Identity word became the most important and discussed idea in our society. It is discussed mostly because it stands for who we are. People have different opinions on the word identity, some say that they are born with it; other says the identity has to be molded throughout lifetime. An identity is something which makes a person that he is. If anyone describes you to someone else that means they are describing your identity. There are many different factors which will identify you from everyone else’s. A person’s identity is shaped by his/her family, culture, friends, personal interests and surrounding environments. These all factors help a person to shape his/her identity.
According to the Word of God, we are identified in Christ. When we understand this great privilege and identify ourselves with Christ, it will change the way we live and cause us to rise above our adversity. We are not identified in terms of who we are in and ourselves but we are identified because of what God has done for us. We are identified in Christ and God made us who we are so we could make known who He is to the world. Our identity is for the sake of making known His identity.
Thus, when it comes to our identity we must understand that our identity is a gift of grace in Christ. When we have accepted Him as our personal savior and Lord that very moment He has given us a new identity as a child of the living God and as a man who has been forgiven. John 1:12 says, ‘Yet to all who received him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God.’ It means to be a Christian is to receive a new identity in Jesus Christ. Knowing the identity and understanding the identity practically will change the way we live and think about ourselves.
When our identity is in Christ, we will not be crushed by the failures, weaknesses and disappointments or tragedies of this world but overcome them in the name of Jesus. We will stop seeking the attractive things of this world and start thinking about eternal things which are stable. We even will have hope in a hopeless world because Christ has already paid the price for us and bought us to be with Him. In Him we have everything and His joy becomes our joy; His love, our love; His peace, our peace and His strength is our strength.
Our identity in Christ is not based on our background, body type and status. We need to know that God has already identified us in His perfect Son, Jesus Christ. Galatians 2:20 says, ‘I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. This life I now live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself for me.’ ‘You are a new creation in Him; the old has passed and the new has come (2 Corinthians 5:17). Once we become a new creation in Christ then everything changes and we will be given a new name. Our past identity changes because we have been rescued and redeemed from sin and darkness and have welcomed into His kingdom. 1 Peter 2:9 says, ‘But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, God’s special possession, that you may declare the praises of Him who called you out of darkness into His wonderful light’. Not only that but we see in Zephaniah 3:17,’ You are a masterpiece of God, chosen and made by His hands. Hear the Lord singing over you, rejoicing in your new identity in Christ, embracing that you are His child, and expressing how He loves you more than you can imagine.
We find many more scriptures in the Bible which reveals us of who we are in Christ and tells us about the love God has for us. We are the children of eternal God and when we see ourselves as Christ sees us then others may begin to see us that same way. If we are confident in our identity in Him, then our actions, speech and life will express God’s love to others. Through this, we may find opportunities to share the gospel and glorify God’s name.
Praise God for His unconditional love towards us and He loves us so much to take our broken, rebellious hearts and gave His Son as a sacrifice to offer us a new identity in Christ.
