Who do you claim to be? Who are you? How do you define your identity? Is your identity solely based on your job, relationship, or economic status? Or do you gain individualism from your family heritage or community?
Today, we live in a world where cultural influence matters, and with that, we have the added pressure to compare ourselves and others based on their social platform status or how many followers they have. These distractions keep us from understanding and knowing our true identity. As believers in Jesus Christ and children of God, our identity is found not in what the world says but in what God has said.
What the World Says vs. What God Says
What is identity? Identity is the condition or fact of being the same or exactly alike. Cultural norms today imply that our identity and worth come from our performance and possessions rather than our values and beliefs. However, we find the truth of our identity in God’s word. Living a successful life is not against God’s word or plans for our lives. Jesus says in John 10:10 that he came that we may have life and have it more abundantly. However, the world’s definition of a successful life and our identity is not based on God’s perspective. His word encourages us to alter our former thinking by shifting our perspective through a renewed mind. “Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God (Romans 12:2).
So contrary to popular demand, you are not your social media following, you are not your past, and you are not your failures and mistakes. You are who God says you are: a child of God, a new creation, and a friend of God. We find the origins of our identity in Genesis 1:2, “Then God said. “Let Us make man in Our image, according to Our likeness,” so we see our identity in the likeness of God. Then, after sin entered, we saw man separated from the intimacy of God. “So He drove out the man, and He placed cherubim at the east of the garden of Eden, and a flaming sword which turned every way, to guard the way to the tree of life(Genesis 3:24)”. However, the good news came in the person of Jesus Christ! The word became flesh and gave his life for us to reconcile us to our creator and father. And now, since we were reconciled and brought back into intimacy with God, we are no longer far away from God but brought near through the grace of God through faith in the Lord Jesus. Because of Jesus, we now have our new identity.
Who Are You in Christ?
What God’s word says about your true identity.
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- You are loved. Regardless of your past, you are loved today, right now in Christ. “But God demonstrates His love toward us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us(Romans 5:8).”
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- You are forgiven. As sinners, we are all eligible to receive God’s forgiveness. In Christ, you are forgiven.” In Him we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of His grace(Ephesians 1:7).”
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- You are a new creation. “Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new(2 Corinthians 5:17).”
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- You are accepted. Despite whatever rejection you have experienced in the past, today, in Christ, you have acceptance. “In Him we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of His grace(Ephesians 1:7)”.
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- You receive adoption into His family. In Christ, you receive a new family regardless of the family you were born into. You are now a part of God’s family. “having predestined us to adoption as sons by Jesus Christ to Himself, according to the good pleasure of His will,(Ephesians 1:5)”.
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- You are an heir in Christ. You now have an eternal inheritance in Christ Jesus. “…if children, then heirs of God and joint heirs with Christ,(Romans 8:17).”
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- You are created for good works. Regardless of your career or social media following in Christ, you are created for good works. “For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them (Ephesians 2:10)”.
The beautiful truth about our true identity is that all these gifts have been freely given to us by God’s grace through faith in Christ Jesus. We didn’t earn them; they are simply gifts from God.
Why It’s Hard to Believe the Truth
Why is it so hard to believe we’re made new in Christ? One of the reasons it’s hard is because when lies are all you know, it’s easy to accept them as the truth, whether it’s in the form of pain from our past, trauma, abuse, or rejection. It’s easy to accept what has happened to us as our identity mistakenly. However, we are not the abuse, the trauma, or the rejection. True, these are things that have happened to us since we’re living in a broken, sin-filled world. God’s word tells us we wrestle not against flesh and blood but against principalities and rulers of the darkness of this age and spiritual hosts of wickedness. Yet we are not left powerless in this battle; we are to put on and use the whole armor of God. Part of that armor includes the belt of truth, Ephesians 6:14, “Stand, therefore, having girded your waist with truth.” which consists of the truth of our true identity in Christ Jesus. Therefore, when we spend time in God’s word renewing our minds and learning the truth, we have power against the enemy’s lies, distortion, and deception.
How to Walk in Your True Identity Daily
Since we understand the truth of God’s word about our true identity, let’s reflect on how to apply this truth in our everyday lives. It’s a journey we walk with the help of the Holy Spirit in us. Aren’t we glad we’re not left alone to try to figure it all off on our own? We have with us forever our helper, the Holy Spirit, who is the Spirit of truth. Because of the Holy Spirit, we can open up the other greatest gift given to us: the Bible, God’s word. One of the best ways to know what God says about anything, especially for you and your life, is by reading God’s word, the Bible.
We read and memorize it to remember what to do, say, or think. For example, if you want to know if you’ve changed from your old ways, see if you can see the fruit of Spirit in your life now. But to understand the fruit of the Spirit, you must read it in scripture. Galatians 5:22-24, “But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control. Against such, there is no law. And those who are Christ’s have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires.” The Holy Spirit helps us to pray; Romans 8:26 says, “Likewise, the Spirit also helps us in our weaknesses. For we do not know what we should pray for as we ought, but the Spirit Himself makes intercession for us…”
Daily Tips
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- Spend time in God’s Word.
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- Pray.
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- Speak God’s Word over your life.
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- Surround yourself with those who speak the truth.
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- Remember, God’s grace is a gift; this is a daily process of spiritual growth.
Encouragement
The good news in Christ is we are reconciled and redeemed, a new creation with a new identity. Chosen by God to live our lives to glorify God in the earth. “For whom He foreknew, He also predestined to be conformed to the image of His Son, that He might be the firstborn among many brethren( Romans 8:29)”. May you walk with the truth of God’s word and the power of the Holy Spirit in you to help you every day to know and declare the truth of your new identity in Christ. God is for you and not against you.
Be Encouraged
Good
Thank you! 😊
Very good
Thank you! 😊