Our relationship with God and our entire Christian lives is all hinged on what we know and believe about our identity in Christ. If we have a distorted view of who we are it can hinder our ability to approach God in prayer, limit our faith and diminish our spiritual growth. Knowing our identity in Christ is very important and that’s what we are going to talk about today. For the notes and prayer plan for this episode, click here.
We are justified (declared not guilty) – Romans 3:24 (NLT)
Yet God, in his grace, freely makes us right in his sight. He did this through Christ Jesus when he freed us from the penalty for our sins.
When a judge in a court of law declares the defendant not guilty, all the charges are removed from his record. Legally it’s as if the person has never been accused. When God forgives our sins our record is wiped clean.
No condemnation awaits us. – Romans 8:1
So now there is no condemnation for those who belong to Christ Jesus.
Without Jesus we would have no hope at all. But thank God he has declared us not guilty and has offered us freedom from sin and the power to do his will.
We are free from the law of sin and death. – Romans 8:2
And because you belong to him, the power of the life-giving Spirit has freed you from the power of sin that leads to death.
The spirit of life is the Holy Spirit. He was present at the creation of the world and He is the power behind the rebirth of every Christian. He gives us the power to live a successful Christian life.
We are sanctified and made acceptable in Jesus Christ – 1 Corinthians 1:2
I am writing to God’s church in Corinth, to you who have been called by God to be his own holy people. He made you holy by means of Christ Jesus, just as he did for all people everywhere who call on the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, their Lord and ours.
Sanctified means that we are chosen or set apart by Christ for His service. We accept Gods invitation by accepting His son Jesus Christ and by trusting in the work he has done on the cross to forgive our sins.
We are righteous and holy in Christ – 1 Corinthians 1:30
God has united you with Christ Jesus. For our benefit God made him to be wisdom itself. Christ made us right with God; he made us pure and holy, and he freed us from sin.
Our union and identification with Christ results in us being in right standing with God, being holy, and having the penalty for our sins paid by Jesus.
We are new creations – 2 Corinthians 5:17
This means that anyone who belongs to Christ has become a new person. The old life is gone; a new life has begun!
Christians are brand new people on the inside. The Holy Spirit gives us new life. We are re-created living in a vital union with Christ. At conversion we are not simple turning over a new leaf but we are beginning a new life under our Lord Jesus.
We receive God’s Righteousness – 2 Corinthians 5:21
For God made Christ, who never sinned, to be the offering for our sin,[a] so that we could be made right with God through Christ.
When we trust in Christ, we make an exchange (our sins for his righteousness) Our sins was poured into Christ at his crucifixion. His righteousness is poured into us at our conversion.
Remember to download the prayer plan for this episode. Click here to download. Continue to be blessed and fight the good fight of faith!