What does the Bible say about identity in Christ?
Where does your identity lie? It’s so easy to say Christ, but is this actually a reality in your life? I’m not trying to be hard on you.
I’m coming from a place of experience. I’ve said my identity was found in Christ, but due to a change in circumstances I found out that my identity was found in things other than God. Sometimes we will never know until that thing is taken away.
Christian quotes about identity
“True beauty emanates from a woman who boldly and unabashedly knows who she is in Christ.”
“Our identity is not in our joy, and our identity is not in our suffering. Our identity is in Christ, whether we have joy or are suffering.”
“Your circumstances may change but who you truly are remains forever the same. Your identity is eternally secure in Christ.”
“Worth found in human beings is fleeting. Worth found in Christ lasts forever.”
Jesus or broken cisterns
A broken cistern can only hold but so much water. It’s useless. A broken cistern can have the appearance of being full, but inside there are cracks that we don’t see that causes the water to leak. How many broken cisterns do you have in your life? Things that hold no water in your life. Things that give you momentary happiness, but leave you dry in the end. Whenever you have a broken cistern the water will not last.
In the same way whenever your happiness is coming from something that is temporary your happiness will be temporary. As soon as the thing is gone, then so does your joy. Many people find their identity in money. How about when the money is gone? Many people find their identity in relationships. How about when the relationship ends? There are people who put their identity in work, but how about if you lose your job? When the source of your identity is not eternal that will eventually lead to an identity crisis.
1. Jeremiah 2:13 “For My people have committed two evils: They have forsaken Me, The fountain of living waters, To hew for themselves cisterns, Broken cisterns That can hold no water.”
2. Ecclesiastes 1:2 “Meaningless! Meaningless!” says the Teacher. “Utterly meaningless! Everything is meaningless.”
3. 1 John 2:17 “The world and its desires pass away, but whoever does the will of God lives forever.”
4. John 4:13 “Jesus answered and said unto her, Whosoever drinketh of this water shall thirst again.”
When your identity is not found in Christ.
Knowing where your identity lies is serious. When our identity is found in things, there is a chance that we will be hurt or those around us will be hurt. For example, a workaholic can neglect his family and friends because his identity is found in work. The only time that your identity will not harm you is when it is found in Christ. Anything apart from Christ is meaningless and it only leads to destruction.
5. Ecclesiastes 4:8 “This is the case of a man who is all alone, without a child or a brother, yet who works hard to gain as much wealth as he can. But then he asks himself, “Who am I working for? Why am I giving up so much pleasure now?” It is all so meaningless and depressing.”
6. Ecclesiastes 1:8 “All things are wearisome, more than one can describe; the eye is not satisfied with seeing, nor the ear content with hearing.”
7. 1 John 2:16 “For all that is in the world–the desires of the flesh, the desires of the eyes, and the pride of life–is not from the Father but from the world.”
8. Romans 6:21 “Therefore what benefit were you then deriving from the things of which you are now ashamed? For the outcome of those things is death.”
Only Christ can quench our spiritual thirst.
That longing and that desire to be satisfied can only be quenched by Christ. We are so busy looking for our own ways to improve ourselves and satisfy that pain inside, but instead we should be looking to Him. He is the very thing that we need, but He is also the very thing that we so often neglect. We say we trust God and we believe His sovereignty, but is it practical? When you run into trouble what is the first thing that you do? Do you run to things for fulfillment and comfort or do you run to Christ? What does your first response to roadblocks say about how you view God?
I believe most Christians have a low view of God’s sovereignty. It’s evident because we worry and seek comfort in things over praying and seeking comfort in Christ. From experience I know that all my efforts to obtain joy that lasts falls flat on its face. I’m left broken, far more broken than ever before. Is something missing in your life? What you are longing for is Christ. Only Christ can truly satisfy. Run to Him. Get to know who He is and realize the great price that was paid for you.
9. Isaiah 55:1-2 “Come, all you who are thirsty, come to the waters; and you who have no money, come, buy and eat! Come, buy wine and milk without money and without cost. 2 Why spend money on what is not bread, and your labor on what does not satisfy? Listen, listen to me, and eat what is good, and you will delight in the richest of fare.
10. John 7:37-38 “On the last and most important day of the festival, Jesus stood up and cried out, “If anyone is thirsty, he should come to Me and drink! 38 The one who believes in Me, as the Scripture has said, will have streams of living water flow from deep within him.”
11. John 10:10 “The thief approaches with malicious intent, looking to steal, slaughter, and destroy; I came to give life with joy and abundance.”
12. Revelation 7:16-17 “They will never go hungry or be thirsty again, and the sun will not beat down on them, nor any burning heat, 17 because the Lamb in the middle of the throne will shepherd them and lead them to springs of living water, and God will wipe away every tear from their eyes.”
You are known by God
Your identity lies in the fact that you’re loved and you are fully known by God. God knew every sin and every mistake that you would make. You will never be able to surprise Him by anything that you do. That negative voice in our head screams, “you are a failure.”
However, your identity is not found in what you say to yourself or what other people say about you. It is found in Christ alone. Christ took away your shame on the cross. Before the world was created, He looked forward to you delighting and finding your worth in Him.
He desired to take away those feelings of inadequacy. Realize this for a second. You have been chosen by Him. He knew you before birth! On the cross Jesus paid the price for your sins in full. He paid for everything! It doesn’t matter how I see you. It doesn’t matter about how your friends see you. The only thing that matters is how He sees you and that He knows you!
In Christ everything changes. Instead of being lost you are found. Instead of being seen as a sinner before God you are seen as a saint. Instead of being an enemy you are a friend. You are loved, you are redeemed, you have been made new, you are forgiven, and you are a treasure to Him. These are not my words. These are God’s Words. This is who you are in Jesus Christ! These are such beautiful truths that unfortunately we often forget. Being known by God should cause us to constantly look to the One who knows us far better than we know ourselves.
13. 1 Corinthians 8:3 “But whoever loves God is known by God.”
14. Jeremiah 1:5 “Before I formed you in the womb I knew you, before you were born I set you apart; I appointed you as a prophet to the nations.”
15. Ephesians 1:4 “For he chose us in him before the creation of the world to be holy and blameless in his sight. In love he predestined us for adoption to sonship through Jesus Christ, in accordance with his pleasure and will.”
16. John 15:16 “You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you so that you might go and bear fruit—fruit that will last—and so that whatever you ask in my name the Father will give you.”
17. Exodus 33:17 “The LORD said to Moses, “I will also do this thing of which you have spoken; for you have found favor in My sight and I have known you by name.”
18. 2 Timothy 2:19 “Nevertheless, the firm foundation of God stands, having this seal, “The Lord knows those who are His,” and, “Everyone who names the name of the Lord is to abstain from wickedness.”
19. Psalm 139:16 “Your eyes saw my unformed body; all the days ordained for me were written in your book before one of them came to be.”
Christians belong to Christ.
If the Spirit of God dwells in you, then you belong to God. This is awesome because it comes with so many privileges. Your identity now is found in Christ and not yourself. With your identity in Christ you are able to glorify God with your life. You are able to be the light that shines in the darkness. Another privilege of belonging to Christ is that sin will no longer dominate and rule over your life. That does not mean we won’t struggle. However, we will no longer be slaves to sin.
20. 1 Corinthians 15:22-23 “Just as everyone dies because we all belong to Adam, everyone who belongs to Christ will be given new life. 23 But there is an order to this resurrection: Christ was raised as the first of the harvest; then all who belong to Christ will be raised when he comes back.”
21. 1 Corinthians 3:23 “and you belong to Christ, and Christ belongs to God.”
22. Romans 8:7-11 “The mind governed by the flesh is hostile to God; it does not submit to God’s law, nor can it do so. 8 Those who are in the realm of the flesh cannot please God. 9 You, however, are not in the realm of the flesh but are in the realm of the Spirit, if indeed the Spirit of God lives in you. And if anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, they do not belong to Christ. 10 But if Christ is in you, then even though your body is subject to death because of sin, the Spirit gives life because of righteousness. 11 And if the Spirit of him who raised Jesus from the dead is living in you, he who raised Christ from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies because of his Spirit who lives in you.”
23. Corinthians 6:17 “But whoever is united with the Lord is one with him in spirit.”
24. Ephesians 1:18–19 I pray that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened in order that you may know the hope to which he has called you, the riches of his glorious inheritance in his holy people, 19 and his incomparably great power for us who believe. That power is the same as the mighty strength.
25. 1 Corinthians 12:27-28 “Now you are the body of Christ and individually members of it. 28 And God has appointed in the church first apostles, second prophets, third teachers, then miracles, then gifts of healing, helping, administrating, and various kinds of tongues.”
Remaining firm in faith and confident in your identity
When your identity is rooted in Christ shame can never overtake you. There is so much that the Bible says about identity. Realize who you are. You are an ambassador for Christ as 2 Corinthians 5:20 says. 1 Corinthians 6:3 says that you will judge angels. In Ephesians 2:6, we learn that we are seated with Christ in heavenly places. Knowing these awesome truths will change the way that we live our lives and it will also change the way that we respond to different situations.
I had a friend ask me a couple of days ago how I remain firm in my faith and confident in my identity in Christ in today’s brutal society. I quickly responded by saying prayer, renewal of the mind and a couple of other things but that question remained in my mind and on my heart for hours upon hours.
That night I sat up in bed and really analyzed myself and my identity in Christ. Why do so many people around me struggling with confidence? Why do I still have areas in me that limit God?
Reflecting on that question made me realize something: when confronted with a trial or a mountain, who will I say I am?
Be transparent with yourself for a moment. Does your faith sway when you look at your current Goliath? Do you know who you are in Christ?
I decided the next morning, that I’d write down how it is that I remain firm and confident in the identity Christ gave me.
What you believe in your heart, is how you’ll be. “For as he thinks in his heart, so is he.” (Proverbs 23:7)
If you’re enveloped in negativity and pessimism, you’ll walk in just that, unhappiness. Develop a sense of control over your thoughts and learn to identify the devil’s schemes to upset you and trap you in that negative mindset. Decide to walk in happiness and joy today and every day! Make a habit of speaking words of affirmation over your life. Even when trials arise, rely on Jesus and always keep in mind that all things work out for good for those who love Him and are called according to His purpose for Him, (Romans 8:28). I believe that Christ redeemed me and the purpose He instilled in me is far greater than I can ever imagine! Christ is my confidence.
Renewing your mind and examining yourself. “Examine yourselves to see whether you are in the faith; test yourselves…” (2 Corinthians 13:5)
Renewing our mind is something we should all do daily! Each day comes with its own worries so prepare yourself every morning to overcome those obstacles! In addition to renewing your mind, we should all be examining ourselves. A clear indicator is the fruit that you’re bearing. Is it good fruit or bad? In that, ask God to reveal to you what areas we need to surrender or re-surrender.
Prayer. “This is the confidence we have in approaching God: that if we ask anything according to His will, He hears us.” (1 John 5:14)
Communicating with God is so important. Communication is key in every relationship, yes, even with the Lord. Just look at 1 John 5:14 above and look at how that verse ends… “He hears US.” How incredible is it that the God of the universe listens to us! I love that God encourages transparency, He wants to know your thoughts and feelings. Just as a father is open with his children, God cares and comforts. Through prayer, I’ve been able to break down so many walls of insecurities. I encourage you to open up to Him and express yourself the same way you’d express yourself with your best friend.
Write down what/who you are in Christ.
I’ve loved journaling for as long as I can remember. It’s always been easy to develop thoughts, record dreams and look back on achievements. When I first came to Christ, I remember I wrote down my goals and reading them over, I see God’s hand in so many of those goals! In moments of weakness or despair, I read through them and read through the promises that God has given me.
Find security in Jesus
Trust/faith in Him “Those who know your name trust in you, for you, LORD, have never forsaken those who seek you.” (Psalm 9:10)
TRUST! Where does your trust lie? Is your trust in God unconditional or conditional? In today’s society, self-reliance is something major and yeah, it’s easier, but once you realize that what God offers is so much better than what this world offers, your whole perspective changes. There is such security in Him and His promises for our lives. True faith and trust comes from knowing the God you serve.
I may not know the reason as to why each individual is insecure, but I do know that those insecurities are lies from the devil to keep you bound. It’s such a limitation when God made you in His likeness. Galatians 5:22-23 tells us about the fruit of the Spirit being love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control and those are all characteristics we need to possess.
Find security in Jesus. Allow His supernatural love to transform every aspect of your life. Change your reliance from the things of this world to Him.
