"How would you like to be remembered?" That’s what the TV interviewer asked a world renowned evangelist.

I thought to myself, that’s like asking someone to write their own epitaph. The evangelist’s answer was adequate enough. It was what you’d expect someone to say in what was supposed to be a spontaneous and unrehearsed interview with only a minute or so for each response.

And as I listened, I began to wonder how I would have answered. How would I want to be remembered? It occurred to me that it’s more than writing one’s own epitaph. It would take us more than a minute to say what in effect would be our statement of faith.

As believers, we would want to say that we wished to be characterized as loving God. Or turn it around, as the Apostle John did, and say that we would be numbered with those "whom Jesus loved" (John 13:23). Yes, He loved us and gave Himself for us. And we love Him because He first loved us.

As Grace believers, we would want to say that we’re just sinners saved by Grace. As the songwriter put it, "Nothing in my hand I bring, simply to thy cross I cling." There is nothing in us to commend us to God. No works of righteousness that we can do. It is only what was accomplished at Calvary that has made us right with God.

As Dispensationalists, we would want to be remembered as those who properly understood God’s program for today. And that we rejoiced in the unsearchable riches of Christ as revealed by the Apostle Paul. We would want to be remembered as being established in the faith once for all delivered unto the saints. And as ambassadors for Christ, beseeching men everywhere to be reconciled to God.

From a more down to earth "human" standpoint, we would want to be remembered as compassionate, kind, loving, moral, and upright -- good citizens and good neighbors, paying our taxes and all of our bills -- good husbands or good wives if we’re married, and good parents if we had offspring. We would also want to be thought of as generous in our giving for the propagation of the Gospel of the Grace of God, and to those who are in need.

Having considered all this about ourselves, it may be interesting to turn and see what the Apostle Paul had to say about himself. He certainly was one who would tend to minimize the importance of any one person (including himself) in the work of the Lord. Though he had much to say about himself, it was in the context of "serving the Lord with all humility of mind." He chided the Corinthians for saying "I am of Paul, and I of Apollos, and I of Cephas, and I of Christ." To Paul the individual was not important, except that he could be used as an instrument of God.

"Who then is Paul?" he asked. His answer would be that he was the chief of sinners and the least of all saints. He would go on to say, "I have planted, Apollos watered, but God gave the increase."

In the final analysis, we can say that it doesn’t mater so much what we think of ourselves, or what others may remember of us, but what God says of us. The record is that God does not see us as we are, but as being in Christ. We are accepted in the beloved, heirs of God and joint heirs with Christ. We are children of light, fellow-citizens with the saints, and partakers of the divine nature. Who could ask for anything more?

This article first appeared in Truth Magazine, a Grace Gospel Fellowship publication.