I once handled a ministration on My Identity in a Kingdom Business Men program. For The Believers Today, the “in Christ realities” makes a great difference.
Are you a believer in Christ Jesus? Do you know what that means for your personality? Let’s begin with the terminology.
What Does My Identity Mean?
The term “My Identity” refers particularly to what or who I am. It’s something unique about me that others can use to identify me.
As a student at a school, I am duly registered, dressed in my uniform, and situated in the school during school hours. If I’m seen in or out, you’ll know I’m a student at a school by my identification.
But how? The traits or characteristics of a student are found on me. Those components come together to certify my personality as a student.
That said, Identity is the defining characteristics of a person. And my identity is different from ‘an’ Identity because it is personified. Like I noted before, it is actually who I am.
How To know Your Identity As A Believer
Have you ever looked in the mirror to see a copy of yourself? Could you find any trait that links you to anyone? The fact is, the mirror actually showed you the exact same you in the flesh.
Likewise, as a believer, to know who you are, you must look into the mirror of God’s Word. You have to behold Christ, and by so doing, you are being revealed to yourself.
What Is My Identity In Christ?
Going by the simple definition of My Identity as who I am, my identity in Christ is therefore who I am in Christ. And for the sake of this study, let’s stay with the singularity of the term “Identity.”
Ask yourself this question: “When I behold Christ, what do I see”? I believe the answer would be righteousness, holiness, forgiveness, redemption, justification, sanctification, glorification, and so on. All of the above categorically tells us that, through identification with Christ, I am a child of God.
Our Identity In Christ Is Who We Are As The Believers Today
Beyond just believing in Christ is what happens to us when we believe. By believing in Christ, we become sons and daughters of God.
John 1:12–13 (WEB): “But as many as received him, to them he gave the right to become God’s children, to those who believe in his name:
who were born not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God.”
John 3:6 (WEB): “That which is born of the flesh is flesh. That which is born of the Spirit is spirit.”
James 1:18 (WEB): “Of his own will he gave birth to us by the word of truth, that we should be a kind of first fruits of his creatures.”
2 Corinthians 5:17 (WEB): “Therefore if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old things have passed away. Behold, all things have become new.”
Before now, we were sinners, unrighteous and dead in your sins, but now in Christ, we have been made anew in righteousness, and holiness, just and accepted in the beloved.
How Do You Respond To Your Identity In Christ?
Keep in mind that who you are in Christ is who you could not and can never be by yourself. It is not your work but His that made it possible. It is the Grace of God.
In response to knowing your identity in Christ, the Epistles enumerate instructions in righteousness. Here are some things you should do, according to Brother Paul:
Ephesians 4:17–30 (WEB), “This I say therefore, and testify in the Lord, that you no longer walk as the rest of the Gentiles also walk, in the futility of their mind,
being darkened in their understanding, alienated from the life of God, because of the ignorance that is in them, because of the hardening of their hearts;
who having become callous gave themselves up to lust, to work all uncleanness with greediness.
But you did not learn Christ that way;
if indeed you heard him, and were taught in him, even as truth is in Jesus:
that you put away, as concerning your former way of life, the old man, that grows corrupt after the lusts of deceit;
and that you be renewed in the spirit of your mind,
and put on the new man, who in the likeness of God has been created in righteousness and holiness of truth.
Therefore putting away falsehood, speak truth each one with his neighbor. For we are members of one another.
“Be angry, and don’t sin.” Don’t let the sun go down on your wrath,
neither give place to the devil.
Let him who stole steal no more; but rather let him labor, working with his hands the thing that is good, that he may have something to give to him who has need.
Let no corrupt speech proceed out of your mouth, but such as is good for building up as the need may be, that it may give grace to those who hear.
Don’t grieve the Holy Spirit of God, in whom you were sealed for the day of redemption.
Let all bitterness, wrath, anger, outcry, and slander, be put away from you, with all malice.
And be kind to one another, tender hearted, forgiving each other, just as God also in Christ forgave you.”
In conclusion, let me quote the last statement of brother Peter’s letter in 2 Peter 3:18 (WEB): “But grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. To him be the glory, both now and forever. Amen.”
