Message 3: Identity in Christ
MESSAGE THREE:
Because we are people of faith – we are different. We are to not only live differently, but we are to SEE OURSELVES differently.
The second word that God gave me: “IDENTITY” – follows our coming to faith. It is from the gift of faith that we discover our true IDENTITY as God’s holy and beloved children!
Human identity is formed when we are very young – and what we eventually come to believe about ourselves is largely determined by how we are treated by our PARENTS.
- If we are loved and treasured – we believe we are lovable and valuable.
- If we are neglected, ignored or even worse – we believe that we are worthless.
Many of you have extremely deep wounds about your identity. You were hurt at the level of your soul at a very early age – the people who were given the responsibility to love you, nurture you and care for you blew it.
But – I am here today – serving as God’s voice – to bring a message that can transform your life with GOOD NEWS!
I want you to turn to the Old Testament book called “Song of Songs” – or in some versions it is called: “Song of Solomon”
Song of Songs 6:3
Song of Songs uses the love that exists between a Groom and His Bride to illustrate and open us up to the love relationship that Christ and the Bride of Christ – the Church – are to experience.
It’s a surprising book – filled with amazing sexual imagery, lovemaking, passion, desire and consummation of the love that God creates between a husband and a wife. If you think that God is a prude – you’ve never read this book.
In the sixth chapter there is an amazing scripture that speaks directly to the issue of a wonderful sense of IDENTITY that is ours because of faith!
“I am my lover’s and my lover is mine...” Song of Solomon 6:3, NIV.
The King James Version puts it this way:
“I am my beloved’s, and my beloved is mine...” Song of Solomon 6:3, KJV.
And the New Century Version says it this way:
“I belong to my lover, and my lover belongs to me...” Song of Solomon 6:3 NCV
Do you see the beauty that exists between two lovers? Between a husband and a wife?
When God brought Eve to Adam – Adam said…
“The man said, “This is now bone of my bones and flesh of my flesh; she shall be called ‘woman’, for she was taken out of man.” For this reason a man will leave his father and mother and be united to his wife, and they will become one flesh.” Genesis 2:23, 24, NIV.
- The two have become one.
- Belonging.
- Family.
- Purpose.
- IDENTITY.
And they go along in life – TOGETHER. ONE.
But this human relationship is but a picture of what God wants for you to experience in your life with Him.
He desires to give you an unshakable identity in which you can depend all of the days of your life.
“I am my beloved’s, and He is mine.”
When you came to Christ – He did something for you miraculous: He made you a new person! He created a NEW IDENTITY for you! It’s sort of like the witness protection program! He moves you into a new land – the kingdom of God – gives you a new name: “MY child” – gives you a new source of living – “the Holy Spirit” and says: “Live abundantly!”
Listen to the possibilities of what God says about you:
“Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has gone, the new has come!” 2 Corinthians 5:17, NIV.
“But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people belonging to God, that you may declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light.” 1 Peter 2:9, NIV.
“For you were once darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Live as children of light” Ephesians 5:8, NIV.
“I will not leave you as orphans; I will come to you.” John 14:18, NIV.
“So now you are no longer strangers and foreigners. You are citizens along with all of God's holy people. You are members of God's family.” Ephesians 2:19 NLT
And listen to this one:
“Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in the heavenly realms with every spiritual blessing in Christ. For he chose us in him before the creation of the world to be holy and blameless in his sight. In love he predestined us to be adopted as his sons through Jesus Christ, in accordance with his pleasure and will-- to the praise of his glorious grace, which he has freely given us in the One he loves.” Ephesians 1:3-6, NIV.
You belong to Him. And that is something that is rock solid. For not only do you belong to Him – He belongs to you.
Now get this: If I belong to God, and He belongs to me – then the Apostle Paul was correct when He wrote the Roman church:
“For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.” Romans 8:38, 39, NIV.
If I belong to God – and He belongs to me – than nothing this world can do to me can separate me from His love!
TYING FAITH TOGETHER WITH IDENTITY:
If this truth of your new identity is going to become PRESENT REALITY in your life – there are steps you must take to tie FAITH to the NEW IDENTITY.
1. Stop banking on your soulish ‘assets’.
As we move towards adulthood, most of us transfer our sense of SELF and IDENTITY from what our parents said about us to what we ARE ABLE TO DO WELL. That’s what I mean by ‘assets’.
You all have ‘assets’ that you lean on in order to feel good about yourself and to define yourself.
Things like your: Personality, education, sense of humor, creativity, financial status, athletic ability, good looks, communication skills, level of success in your chosen career, size of your house, etc.
But – as positive as some of those ‘assets’ might be – ultimately, when you are quiet and still and in that secret place where you don’t let too many people in – you know that these ‘assets’ do not bring the satisfaction you’d hoped they would.
The Apostle Paul had a lot of soulish ‘assets’ – look at Philippians 3:3…
“For it is we who are the circumcision, we who worship by the Spirit of God, who glory in Christ Jesus, and who put no confidence in the flesh-- though I myself have reasons for such confidence. If anyone else thinks he has reasons to put confidence in the flesh, I have more: circumcised on the eighth day, of the people of Israel, of the tribe of Benjamin, a Hebrew of Hebrews; in regard to the law, a Pharisee; as for zeal, persecuting the church; as for legalistic righteousness, faultless. But whatever was to my profit I now consider loss for the sake of Christ. What is more, I consider everything a loss compared to the surpassing greatness of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whose sake I have lost all things. I consider them rubbish, that I may gain Christ and be found in him, not having a righteousness of my own that comes from the law, but that which is through faith in Christ--the righteousness that comes from God and is by faith.” Philippians 3:3-9, NIV.
Paul says – in effect: “Look guys – I’ve got a lot going for me – education, family heritage, personal righteousness, religious stature – and if anyone was going to stand in life based upon his ‘assets’ – baby, it’s me! But – I’ve come to the place in my life where I see that these good things pale by comparision to the truly great thing: I know God! I have a relationship with Christ! I have the Holy Spirit living within! And to me, that’s all that matters!”
He has tasted something far better. And he is learning to no longer build his identity based upon his banked personal assets.
If you are going to move into the new IDENTITY in Christ – you got to stop thinking that your personal assets will bring you meaning. They won’t.
That’s why Jesus said:
“I tell you the truth, anyone who will not receive the kingdom of God like a little child will never enter it.”” Mark 10:15
2. Start seeing yourself as a kid again.
Remember – our identity is formed in the hands of our parents. Well – your Daddy in Heaven wants to reform you to see yourself in a whole new way.
Jesus says: “You want what I’ve got? You want to move into my presence? You desire a spiritual life of reality and power – then let go of your preconceived notions and let me reshape you. Become like a little child – open, willing, receptive!”
When someone has been wounded and hurt – openness doesn’t come easily. Trust betrayed is hard to overcome.
But Jesus will not hurt you.
“I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep.” John 10:11
“I’m here to guide you into the very best – I’ll take you through the valley of the shadow of death and show you real life! I’ll lay down myself so that you are able to stand!” This is the heart of God towards you.
Faith – as a gift from God – comes in and says: “Yes! I’ll follow. Yes! I’ll let you lead. Yes! I’ll trust.”
If you don’t have this faith – ASK – and then do the very next thing God tells you to do.
CONCLUSION:
The new IDENTITY is built by faith in action. Sitting on the sidelines will not result in faith in action. Sitting on the sidelines watching others will not result in your developing a new IDENTITY in Christ! You’ve got to get up and move. As you walk – He provides.
“How great is the love the Father has lavished on us, that we should be called children of God! And that is what we are! The reason the world does not know us is that it did not know him. 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, for we shall see him as he is.” 1 John 3:1, 2, NIV.
Your level of spiritual growth is entirely dependent upon you embracing by faith your new identity as a child of God:
“I am my beloved’s, and He is mine.”
Because we are people of faith – we are different. We are to not only live differently, but we are to SEE OURSELVES differently.
The second word that God gave me: “IDENTITY” – follows our coming to faith. It is from the gift of faith that we discover our true IDENTITY as God’s holy and beloved children!
Human identity is formed when we are very young – and what we eventually come to believe about ourselves is largely determined by how we are treated by our PARENTS.
- If we are loved and treasured – we believe we are lovable and valuable.
- If we are neglected, ignored or even worse – we believe that we are worthless.
Many of you have extremely deep wounds about your identity. You were hurt at the level of your soul at a very early age – the people who were given the responsibility to love you, nurture you and care for you blew it.
But – I am here today – serving as God’s voice – to bring a message that can transform your life with GOOD NEWS!
I want you to turn to the Old Testament book called “Song of Songs” – or in some versions it is called: “Song of Solomon”
Song of Songs 6:3
Song of Songs uses the love that exists between a Groom and His Bride to illustrate and open us up to the love relationship that Christ and the Bride of Christ – the Church – are to experience.
It’s a surprising book – filled with amazing sexual imagery, lovemaking, passion, desire and consummation of the love that God creates between a husband and a wife. If you think that God is a prude – you’ve never read this book.
In the sixth chapter there is an amazing scripture that speaks directly to the issue of a wonderful sense of IDENTITY that is ours because of faith!
“I am my lover’s and my lover is mine...” Song of Solomon 6:3, NIV.
The King James Version puts it this way:
“I am my beloved’s, and my beloved is mine...” Song of Solomon 6:3, KJV.
And the New Century Version says it this way:
“I belong to my lover, and my lover belongs to me...” Song of Solomon 6:3 NCV
Do you see the beauty that exists between two lovers? Between a husband and a wife?
When God brought Eve to Adam – Adam said…
“The man said, “This is now bone of my bones and flesh of my flesh; she shall be called ‘woman’, for she was taken out of man.” For this reason a man will leave his father and mother and be united to his wife, and they will become one flesh.” Genesis 2:23, 24, NIV.
- The two have become one.
- Belonging.
- Family.
- Purpose.
- IDENTITY.
And they go along in life – TOGETHER. ONE.
But this human relationship is but a picture of what God wants for you to experience in your life with Him.
He desires to give you an unshakable identity in which you can depend all of the days of your life.
“I am my beloved’s, and He is mine.”
When you came to Christ – He did something for you miraculous: He made you a new person! He created a NEW IDENTITY for you! It’s sort of like the witness protection program! He moves you into a new land – the kingdom of God – gives you a new name: “MY child” – gives you a new source of living – “the Holy Spirit” and says: “Live abundantly!”
Listen to the possibilities of what God says about you:
“Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has gone, the new has come!” 2 Corinthians 5:17, NIV.
“But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people belonging to God, that you may declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light.” 1 Peter 2:9, NIV.
“For you were once darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Live as children of light” Ephesians 5:8, NIV.
“I will not leave you as orphans; I will come to you.” John 14:18, NIV.
“So now you are no longer strangers and foreigners. You are citizens along with all of God's holy people. You are members of God's family.” Ephesians 2:19 NLT
And listen to this one:
“Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in the heavenly realms with every spiritual blessing in Christ. For he chose us in him before the creation of the world to be holy and blameless in his sight. In love he predestined us to be adopted as his sons through Jesus Christ, in accordance with his pleasure and will-- to the praise of his glorious grace, which he has freely given us in the One he loves.” Ephesians 1:3-6, NIV.
You belong to Him. And that is something that is rock solid. For not only do you belong to Him – He belongs to you.
Now get this: If I belong to God, and He belongs to me – then the Apostle Paul was correct when He wrote the Roman church:
“For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.” Romans 8:38, 39, NIV.
If I belong to God – and He belongs to me – than nothing this world can do to me can separate me from His love!
TYING FAITH TOGETHER WITH IDENTITY:
If this truth of your new identity is going to become PRESENT REALITY in your life – there are steps you must take to tie FAITH to the NEW IDENTITY.
1. Stop banking on your soulish ‘assets’.
As we move towards adulthood, most of us transfer our sense of SELF and IDENTITY from what our parents said about us to what we ARE ABLE TO DO WELL. That’s what I mean by ‘assets’.
You all have ‘assets’ that you lean on in order to feel good about yourself and to define yourself.
Things like your: Personality, education, sense of humor, creativity, financial status, athletic ability, good looks, communication skills, level of success in your chosen career, size of your house, etc.
But – as positive as some of those ‘assets’ might be – ultimately, when you are quiet and still and in that secret place where you don’t let too many people in – you know that these ‘assets’ do not bring the satisfaction you’d hoped they would.
The Apostle Paul had a lot of soulish ‘assets’ – look at Philippians 3:3…
“For it is we who are the circumcision, we who worship by the Spirit of God, who glory in Christ Jesus, and who put no confidence in the flesh-- though I myself have reasons for such confidence. If anyone else thinks he has reasons to put confidence in the flesh, I have more: circumcised on the eighth day, of the people of Israel, of the tribe of Benjamin, a Hebrew of Hebrews; in regard to the law, a Pharisee; as for zeal, persecuting the church; as for legalistic righteousness, faultless. But whatever was to my profit I now consider loss for the sake of Christ. What is more, I consider everything a loss compared to the surpassing greatness of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whose sake I have lost all things. I consider them rubbish, that I may gain Christ and be found in him, not having a righteousness of my own that comes from the law, but that which is through faith in Christ--the righteousness that comes from God and is by faith.” Philippians 3:3-9, NIV.
Paul says – in effect: “Look guys – I’ve got a lot going for me – education, family heritage, personal righteousness, religious stature – and if anyone was going to stand in life based upon his ‘assets’ – baby, it’s me! But – I’ve come to the place in my life where I see that these good things pale by comparision to the truly great thing: I know God! I have a relationship with Christ! I have the Holy Spirit living within! And to me, that’s all that matters!”
He has tasted something far better. And he is learning to no longer build his identity based upon his banked personal assets.
If you are going to move into the new IDENTITY in Christ – you got to stop thinking that your personal assets will bring you meaning. They won’t.
That’s why Jesus said:
“I tell you the truth, anyone who will not receive the kingdom of God like a little child will never enter it.”” Mark 10:15
2. Start seeing yourself as a kid again.
Remember – our identity is formed in the hands of our parents. Well – your Daddy in Heaven wants to reform you to see yourself in a whole new way.
Jesus says: “You want what I’ve got? You want to move into my presence? You desire a spiritual life of reality and power – then let go of your preconceived notions and let me reshape you. Become like a little child – open, willing, receptive!”
When someone has been wounded and hurt – openness doesn’t come easily. Trust betrayed is hard to overcome.
But Jesus will not hurt you.
“I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep.” John 10:11
“I’m here to guide you into the very best – I’ll take you through the valley of the shadow of death and show you real life! I’ll lay down myself so that you are able to stand!” This is the heart of God towards you.
Faith – as a gift from God – comes in and says: “Yes! I’ll follow. Yes! I’ll let you lead. Yes! I’ll trust.”
If you don’t have this faith – ASK – and then do the very next thing God tells you to do.
CONCLUSION:
The new IDENTITY is built by faith in action. Sitting on the sidelines will not result in faith in action. Sitting on the sidelines watching others will not result in your developing a new IDENTITY in Christ! You’ve got to get up and move. As you walk – He provides.
“How great is the love the Father has lavished on us, that we should be called children of God! And that is what we are! The reason the world does not know us is that it did not know him. 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, for we shall see him as he is.” 1 John 3:1, 2, NIV.
Your level of spiritual growth is entirely dependent upon you embracing by faith your new identity as a child of God:
“I am my beloved’s, and He is mine.”
posted by Doug Love at 10:19 AM
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