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Your Identity In Christ
What is your true identity in Christ? Why is it important? Think about it this way: if every silent thought that you ever had was written in a dairy, and it got lost, how much would you pay to get it back? Almost anything? Me, too. We would pay almost any price to deny and cover our hidden selves.
It’s All About Me
Intellectually, we know that we wear the very righteousness of Christ, yet our lives and thoughts often center around achieving our own. We want to be the smartest, the best, the first, or even the worst. We want to measure up and that false need drives us to think and to do some very unattractive things. All of a sudden, everything is only seen in its relationship to me.
“How do I look?” “How did I do?” “Did she notice me?” “Did he compliment me for my efforts?” “Oh, that happened to you? You should hear what happened to me.” Me, me, me.
At times, we experience a taste of life’s successes, getting the approval, recognition, and position that we so desperately crave. But the pleasure is fleeting and the thrill is soon gone. Like an addict with his drugs, pleasure, approval, reputation, power and more are deep spiritual addictions and only leave us going back for more and more. We easily live as if Christ’s righteousness weren’t enough, and we had to earn some of our own.
I Am Beautiful to God
How can God’s good news for us move from our heads to our hearts and our lives? Paul tells us how in Romans 1:17. …he who is righteous by faith shall live(MSG).
God has forgiven me, accepted me, and given me Christ’s perfect record. I am beautiful to Him. And all these truths are appropriated by faith.
The Role of Faith
By faith, I choose to live without false guilt. By faith, I loose myself from the ball and chain of living to please other people. By faith, I stop walking through each day acting as if my behavior, my performance, and the number of checks on my to-do list define me.
By faith, I revel in the fact that I am fully loved and no one can take that away.
Believing God has given me Christ’s righteousness frees me to interact with others and to serve them without the manipulative need to make sure they noticed, they complimented, and they gave me credit.
I have a new identity in Christ. It is only by faith that I can live that out in freedom each day.
Listen to Audio “Your Identity In Christ” & Learn:
The things you think, what you do, how you live – these are the true indicators of what you believe. So often we live as if we had to earn our standing with God and the approval of others, but in reality, in Christ it is already done.
- Rid yourself of false guilt
- Shake off the weight of living to please others
- Daily experience God’s abundant and energizing life
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