This week's thought has to do with who we are in Christ. It underscores our true identity in Christ Jesus and can help us when we "feel" otherwise. We often have a heavy (even sad) sense of who we feel we are, or how we "think" God must view us, so it's good every so often to be reminded what God says about us, and how He views us in Jesus.
The list below itemizes in "first-person
language" who you really are and what you enjoy in Christ. You can’t
earn these qualities. They are a gift of God's grace to you as His
blood-purchased and Spirit-born child. These traits are yours simply because
you were born again into life with Christ. There is nothing you can do to
make these characteristics more true of you, though you can make them more
meaningful and productive in your life by simply choosing to believe they are
true of you (After all, to believe them is to believe the Gospel).
One of the best ways to grow and mature as a
believer is to continually remind yourself who you are in Christ and what
things are yours by virtue of being His child. The more you understand
and affirm who you are in Christ, the more your life and behavior will reflect
the reality of your true identity in Him. So, believer, take a moment to
see if how you view you lines up with how God views you! Enjoy!
I am a child of God (John 1:12).
I am a branch of the true Vine through whom the life of Jesus
flows (John 15:1, 5).
I am
a friend of Jesus (John 15:15).
I am
justified (pardoned and counted totally righteous in God sight) because of
Christ (Romans 3:24)
I am
no longer a slave to sin, God has broken it's dominion or oppressive rule over
my life (Romans 6:6, Galatians 5:1).
I am free from any and all divine condemnation (Romans 8:1).
I am a fellow heir with Christ, loved as fully by God as Jesus
Himself (Romans 8:17).
I am entirely accepted and acceptable in God’s sight because of
all Jesus did for me (Romans 15:7, Ephesians 1:6).
I am a saint, washed and set apart for God (1 Corinthians 1:2, Ephesians
1:1, Philippians 1:1, and Colossians 1:2.)
I am
righteous, sanctified and redeemed, because Christ Himself has become for me my
righteousness, sanctification, and redemption (1 Corinthians 1:30).
I am a temple of the Holy Spirit who has come to dwell in me (1
Corinthians 6:19).
I am joined to the Lord Jesus and one with Him in spirit (1
Corinthians 6:17).
I am a new creature in Christ (2 Corinthians 5:17).
I am the righteousness of God in Christ (2 Corinthians 5:21).
I am one with all who are in Christ Jesus (Galatians 3:28).
I am no longer a slave, but a child and an heir who's soul cries
out, "Abba, Father" (Galatians 4:6-7).
I am blessed with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly
realms (Ephesians 1:3)
I am one chosen before the creation of the world to be holy, and
blameless before God (Ephesians 1:4).
I am redeemed and forgiven for all my sins by the grace of Jesus
(Ephesians 1:7, Colossians 2:13).
I am one who God predestined in love to be a grace-adopted child
in His family (Ephesians 1:11).
I am sealed with the Holy Spirit of promise unto the day of
redemption (Ephesians 1:13).
I am alive with Christ (Ephesians 2:4-5, Colossians 2:13).
I am God’s workmanship created in Christ Jesus to do good works (Ephesians
2:10).
I am a member of Christ’s body and a partaker of His promise of
love, care, provision and salvation (Ephesians 3:6, Ephesians 5:30.)
I am a citizen of heaven (Philippians 3:20).
I am complete in Christ (Colossians 2:10).
I am chosen of God, holy and dearly beloved (Colossians 3:12, 1
Thessalonians 1:4).
Should you struggle to accept these things are
true of you, pause and remember: These are not earned rights, privileges, or
positions, they are yours as a gracious and free gift through Jesus. Read
and re-read them if you must, and if you struggle, pray that God might so
impress and imprint them upon your soul that they become a given and accepted
part of your self-awareness and identity in Jesus.
Living in the Grace of Jesus, Pastor Jeff
