The Greatest Day in my life physically was the day I was born. The Greatest Day in my life spiritually was the day I was born again. The Greatest Decision I ever made physically was the day I chose to walk. The Greatest Decision I ever made spiritually was choosing to walk according to the Spirit. The Greatest Discovery I’ve ever made personally was understanding who I am. The Greatest Discovery I’ve ever made spiritually has been understanding who I am in Christ.
This is the fourth sermon in the series of four entitled “Our Identity In Christ” which takes four of the many Scriptural principles underlying the doctrine of our identity in Christ to undergird our belief system and effect behavioral change. What we believe about ourselves has everything to do with how we behave. That’s why the truth of what the Bible says about who we are in Christ is so important. God says about us through His Word that:
1. We are righteous in Christ Ephesians 1:4
Verse 4 records, “According as He hath chosen us in Him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before Him . . .” You see, we were all born with an “in Adam” identity – “Wherefore, as by one man sin entered into the world, and death by sin; and so death passed upon all men. . .” (Romans 5.12). Just like you were in your father, you go all the way back to Adam. Because you were “in Adam,” what happened to Adam, happened to you. So, as the Scripture says, every one of us was “in his loins.” Heb 7:9 -10 expresses this principle in the story of Abraham offering a tithe to Melchizedek. The writer of Hebrews is saying that not only did Abraham offer tithes to Melchizedek, but so did Levi, a descendent of Abraham who was born several hundred years later.
When God took the initiative toward us, the Bible says that we were chosen “in Him,” meaning Jesus. Now to understand that Christ is “in us” is one thing, but to comprehend that we are “in Him” is another. But Paul says here that we were chosen “in Him.” For every reference to the fact that Christ is in us, there are 10 references to the truth that we are “in Christ.” To be in someone is to take on their nature and character, their essence and being. So, Paul says we are holy and blameless. Romans 5:17 says that we have received the “gift of righteousness” – we are as righteous as Christ in our spirit, for He is our life and spirit.
2. We are children of God in Christ Ephesians 1:5
Verse 5 records, “Having predestinated us unto the adoption of children by Jesus Christ to Himself, according to the good pleasure of His will . . .” This indicates we are children of God, unconditionally loved by our heavenly Father. The last phrase of verse 4 leads into verse 5. A part of God’s plan and purpose is to make each one of us a child of God. He marked it out ahead of time. You see, we’re not “sinners saved by grace” we’re saints, children of God, born of God, partakers of His divine nature. As the apostle John wrote in 1 John 3.2, “Dear friends, NOW we are children of God, and what we will be has not yet been made known. But we know that when He appears we shall be like Him...” You see, Christ is our life – as Paul said in Colossians 3.3-4, “For you have died and your life is now hidden with Christ in God. When Christ who is your life, appears then you also will appear with Him in glory.” Christ is your life, you are a child of God and as a child of God you are unconditionally loved as a part of your new identity.
3. We are accepted in Christ Ephesians 1:6
Verse 6 records, “To the praise of the glory of His grace, wherein He hath made us accepted in the Beloved . . .” In Christ God has accepted us and made us acceptable. He actually likes you, looks at you in a totally different light and finds you absolutely acceptable in His sight. That sentence is simple to say, but it has ramifications that we will spend a lifetime learning to understand, working out and believing deeply enough to affect godly behavior. But, only through discovering and resting in your identity as it’s taught in the Word of God can you become free from the false identities that this world’s system is always trying to put on you. The world is continually trying to get you to accept an identity based on your appearance, your abilities, your family or based on your acceptance of others – anything except what God says your identity is to be based upon. To be loved and accepted is one of the very basic God-given needs that each one of us has. And as a result of our new identity these basic human needs have been met and can continue to be met through trusting in Christ – “But my God shall supply all your need according to His riches in glory by Christ Jesus (Philippians 4:19). That leaves out no need whatsoever! The final Scriptural truth I mention today concerning our identity in Christ is:
4. We have all our sins forgiven in Christ Ephesians 1:7
There’s one other thing about identity that this passage records in verse 7, “In Whom also we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of His grace . . .” All your sins are forgiven – past, present and future. How many of your sins did Christ die for when he died on the cross 2,000 years ago? ALL of them. From God’s perspective He has forgiven all your sins. Colossians 2.13 indicates, “And when you were dead in your sins and in the uncircumcision of your flesh, God made you alive in Christ. He forgave us ALL our sins . . .” 1 John 1.7 also says, “If we walk in the light as He is in the light we have fellowship with one another and the blood of Jesus cleanses us from ALL sin.” How many of your sins were future when Jesus died on the cross? ALL of them. Now, what about when we sin? 1 John 2:1-2 says, “My dear children, I write this to you so that you will not sin. But if anybody does sin, we have one who speaks to the Father in our defense – Jesus Christ, the Righteous One. HE is the atoning sacrifice for our sins . . .” Because of our new identity, “we can NOT sin. I didn’t say, “we CANNOT sin.” But, we can choose NOT to sin. However, the second half of that verse says, “But if anybody does sin, we have one who speaks to the Father in our defense – Jesus Christ the Righteous One.” And it is because of what He has done and who He is in us that everything has been provided for the forgiveness of ALL your sin through the blood of Jesus Christ and the life of Jesus Christ inside you. Romans 5:10 summarizes the whole truth, “For if when we were enemies, we were reconciled to God by the death of His Son, much more, being reconciled, we shall be saved by His life.” This He does every day Jesus lives inside of your life and mine! Praise God for His glorious grace and this truth of our identity in Christ!
