THE SOURCE: THE WORD OF GOD
Clearly, as in any other major discourse, we discover our true identity in God’s Word, the Bible. In fact, today, we want to examine many passages that help us understand the real identity of every true believer.
There is no time in this sermon to delve into each of these wonderful truths. However, seeing these truths all together can help us better understand the immense and eternal richness of our identity in Christ, so that we can live it.
If, for example, it is important to help the bride and groom to truly realize their new identity as husband or wife, so that he or she can live that role, how much more important it is for every true believer to truly understand the one role. which will last for his entire life and for all eternity!
So, if you are a child of God, who are you?
A. A child of God
If you are a child of God, then you are a child of God. Think about it: you are a child of the Creator and Sovereign Lord of the whole universe. To understand the immensity of this truth, we begin by remembering who we were before salvation. I read Ephesians 2: 1-3:
“1 He also gave life to you who were dead in trespasses and sins, 2 in whom you already walked, following the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, of the spirit who is now working in the children of disobedience, 3 among whom we too once lived in the lusts of our flesh, fulfilling the desires of the flesh and the mind, and we were by nature children of wrath, as well as others. ” (Eph 2: 1-3 KJV)
Before salvation, every person was a child of wrath. He was under the wrath of God. That was his condition. However, God did not leave us in that condition. I read vv. 4,5, which speak of what God has done.
“4 But God, who is rich in mercy for his great love with which he loved us, 5 even when we were dead in trespasses, gave us life with Christ (you are saved by grace),” (Eph 2: 4- 5 NLD)
God has given us life with Christ which, elsewhere, is also called “new birth”. He gave birth to us as his children. He made us pass from the condition of children of wrath to his children!
Time after time, the Bible speaks of the incredible reality that we are children of God. I read 1 John 3: 1-3 to you.
“1 See what love the Father has poured out on us, making us call us children of God. The reason the world does not know us is because it did not know him, 2 Beloved, now we are children of God, but it has not yet been manifested what we will be; but we know that when he is manifested, we will be like him, because we will see him as he is. 3 And whoever has this hope in him, let him purify himself, as he is pure. ” (1Jn 3: 1-3 KJV)
“14 For all who are led by the Spirit of God are children of God. 15 For you have not received a spirit of bondage to fall into fear again, but you have received the Spirit of adoption for which we cry out:” Abba, Father ” “(Romans 8: 14-15 NIV)
“Now because you are children, God has sent the Spirit of his Son into your hearts crying:” Abba, Father, “” (Galatians 4: 6 NIV)
A child of God can freely call God himself “Abba, Father”.
If you are saved, know that God chose you before the creation of the world to make you his beloved child. This is your true identity. It is not yet visible to the world, but it will be at Christ’s return.
We are children of God through faith in Jesus Christ. There is no other way to become a child of God, as we read in Galatians 3: 26-28:
“26 for you are all children of God through faith in Christ Jesus. 27 For all of you who have been baptized into Christ have clothed yourselves in Christ. 28 There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free, there is neither male nor female, because you are all one in Christ Jesus. ” (Gal 3: 26-28 NIV)
Who are you? You are a child of the Most High God.
B. A new creature
If you are a child of God, then, you are a new creature . You are no longer what you were. It is not an external change, a new way of living, behaving or thinking, even if these are the fruits of it. Instead, it is about being a new creature, a new person, who will live for all eternity in the presence of God. I read 2 Corinthians 5:17.
“Therefore if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new. ” (2Corinthians 5:17 KJV)
Alone, we could work our whole life to improve, but we would always remain the same people, eternally separated from God, and slaves to our sin. Instead, God did the impossible, made us be born again and made us become new creatures in Christ Jesus. Being new creatures, we live for who we are. Let us identify with Christ Jesus as new creatures. We walk in newness of life.
C. The temple of God, the body of Christ
If you are a child of God, then along with all other children of God, you are the temple of God, and the Spirit of God dwells in you. We read this in 1 Corinthians 3:16.
“Don’t you know that you are the temple of God and that the Spirit of God dwells in you?” (1Cor 3:16 KJV)
We are the temple of God himself, and therefore it is essential that we live in holiness. Also, we are the body of Jesus Christ, of which He is the head. I read 1 Corinthians 12:27:
“Now you are the body of Christ and his members, each for his part.” (1Cor 12:27 KJV)
Being part of the body of Christ, it is essential that we remain attached to our Head, Jesus Christ and follow his guidance in every little detail.
D. A saint
In addition to being a child, being part of the temple of God, and being a member of the body of Christ, if you are a child of God, then, you are a saint . I read Ephesians 1: 1. We find the same statement in other epistles as well.
“Paul, apostle of Jesus Christ by the will of God, to the saints who are in Ephesus and faithful in Christ Jesus:” (Ephesians 1: 1 NIV)
Thanks to Jesus Christ, every true believer is a saint. Every believer is a saint because he is covered with the righteousness of Christ Jesus. Being saints, it is imperative that we walk in holiness. We live in a world of sin. We are saints. Let us identify ourselves as saints, and walk in holiness.
E. Heirs of glory
If you are a child of God, then, you are also heir to glory. We are unable to understand that a small part of the immensity of this reality! We are heirs of the glory of Jesus Christ. There is no human glory on earth that is in the least comparable to the glory of Jesus Christ. Furthermore, any earthly glory of men lasts very little. Instead, the glory of Jesus Christ is eternal, and exceedingly great. We are Christ’s co-heirs of His glory. This is our identity in Christ.
“And if we are children, we are also heirs, heirs of God and joint heirs of Christ, even if we suffer with him to be glorified with him too.” (Romans 8:17 NIV)
Being in Christ Jesus, we are already seated spiritually with Him in heavenly places, as we read in Ephesians 2: 6.
“And raised us up with him and made us sit with him in heavenly places in Christ Jesus,” (Eph 2: 6 NIV)
God made us sit in heaven with Christ. How absurd it is to seek glory from men, a glory that is worth nothing, and that will be lost for eternity, when instead we can enjoy our glorious Lord Jesus, knowing that we are joint heirs with Him in glory!
F. In Christ
If you are a child of God, then, you are in Christ . I can say these words even if we fail to understand the magnitude of this truth. To be “in Christ” means to find our identity in the Creator, the Sovereign Lord of lords, the One before whom every knee will bend, and the One whom every tongue will confess as the Lord of lords. I read Colossians 3: 3,4.
“3 because you are dead and your life is hidden with Christ in God. 4 When Christ who is our life appears, then you too will appear with him in glory.” (Colossians 3: 3-4 NIV)
Stop and consider this truth. We are dead, that is, the old man died with Christ and our life is hidden with Christ in God, that is, we are eternally identified with Christ. This is our true identity.
We are in Christ Jesus , and Christ is our life. Our identity is “in Christ Jesus”. Whatever role we have on earth will be left in eternity. So, let us seek our identity in Christ Jesus. We keep our eyes on Christ, consider Him, as we read in Hebrews 3: 1:
“Therefore, holy brothers, who are partakers of the heavenly calling, consider the apostle and the high priest of our confession of faith, Jesus Christ,” (Hebrews 3: 1 NIV)
We are in Christ, we contemplate Him, we fix our gaze on Him. We hold firm trust in Christ as we read in Hebrews 3:14.
“For we have become partakers of Christ, on condition that we hold firm to the end the confidence we had in the beginning,” (Heb 3:14 NIV)
We share in Christ Jesus. We live this identity of ours. This is our true identity. Don’t waste your life looking for your identity in something of this world.