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Our identity in Christ is first and foremost one of newness. We are new creations in Christ (2 Corinthians 5:17). Identity is defined as "the collective aspect of the set of characteristics by whic...
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We are to live our lives in light of the identity we have IN Christ! Emphatically, God tells us in His Holy and Divine Word that "we, each of us, as a child of God, are to be IN the world, not OF this world, for we have a home IN heaven that awaits us, for which He has prepared for us and that He has prepared many mansions...." Notice the 'IN'? The understanding of the significance of this key word is paramount! God sent His "one and only begotten Son to die on that cross for my sins and your sins to be forgiven..and that all of your sins shall(will) be forgiven and removed "as far as the east is from the west". You, (and I) and all of His children that came before us, were "purchased for a price!"..the ultimate price ever paid! That 'purchase' was paid for by the redeeming power within the precious blood of our creator, by Jesus Christ, our redeemer, our atonement, His sacrifice given at the cross. "You were bought at a price, to which there is no measure!" The Holy Spirit comes IN our heart and cleanses us/purifies our heart of all unrighteousness so that we may be found faithful and just before the Lord. (1 John 2:5-14) The Bible tells us that we "are given a pure heart so that we may be deemed just and holy before the Lord". And, as such as this "...because we are indwelt by His Holy Spirit, we have His directive to be as Christ to others, that they may see Jesus in us, for it is unto the Lord's purpose that we can be a witness unto His saving grace and mercy, for He gives without measure to those that seek Him"! What am I getting to with this seemingly insurmountable and most important issue? Well, it is simply the individual recognition on our part to come into understanding that there is a divine reason each and everyone of us has 'a purpose in and for which we were created --(given life)--, and He desires us to "hear His calling" and to be a good sheep that "hears my voice(Jesus) and hears my calling and responds to the work of the Holy Spirit." "Jesus came to save that which was lost." "Seek ye first the kingdom of God, and His righteousness and all these things shall be added unto you." "Praise God that we have a savior and His name is Jesus Christ!" ~~Andy~~
We die to self and make others more important in bringing them to Christ to obey the Great Commission. We are to still take care of our selves, but depend on God (the Holy Spirit) for sensitivity in the physical needs and then the spiritual needs of others, especially relate and encourage your brothers/sisters in Christ. You are to place the things if the world as alien to you as your are only passing through this world as your Home will be in Heaven to live with God forever. You are to still take care of all your love ones that depended on you before, but the number 1 concern and love will be Jesus Christ whom saved you for eternal life and know you are known as a son/daughter of God. You are to exercise the Fruit of the Spirit in dealing with people in order that your life be an example to the light if God. You are to verbally talk to people and share the Gospel to the lost world. You should put the whole Armor that God gives you, especially the sword (the Word of God, the Bible) and with prayer, let the Holy Spirit guide you and teach you all Godly things and lead you into the battle going on between good and evil for the Souls of men/women that is going on before the end times.
How to live in the light of identity Christ? This is a question to be stressed up on. If you are in Christ is a condition that has been given greater importance by Paulin epistles. If you are in Christ, then you are the children of God. (2 Cor.5:17). In Gal.2:20, Paul says if you are in Christ, it is no longer you live but Christ lives in you. Paul says we should live like Christ. We are to be like Jesus. A true believer is to be like Jesus. In many ways a true believer is to be like Jesus. The goal of every true believer is to conform into the image of Christ (Rom 8:29, John 14:12-13, 14-15, John 17:18, John 20:21, Matt 10:25). Whenever someone turns to the Lord, the veil is taken away (2 Cor.3:18). Once the veil is removed, one can see the reflection of the glory of the Lord. He makes us more and more like Jesus as we are changed into His glorious image. If all of us live like Jesus Christ, then the Kingdom of God is near to you. You don’t have to search for Kingdom of God. We will become automatically the citizen of that Kingdom. According to 1 Jn.4:17, as He is,are we in this world?
Personal Identity is all the rage these days. What is most crazy to me is that anyone would want to "steal my identity", and my money! My bank account makes a banker yawn and it makes me cry. I am the one most in need of an extreme make-over. Someone once told me that I should "be myself". My response was that I felt like anyone else was surely more qualified. In reality, my identity cannot be stolen. It can only be borrowed for a season until the perpetrator is confronted with their crime. My identity is not to be found in a Social Security or driver’s license number. I identify with all those who are attempting to arrive at a destination unknown. With them, I want all the trinkets and all the toys along the journey. To enhance my personality and identity, I will pierce and tattoo my skin. I will color and shape my hair. I will decorate my house and car to reflect my identity as I have come to see it in my mind. I am all about surface and cosmetics because I live by what can I see. I am highly influenced by those in the world who have "arrived" and "succeeded". This arrival and success is defined by individuals who stand to profit from all the purchases I will make in order to fulfill my powerful ambition of becoming someone of significance. I will compare myself with any and all who may well become my competition. I will join a gang or a club that purposes itself in propping me up and publishing me as a person of value and worth. What I am to eventually learn (or maybe not) is that these players around me that I have come to idolize are they themselves self-destructing from within. They do not want me to see it in them any more than I want to confess my own emptiness in vain pursuit to them. So I plod along and hope to be discovered by the rich and famous, who in actuality are likely very poor and fading. We are all clamoring for the same attention as those who have been caught up in the identity maze. Like so many men, I make my identity in what I do, not who I really am. Our hope for true identity lies in a new birth through Jesus Christ. In Christ, the world has thus lost its authority to define my existence. “Because of his cross, the world is dead as far as I am concerned, and I am dead as far as the world is concerned.” (Galatians 6:14) Now, in Christ, I am at least two things: 1-A CHILD "Humans give life to their children. Yet only God's Spirit can change you (identity) into a child of God." (John 3:6) 2-A SAINT Though I will remain sinful until my physical death, I am no longer a Sinner (noun). "I'm just a sinner saved by grace" is NOT our identity in Christ. "To the church of God which is at Corinth, to those who have been sanctified in Christ Jesus, [b]saints by calling, with all who in every place call on the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, their Lord and ours:" (I Corinthians 1:2) We are Saints by calling. We err greatly when we make our identity about what we do and how we act. God identifies us by what He has made of us and what He calls us.
As Christians, I believe our first priority in the way we live should be to please Him. How do we do that? He tells us. "Love the Lord your God with all your heart, mind, soul and strength." Remember, God is our heavenly Father. How would you live if you had an earthly father that you loved more than anything else. You would try to please Him and make him proud of you, would you not? How much more then should you love God. If you love God, how then would you make Him proud of you? He tells us that too. "Then love you neighbor as yourself." Remember, we are not doing these things to be Saved. We are already Saved. We do these things to please Him.
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