Ephesians 1:3-5 All praise to God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly realms because we are united with Christ. Even before he made the world, God loved us and chose us in Christ to be holy and without fault in his eyes. God decided in advance to adopt us into his own family by bringing us to himself through Jesus Christ. This is what he wanted to do, and it gave him great pleasure.
Our True Identity:
Our true identity is not based on what we DO, but on WHOSE we are. I love how this verse points out that God chose us to be a part of His family BEFORE He made the world!!! More than 6,000 years ago you God wrote your name on the list. Before you could do anything or make mistakes, He chose you! The only thing we have to do is accept the invitation to join His family.
Here, let me explain.
In John 3:3-6 it says…
Jesus replied, “I tell you the truth, unless you are born again, you cannot see the Kingdom of God.”
“What do you mean?” exclaimed Nicodemus. “How can an old man go back into his mother’s womb and be born again?”
Jesus replied, “I assure you, no one can enter the Kingdom of God without being born of water and the Spirit. Humans can reproduce only human life, but the Holy Spirit gives birth to spiritual life.”
The word “born again” in the Greek means God’s divine nature is imparted into the believer. How wonderful is this!!! When you get saved, God’s genes are automatically imparted into you. These genes determine your identity! The only thing you have to do is to choose to accept this gift! (See Romans 10:9-10)
When you are a part of a family, you have the same genes as your parents and you pass on those genes to your children. Eye color, hair, and even character traits pass from generation to generation. While each person in the family pulls from the same gene pool, each gene can be expressed differently. For example my mother-in-law, husband and two of our kids have brown eyes. My blue eyed gene was is traced back two generations to my grandfathers. (I am hoping this gene will express itself in a grandkid or two!) Nathan’s people-pleasing character trait is more dominant in two of our kids. My stubborn, get-things-done-my-way, trait is more dominant in the other two.
When we choose Jesus as our Lord and Savior, we desire to become more like Christ. We desire to express His genes more than our own. Sometimes we fall into the trap of thinking “If I just work harder then I will become more like Christ.” Unfortunately, guilt and shame often discourage us in the process. They make us think that we can never become as “Christ-like” as we would like. Then we either give up or keep stumbling along the path. But I have good news for you! The goal isn’t about trying harder; it’s actually about remembering Whose you are.
So what do we do?
Remember the moment you get saved Jesus’ genes are imparted into you. You already have them. They are there but that doesn’t mean we will automatically act perfectly. I know, what a bummer!! Am I the only one who wishes this is how it worked?
The first step to becoming more like Christ is to be with Christ. The more we spend time with God the more we learn about Him and who He is. We learn about His character traits. The way He talks and responds the others. We learn how He acts and thinks. The word “Spirit” in John 3:6 is the part of us that perceives, reflects, feels, and desires. It is our inward person that reflects our true identity. It is this part of us that we want to come out to reveal who we are becoming.
The second crucial step is we have to retrain our minds. We have to believe Christ’s genes or traits are already inside ourselves. We have to believe that what God says about us has the final say. It takes practice and purpose but it can happen! When we mess up, and we all will, we need to claim this truth over our lives. Ask God to forgive us of our sins. Then ask the Holy Spirit to lead and guide us the next time the situation presents itself again.
Hold On To the Truth!
2 Corinthians 5:17.
“Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come; The old has gone, the new is here.”
So instead of working to gain our identity, let’s work from our identity! I am God’s chosen son and daughter and I have His genes already inside of me!
1 John 3:1 “See how very much my Father God loves me, for He calls me His child and that is what I am.”
Apply It
Everything we do at Our Purposeful Life begins with this foundation: Our Identity is in Him. It is hard to give our kids something that we don’t have, so instead of trying to become a better parent, spend a little time today reflecting on these truths. Re-read this post, flip open your Bible to these verses, write out a prayer to God, and ask Him a simple question: “What do You think about me, Father?”
