Sunbeams Devo - What's Your Identity?

What’s your identity?

When we look at the world around us, we can’t help but notice people searching for their identity. Some look for their identity in wealth. Others hope to find their identity in their gender—or in the gender they would rather have. Others are trying to find their identity in their political party, ethnic background, self-esteem, or good deeds.

Christians face this search for identity just as much as non-Christians, and we often look for it in the same places. Of course, Christians choose to find their identity in other places, too: in the shame of sins and failures, or in the work they do for God. But what does God say about a Christian’s identity?

First, let’s look at what the Christian's identity is NOT:

It’s not found in what you do for God, either before or after salvation: “[God] saved us and called us to a holy calling, not because of our works but because of his own purpose and grace, which he gave us in Christ Jesus….” (2 Tim. 1:9)

It’s not found in your supposed wisdom or strength: “God chose what is foolish in the world to shame the wise; God chose what is weak in the world to shame the strong; God chose what is low and despised in the world, even things that are not, to bring to nothing things that are, so that no human being might boast in the presence of God. And because of him you are in Christ Jesus, who became to us wisdom from God, righteousness and sanctification and redemption, so that, as it is written, 'Let the one who boasts, boast in the Lord.'" (1 Cor. 1:27-31)

It’s not found in your race, gender, or social status: “There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free, there is no male and female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus.” (Gal. 3:28)

It’s not found in your sins or failures, either: “There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus.” (Rom. 8:1)

If our identity isn’t found in our successes or failures, our looks or our friends, our wealth or our good deeds, then where is it found? Did you notice the one phrase that each of those passages had in common?

"In Christ."

In Christ, we are brought into a relationship with God: “But now in Christ Jesus you who once were far off have been brought near by the blood of Christ.” (Eph. 2:13)

In Christ, we are reconciled to God: “…through Christ [God] reconciled us to himself and gave us the ministry of reconciliation.” (2 Cor. 5:18)

In Christ, we are justified: “we know that a person is not justified by works of the law but through faith in Jesus Christ, so we also have believed in Christ Jesus, in order to be justified by faith in Christ and not by works of the law, because by works of the law no one will be justified.” (Gal. 2:16)

In Christ, we are forgiven: “There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus.” (Rom. 8:1)

In Christ, we are being sanctified: “To the church of God that is in Corinth, to those sanctified in Christ Jesus….” (1 Cor. 1:2)

In Christ, we are made new: “Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come.” (2 Cor. 5:17)

In Christ, we are blessed: “Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in Christ with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places.” (Eph. 1:3)

In Christ, we are given abundant grace: “But God, being rich in mercy, because of the great love with which he loved us, even when we were dead in our trespasses, made us alive together with Christ—by grace you have been saved—and raised us up with him and seated us with him in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus, so that in the coming ages he might show the immeasurable riches of his grace in kindness toward us in Christ Jesus.” (Eph. 2:4-7)

In Christ, we are given everything we need: “And my God will supply every need of yours according to his riches in glory in Christ Jesus.” (Phil. 4:19)

In Christ, we don’t need to fear death: “If in Christ we have hope in this life only, we are of all people most to be pitied. But in fact Christ has been raised from the dead, the firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep. For as by a man came death, by a man has come also the resurrection of the dead. For as in Adam all die, so also in Christ shall all be made alive.” (1 Cor. 15:19-22)

Our identity is found "in Christ," with all of the abundant blessings that he pours out on us. With all of the identity confusion in our culture, we mustn’t keep this good news a secret! As Paul wrote to the Corinthians, “Thanks be to God, who in Christ always leads us in triumphal procession, and through us spreads the fragrance of the knowledge of him everywhere.”

Let’s meditate on, and share with others, the fragrant knowledge of Christ.