Our True Identity

Identity is my genesis, my name, story, connection to life. As a young woman I tried to create my own identity. I loved reinventing myself. Every Saturday morning my mother would take me to the movie theater. I’d come home adopting my favorite actress’s stance or subtle smile. I worked hours on end trying to mimic Twiggy’s pout, overarched eyebrows, and double-thick mascaraed lashes. But I owned this metamorphosis and could cause its demise with the swipe of a Ponds cold cream filled washrag.

Sometimes it’s fun to reinvent yourself, pretend to change your identity. But often the desire to change is due to fear. Fear of not keeping up, not being like others. No one wants to feel different. True identity is fragile, especially if we base it on a cultural worldview rather than God’s Biblical viewpoint.

During our Christmas dilemma of possible identity theft, my husband and I were able to pull back and re-center ourselves. I was so thankful my daughter had asked me to do a Bible Study with her last November that prepared me. Sharing some pivotal comments from the book with my husband allayed his concerns. We all need to understand and know who we are in Christ in order to keep our focus on our true identity.

Identity Theft: Reclaiming The Truth Of Who We Are In Christ

In this book several authors got together to Biblically explore identity in three ways:

·       Identity theft: Expose our false notions of identity

·       Identity truth: Understand the biblical truth of our identity in Christ

·       Identity transformed: Reflect on what it looks like to live in our new (and true) identity

·        

The author’s messages were structured in the above framework, but their use of different scriptures, real-life stories, and commentary highlighted and enlighten the reader on “Who am I in Christ?”

“An author and missionary Elisabeth Elliott expressed, ‘The fact that I am a woman does not make me a different kind of Christian, but the fact that I am a Christian makes me a different kind of woman.’ Our identity in Christ is a fixed anchor guiding us through the changing seasons and circumstances of our lives as women. We’re not primarily defined by our college degree, marital status, the number of children we have, where we live, or the work we do. It’s our identity in Christ that shapes every aspect of our lives. As Paul told the Colossians, ‘He is before all things, and in Him all things hold together’ (Col 1:17. Understanding who we are in Christ impacts every other area of our lives.” (Melissa Kruger, Identity Theft)

“But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy

nation, a people for His own possession, that you may

proclaim the excellencies of Him who called you out of

darkness into His marvelous light. Once you were not

a people, but now you are God’s people; once you had

not received mercy, but now you have received mercy.

(1 Pet 2:9-10)

Remember who you are in Christ. Remember all He has done for you. You are His and He is yours. 

“Who am I that the highest King

Would welcome me

I was lost but He brought me in

Oh His love for me

Oh His love for me”

“Who You Say I Am” Hillsong Worship

Remember you are who Christ says you are.

I am loved. (Jeremiah 31:3)

I am a child of God. (1 John 3:1)

God delights in me. (Zephaniah 3:17)

I am forgiven. (1 Peter 2:24)

I am washed clean. (Isaiah 1:18)

I am free. (Galatians 5:1)

I am a temple of the Holy Spirit (1 Corinthians 6:19)

I am adopted into God’s family. (Romans 8:15)

I am co-heir with Christ (Romans 8:17)

I am righteous. (2 Corinthians 5:21)

I am new. (2 Corinthians 5:17)

I am never alone. (Deuteronomy 31:8)

I am wonderfully made. (Psalm 139:14)

I am whole in Christ. (Colossians 2:10)

A wonderful life-enriching book. I hope you will buy it and enjoy each chapter. It will stretch your understanding of your identity all the way to the Throne Room.

God bless you!

Angela