by Mrs. Rita D'Souza
The dictionary defines “identity” as the distinguishing characteristics of a person/ personality. In simple terms one’s identity is the answer to the question “Who am I”
Having a sense of identity is vitally important and influences our behaviour and entire life. People determine their identity and consequently derive their security in various ways.
- For some it is profession - eg: I am a doctor, I am an Engineer, a Housewife, a student, etc.
- For some it is relationships - I am the son of so and so, I am a mother, father, brother, uncle, etc.
- For some it is talents or abilities - eg: I am a singer, sportsman, leader, good cook, etc.
- For some it is physical features - eg: I am short, fat, dark, ugly, beautiful, attractive, etc.
- For some it is possessions - eg: I am a millionaire, I am a crorepati, owner of a 3 bedroom flat, many cars, etc.
- For some its people’s opinions - eg: what people have said about us, or what we feel people have said about us, or what we feel think about us - eg: I am a good for nothing, I am clumsy, I am a burden, a failure, etc.
If our security is based on who we are in terms of the above, then we can be easily shaken. It is like building a house on sand. For example - you may say that I am the best model or sportsman - but what happens when you meet with an accident or illness that leaves you out of action? Will your world crash? What happens if there is someone better than you? Will you be depressed? You may say you are a mother and your world revolves around your children. What happens when the children leave the nest?
Determining our identity on the basis of what people think or say about us is also incorrect. There is only one way to determine our identity that cannot be shaken, one foundation that cannot be taken away from us - i.e. who we are in Christ Jesus. Our identity as Christians should be based on how God sees us in Christ and not on how we see ourselves or others see us. Our security should lie in seeing ourselves on the basis of what God has done for us in Christ and not on the basis of what we can do or have done.
Our identity in Christ is our true identity and is made known to us in the Word of God.
My Identity in Christ:
- I am a Child of God : (1 John 3:1) says “See what love the Father has given us that we should be called children of God and that is what we are.” God who is sovereign could have chosen to relate to us just as the Creator with the created, as a King with his slaves, as a dictator with his subjects. But he has chosen to relate to us as a Father with his Son.Little children are proud of their “daddies” and often believe that their daddy can do anything. Do we know that we have a ‘daddy’ who is the king of the universe, an all powerful, all knowing, all loving God. What a privilege to be his child and to call him “Abba Father”. We are children of God not just in a general sense as in that we were created by him, but in a special sense. This is because
- I am redeemed - not with perishable things like silver or gold but with the precious blood of Christ-(1 Peter 1:18-19). To redeem someone means to pay a price to set that person free. Man of his own free will sinned and was separated from God. To set us free God paid not just gold or silver but his very own blood, i.e.: his own life and therefore
- I am precious and loved by my Father. Isaiah 43:4 says “because you are precious in my eyes and honored and I love you…”
- I belong to God as I have been bought with a price (Read 1 Corinthians 6: 19-20) & (Isaiah 43:1).
- I am adopted as his child (Ephesians 1:5) says “He destined us for adoption as his children through Jesus Christ according to the good pleasure of his will.” In New Testament society, an adopted person held a privileged status. He gained the full rights of a natural son, he had the same place in the family, inheritance rights, family privilege and so on. The adopted persons past life was completed erased. Even his past debts were cancelled. He was given a new beginning is is just what God has done for is in Christ according to Colossians 2:13 “And when you were dead in trespasses and the uncircumcision of your flesh, God made you alive together with him, when he forgave us all our trespasses erasing the record that stood against us with its legal demands. He set this aside, nailing it to the cross.” And so according to 2 Corinthians 5:17 we are
- A New Creation in Christ Jesus. God has done what human parents cannot do. Human parents cannot cause the adopted child to be reborn genetically as their own. But God gives us the power to be born anew as his child and so as 1 John 3:1 says, we are not only called his children, we are his children. We see this in John 1:12-13 “But to all who received him, who believed in his name he gave power to become children of God, who were born not of blood or of the will of the flesh nor of the will of man but of God.” And in 1 Peter 1:3 which says “Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. By His great mercy he has given us a new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead."
- I am chosen by God - John 15:16 says “You did not choose me, but I chose you.” (Read also John 6:44 and Ephesians 1:4). It is true that God desires all men to be saved and yet it is true that he has chosen me. I am chosen - When? Before the foundation of the world (Ephesians 1:4). I am chosen - How? In Him, i.e. In Christ, on the basis of what Jesus did for me, according to his grace, unmerited favour and not according to my merit. I am chosen - Why? To bear much fruit, i.e. To be a blessing (Read John 15:16)
- I am God’s workmanship created in Christ Jesus for good works which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them (Ephesians 2:10)
- I am blessed with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places - Ephesians 1:3 (Read also 2 Peter 1:3). Notice that “blessed” is the past tense and refers to what is already ours. We need to move from being “bless me” Christians to thanksgiving.
- I am complete in Him. “For in Him all the fullness of the Deity dwells in bodily form and in Him you have been made complete…. (Colossians 2:9-10).
- I have been crucified with Christ. (Read Galatians 2:19, Romans 6:3,4 and Romans 6:11).
- I am no longer a slave to sin (Read Romans 6:6 and 6:14).
- I am free from condemnation (Read Romans 8:1).
- I am justified by faith in Christ (Read Galatians 2:16) justified is to be declared righteous or not guilty.
- I am righteous (2 Corinthians 5:21) says “For our sake he made him to be sin who knew no sin so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.” To be righteous is to have a right standing of total acceptability before a just God.
- I am accepted by God not because of what I do but because of who I am in Christ Jesus. Our experience may not match up with our position in Christ. In reality, we still struggle with sin and fall. However, this does not change the truth of who we are in Christ. The enemy waits to fill us with condemnation and to tell us that God’s Word as mentioned above is not true. But remember he (Satan) is the Father of all lies and even as we hold on to who we are in Christ and consider ourselves dead to sin, we will experience victory.
- As a son, I have access to the Father at all times through Jesus. (Read Ephesians 3:12, Hebrews 10:19-22)
- I am a joint heir with Christ (Read Romans 8:15 - 17 & 1 Peter 1:3-4).
- I am marked with the seal of the promised Holy Spirit (Read Ephesians 1:13-14).
- As a son I have authority (Read Luke 10:19).
- I am more than a conqueror through him who loves me (Read Romans 8:37). We are not just conquerors but more than conquerors as we are fighting a battle that has already been won by our Lord Jesus. The victory is ours, the battle is the Lords.
Conclusion: Our identity in Christ has nothing to do with performance, abilities, our own holiness, but has everything to do with what God has done for us in Christ. He (Jesus) is our all sufficiency.
1 Corinthians 1:30 “He is the source of your life in Christ Jesus, who became for us wisdom from God and righteousness and sanctification and redemption….”
When we lose sight of our identity/ position in Christ and move away from Jesus being our all sufficiency then slowly the Christian life becomes a struggle and a burden.
Secure in who we are in Christ and with Jesus as our all sufficiency; we should then walk as new creatures in obedience and dependence on Him.