Identity: Who Are You And Why Are You Who You Are?

New Creations - Our identity in Christ

1. Why are you who you are? Why are you different than so many others?

a. What goes through your mind when you listen to the news stories, see the moral depravity so prevalent around you?

b. Stalin (killed 20 million), Ted Bundy (confessed to killing over 30 innocent women), Ahmadinejad (loosest canon with potential to kill millions in the most dangerous area on the planet), Osama Bin Laden (Father of modern Islamic terrorism), Enron (corporate deception cost retirement accounts $60 Billion, and cost 5,600 people their jobs), Kim Jong Il (nuclear powered dictator inspiring fear worldwide), Hitler (Killed 6 million in the holocaust), John Couey (convicted sex offender who kidnapped, raped and killed 9 year old Jessica Lunsford).

c. Rom.7:18 - “I know that nothing good dwells in me.”

2. Who would you be if you hadn’t received the blessings God has blessed you with?

i. These resources are God’s blessing to you - use them for Him.

3. Who would you be if God had not saved you from what might have been?

a. Family History of drug and alcohol abuse, physical, emotional or verbal abuse, sexual sin or other generational sins and the issues related to them (ex. Violent crime is related to substance abuse).

b. Sexual addictions passed on through families.

i. Note: If you did grow up in these types of settings: 1) You need to forgive and experience healing and 2) these generational sins can end with you.

4. Who would you be if God had not saved you from what you were - both natural weaknesses and sinful tendencies)?

a. Repeating mistakes can be a life trap -

i. If you’ve gotten out - thank God for 2nd, 3rd and 57th chances.

ii. If you haven’t - there is hope.

5. Take all that multiply it by time and it just gets worse.

a. Again Rom.7:18 - “I know that nothing good dwells in me.”

6. 1 Cor. 6:11 - And such were some of you. But you were washed, but you were sanctified, but you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus and by the Spirit of our God.

a. He’s taken what was broken and made it whole.

b. If you haven’t experienced that yet...tonight you can.

7. Identity notes condensed.

a. 3 Part beings - You are a spirit, you have a soul and you live in a body:

i. 1 Thes.5:23 - May God himself, the God of peace, sanctify you through and through. May your whole spirit, soul and body be kept blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.

ii. Heb.4:12 - “The word of God is living and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart.”

b. Body (Gk: soma, Heb: basar): The material part of you, your flesh and bones.

i. The Body is nothing more than your physical body. It is not the real you. Someday it will die and – you’ll get a new one.

1. It will die (you’ll receive a perfect new one – 1Cor.15:44).

2. Your body allows you to be on earth (James 2:26).

3. Your body is not the real you, your body is to be controlled by the real you (1 Cor.9:27).

c. Soul (Gk: psyche, Heb: nepesh): Mind, thought-life, intellect, emotions, self image, feelings, attitudes, appetites, personality, etc.

i. The Soul is the sum of your mind, thought-life, intellect, emotions, feelings, attitudes, appetites, personality, etc.

1. It won’t die, you won’t receive a new one, it must be transformed.

2. Your soul is not the real you, you’re commanded to control it (Luke 21:19, 2Cor.10:5).

d. Spirit (Gk: pneuma, Heb: ruah): The dynamic force, which constitutes a person. It is the higher part of the immaterial being, the real you.

i. The Spirit is the real you.

ii. Your spirit is dead before knowing Jesus (Eph. 2:5 explain), but is made alive when He comes into your life. At that time your Spirit is also made perfect (Heb.12:23 - Spirits of just men made perfect and Heb.10:14 - For by one offering He has perfected forever those who are being sanctified).

iii. Because of Him, you are first and foremost a Christian (Phil. 3:9), chosen by Him (Eph. 1:4), set apart for a purpose (Jer. 29:11, Eph. 2:10), called to be His ambassador (2 Cor. 5:20), His child (Jn. 1:12, Rom. 8:15), a new creation (2 Cor. 5:17), perfect (Heb. 12:23), righteous (Phil. 3:9), holy (1 Cor. 3:17, Eph. 1:4, 1Peter 1:15-16), victorious (Rom. 8:37) and much more.

iv. Christians need to see their identity how God sees it, and live accordingly. Live your new life based on his work at the cross not your shortcomings and inabilities. Remember: You are a spirit, you have a soul and you live in a body. The spirit is the real you (a new creation, perfect, etc.). The body and soul (emotions, desires, appetites, thoughts) must submit to your spirit in line with His Holy Spirit.