Your Identity In Christ

Commentary

You’re Created In God’s Image

This is a verse that applies to the believer and unbeliever. Telling us the very fact that all humans have been made in the likeness of God, meaning He made us morally like Him, with spirit, and able to commune with Him. To be what He made us to be, no Darwinian evolution process is needed to get us to this likeness; in fact, we’ve actually fallen from that perfect original form. We’re a species which God has written His moral law upon our hearts, to know good from evil.

What sets us apart from those who don’t know Jesus as their Lord and Savior is that for us, in our faith, God is working our hearts to become a reflection of Him. He’s taking us and working us back into that original created state, yet even greater, to be like that of His Son, Jesus. If you and I could gaze into a “spiritual” mirror, so to speak, we’d see not ourselves as this person with a corrupt body and sin nature, but we’d see Jesus reflected back at us. For you and me, when the Father looks at us, even in our moments of disobedience, He sees His Son, in all His perfection and glory.

Just like every other human being, we’re image-bearers of our Creator, but only the born-again follower of Christ can say that he or she is being transformed into the likeness of Christ.

Commentary

You We’re Predestined By God For Salvation

God’s transformative work in your life, as a believer, is not an accident or by chance. We’re told here that God predestined those whom He has called. And this predestination isn’t just by His choice; He foreknew you. Meaning that He knew how you would react when presented with His Gospel. For those of us who accept Christ, God has established His will for us from before He laid the foundation of this earth.

There are some that would say God makes some people for Him and others for destruction. Yet Scripture teaches that He wants none to perish, but all to come to repentance. If so, why would He only choose some? Because the choice to love Him is given to us by His will.

So when you think about God’s predestination and foreknowledge, understand that He predestined each one of us for salvation or condemnation, based on His foreknowledge of what we would do with the Gospel message of Christ that was given to us.

It’s no accident, my friend; the places you’ve been, the places you will go in life, have all been architected by God, knowing exactly what you would do before you were even born.

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You’re A New Creation In Christ

As a born-again believer, God does not leave you the way you were when you came to Him. Instead, you and I are made into new creations, that reflection of Christ that we talked about previously.

You were once a slave to whatever enslaved you: sex, addiction, greed, pride, whatever it was, you could not escape its chains. But now, those chains are broken. Sure, you can turn back to that stuff in some capacity if you wanted, but if you’re in Christ, there is no bondage to those things any longer, and there should be a growing desire to avoid such things.

For me now, it’s not Chris who is living, nor is it you who is living, but Christ working in and through us to shine His light into this dark world. It’s a reminder that we should be a people who groan little and complain not, because even in the most difficult of situations, we have our God and Savior indwelling us by His Spirit, empowering you and me to be faithful witnesses to His glory. He is forging us day-by-day into His image, and one day we will be perfected, body, soul, and spirit.

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You’re Redeemed

The most important aspects of your faith in Jesus are that you are now redeemed. No longer are you running on that broad road to the wide door, which leads to Hell; now you’re on the difficult road, to the narrow gate, that few will find (Matthew 7:13-14). But you have that narrow gate in focus, moving toward it each day because of Jesus!

You and I can walk with our heads held high, no longer in shame or bearing the weight of our sins. Because Jesus has paid the price for all of that and in your faith has washed you clean by His shed blood. One day you’ll be so purified that the Lord will dress you in fine, bright white linen.

Our great God has displayed his rich grace and mercy upon us, and now you and I can walk in a newness of life. No longer are you bound for destruction, but instead, now living an eternal life, which began the day you placed your trust in Jesus.

Commentary

You’re Called A Saint By God

There are those who teach that sainthood must be acquired through a life of good works that are deemed worthy. But God’s Word tells us that all who trust in Jesus are called saints. I understand it’s hard to think of yourself in such a way. How can such a wicked and sinful person be called a saint? Because Jesus, that’s why.

Not only does God view you as a saint, He will give you and I the authority to judge with Jesus in the future, to help judge the nations and even angels. None of this comes because you were so good or so obedient to God’s will; it comes because you accepted His gift of Jesus’ shed blood, and as a result, all that Jesus is— His perfection, righteousness, and royalty— is given to you, like someone filling your bank account full.

Saint, Jesus has imputed on you what you could never attain on your own.

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You’re Holy and Blameless

We saw previously that God calls us saints. This means that we should be holy and blameless; that’s what it is to be a saint. But you and I both know that we’re not currently holy or blameless. We sin daily and struggle to live holy lives. But understand that it’s not up to you; Jesus has claimed you as His own and presents you to the Father as holy and blameless, a shadow of what is to come at the end of your sanctification process.

For one day, when you’ve shed this mortal body, what awaits you is perfection of soul and spirit followed by the perfection of your body at the time of resurrection.

While we may not be saintly now, not perfected yet, God views us as such already because of the covering of Jesus’ own righteousness which He places over us.

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You’ve Been Adopted Into The Family of God

You’ve likely heard it said by others, people like celebrities, politicians, and even loved ones, that we’re all children of God. However, that statement is not accurate. The Bible teaches that only born-again believers are children of God. That when we come to Him, we are removed from the bondage of this sinful flesh and adopted into His Heavenly and Royal family.

Not only can we know Him as Father, but the relationship is so intimate that He is our Abba, which carries a meaning that is like “dad” or “daddy”. A word that paints the picture of a loving and tender dad who loves his children dearly.

We’re the sheep of our Shepherd, Christ Jesus. Who loves us so much and cares for us as a loving shepherd cares for his flock.

We are a priesthood in Jesus, those who are made holy in Christ and set apart for God’s goodness now and in eternity. Understand that you’re truly special, not because of you, but because of Jesus. You’re a son or daughter of the Most High God.

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You’re A Working Member of the Body of Christ

Not only are we children of God for eternity. Now we’re individual members of a complete body that is Christ’s spiritual body on this earth. You and I have been gifted, not only with the talents and abilities that we already had, but new spiritual gifts of God. He equips us to do some type of ministry among our brothers and sisters in Christ along with ministering to those in the world.

If you know your Spiritual gift(s) and are using them for God’s glory, then keep going on as He leads to the finish line. But if you’re unsure what God has equipped you and called you to do, then please pray and seek His guidance and wisdom through the Scriptures. Start by reading 1 Corinthians chapter 12 & Romans 12:6-8.

Each and every believer has been given at least one Spiritual gift, and God wants you to use it for His glory. Regardless of where God has called you, each believer is called to minister in their lives. We all have a personal ministry for Christ, while some are also called to serve in formal positions like pastors, teachers, worship leaders, and so on.

Apart from this, ensure that you’re living a life that is pleasing to God, really doing your part to be a functioning member of this one Body in Christ.

Commentary

You’re A Citizen of Heaven

As a follower of Christ, you’ve been spiritually plucked out of this world. Now you’re a citizen of Heaven, living as an ambassador of Jesus (2 Cor. 5:20) for a relatively short period of time in this world.

It’s God’s will that you’re living your life worthy as a citizen of Heaven. This means you should be representing God and His Kingdom in the same way that an ambassador from one country would positively reflect his or her home country to the place where they are stationed as ambassador.

We’re very much called to be active participants in the events in this world. If you’re able to vote, you should be voting Biblically; you should be influencing your community through your Christ-centered life in ways the Lord leads you to do.

However, we’re not to be attached to this world, with a death grip on it, like Lot and his wife. Because we’re no longer from here, and what awaits us in our new and true home is much more amazing than the best this world has to offer right now. Scripture teaches that one day, this Earth will be made new, and it will be our eternal home, in a perfected state like it was when God first created it.

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You Were Made For Good Works

You obviously know by now that once you come to faith, God does not just take you home to Him; He leaves you here for a time. That time is for good works. These are not good works to earn salvation, which you have been given by grace through faith (Eph. 2:8). Instead, these are the works that God has ordained for you to do to glorify Him and spread the Good News of Jesus to those around you. By these things, Jesus said we’d know each other.

As we’ve seen, in Christ you are a redeemed child of God, whose citizenship is in Heaven, considered a priest and saint who is holy and blameless, a working member of a bigger body, which is here on this earth to plant, water, and harvest for God’s Kingdom. To live as a reflection of your Savior every day, in all that you do.

The unbelievers of this world seek their “identity” in wealth, material things, positions, and lifestyles; things which are passing away. And to them, one’s identity in Christ Jesus looks to be nothing at all, but in reality it is everything!