Who I Am In Christ

11 Oct

Who I Am In Christ

This weekend we will be singing the song “Who You Say That I Am” (Reuben Morgan and Ben Fielding, Arr. Jay Rouse, Word Music), in choir at church. God used the words to begin my thought process about my identity in Christ as a believer:

It is good to remember that our identity in Christ changed at the point of our belief in the redemptive act of Christ’s crucifixion on the cross and His part as our Eternal Savior. Before salvation we were defined by sin and Satan’s desire for our lives. Since we belong to Jesus, we are defined by His grace, mercy, and love. Our identity takes on new dimensions both spiritually and physically. There is nothing in this that we can produce ourselves; it all comes from the Holy Spirit and is based on our relationship with Jesus Christ. Therefore, I am:

A New Creature – “Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature. Old things are passed away. Behold, all things are become new” (2 Cor. 5:17).

Born again – “Verily, verily, I say unto you; except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God…Except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God. That which is born of the flesh is flesh, and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit” (John 3:3 and 5-6).

Loved by God: “For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son that, whosoever believes, should not perish but have everlasting life” (John 3:16).

Saved – “Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to his mercy he saved us by the washing of regeneration and renewing of the Holy Ghost which he shed on us abundantly through Jesus Christ our Savior” (Titus 3:5-6).

Redeemed and Adopted – “But when the fullness of time was come, God sent forth His Son, made of a woman, made under the law, to redeem them that were under the law, that we might receive the adoption of sons” (Gal. 4:4-5).

A Child of God – “For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God. For you have not received the spirit of bondage again to fear, but you have received the Spirit of adoption whereby we cry, Abba, Father. The Spirit itself bears witness with our spirit, that we are the children of God. And if children, then heirs; heirs of God and joint-heirs with Christ, if so be that we suffer with Him that we may also be glorified together” (Rom. 8:14-17).

An Heir of Christ – “And because you are sons, God has sent forth the Spirit of His Son into your hearts, crying, Abba, Father. Wherefore you are no more a servant, but a son, and if a son, then an heir of God through Christ” (Gal. 4:6).

A Citizen of the Kingdom of God – “Now therefore ye are no more strangers and foreigners, but fellow citizens with the saints, and of the household of God” (Eph. 2:19).

An Ambassador – “Now then we are ambassadors for Christ. As though God did beseech you by us we pray you in Christ’s stead, be ye reconciled to God” (2 Cor. 5:20).

Indwelt by the Holy Spirit – “Know ye not that your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit which is in you, which you have of God, and you are not your own? For you are bought with a price. Therefore glorify God in your body, and in your spirit, which are God’s” (1 Cor. 6:19-20).

A Temple of the Holy Spirit – “And are built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ himself being the chief corner stone in whom all the building fitly framed together grows unto an holy temple in the Lord in whom you also are built together for an habitation of God through the Spirit” (Eph. 2:19-22).

Righteous because of the Righteousness of God – “…that I may win Christ and be found in him, not having mine own righteousness which is of the law, but that which is through the faith of Christ, the righteousness which is of God by faith” (Phil. 3:8b-9).

Washed – “But you are washed, but you are sanctified, but you are justified in the name of the Lord Jesus, and by the Spirit of our God” (1 Cor. 6:11b).

Cared For by God – “Casting all your care upon him; for He cares for you” (1 Pet. 5:7).

A Saint – “Unto the church of God which is at Corinth, to them that are sanctified in Christ Jesus, called to be saints, with all that in every place call upon the name of Jesus Christ our Lord…” (1 Cor. 1:2).

A Priest and King – “Unto him that loved us and washed us from our sins in his own blood, and has made us kings and priests unto God and His Father; to Him be glory and dominion for ever and ever. Amen” (Rev. 1:5b-6).

One Whose Life is Defined by Christ – “For to me to live is Christ, and to die is gain” (Phil. 1:21).

His Disciple – “…That I may know Him, and the power of His resurrection, and the fellowship of His sufferings, being made conformable unto His death …But this one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind and reaching forth unto those things which are before, I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus” (Phil. 3:10, and 13b-14).

It is always a good thing to remember who we are in Christ, as Christians, but it is especially important to remember this identity when Satan tries to distract us from obedience to God. Even though it is not an exhaustive list of the components of our identity in Christ, you are welcome to copy this list and keep it in your Bible to refer to when you sense yourself overwhelmed by guilt for previously forgiven sin or by temptation to choose to step back into habits and addictions from which God has delivered you.