, you're always so nice, people just walk all over you and they always take advantage of you. Or you're the lazy one, or you're the irresponsible one, or you're the hot head, or you're the person who is not good with money, or you're the party girl or the wild guy who is never really going to settle down.

Or maybe you're just the average one; you're not great at anything, you're not horrible, but through your life you've kind of been labeled as average.  For some of you the label is worse.  You’ve been labeled a loser.  You’ve been labeled the druggie or the pot-head or the drunk.  
Then there are numerous sexual labels the people get, and because many of those would be inappropriate I’ll just let you imagine what those might be.

But what does God have to say about labels?  First of all, let me make this perfectly clear:

God's power is always bigger than your past.

God's truth about you is bigger than any current truth in your life.  If you own a label that you truthfully deserve, I want you to understand that what's true about you today doesn't have to be true about you tomorrow.  Check out 2 Corinthians 5:17:

...anyone who belongs to Christ 

This is for anyone who belongs to Christ.  It’s not for a select few.  It’s not just for the elite.  It’s not just for the wealthy or the powerful or the popular.  This applies to anyone who belongs to Christ.  If you belong to Christ, he’s talking about you.  If you’ve trusted in Jesus for the forgiveness of sin, then he’s talking about you.  It doesn't matter who you are, what you've done, where you've come from, how bad your past is, how true the label about you was or is, it doesn't matter who you are.  Anyone.  If you've repented of your sins and trusted in Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins, if you’ve turned your life over to Jesus, then this includes you. And then he goes on to say something that is so incredibly powerful:

...anyone who belongs to Christ has become a new person.  

Here’s what I love about that.  He writes, NEW, not re-built.  Not modified.  Not refurbished.  NEW!  Paul writes that when you trust in Christ, you’re made new.  Not on the outside, but on the inside, where it really matters.  Oh, and one more thing:

...anyone who belongs to Christ has become a new person. The old life is gone; a new life has begun!  (2 Corinthians 5:17, NLT) 

If you are in Christ, all of the old is done away with, it's gone!  The power of sin that has held you back can be broken by Jesus!  When you trust in Jesus Christ, your past is washed away.  Its gone and the newness of life in Christ is available to you.


Don't you dare let anyone put you in a box and put a label on it.  You are not what anyone else says about you. By the power of Christ, you can get past your past and God will give you a new name.  The only one
who has the right to label something is the creator.   Since God created you, He’s the only One Who gets to label you!

...anyone who belongs to Christ has become a new person. The old life is gone; a new life has begun!  (2 Corinthians 5:17, NLT)