People are struggling with their identities. With constant comparison to others on social media, ungodly life-styles normalized through TV, and pressure from the culture to explore alternative gender identities, many people do not understand who they are.
We need to discover who we are in Christ in this age of identity crisis. The apostle Paul spoke of the Christian’s identity in 2 Corinthians 5:17, “Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come.” This one verse reveals seven keys that can help the Christian find their identity rooted in the right place — Christ.
1. Remember the love of Christ (“Therefore”)
“Therefore” calls the reader’s attention back to the preceding verses. Specifically, 2 Corinthians 5:14 says, “For the love of Christ controls us, because we have concluded this: that one has died for all …” Je-sus’ love is the “therefore” behind our new identity as Christians. Who we are has changed because Jesus loved us and died for our sins.
2. Recognize that you are included (“if anyone”)
“If anyone” in 2 Corinthians 5:17 shows us that everyone is invited to become a new creation. By impli-cation, “anyone” must include you. You are loved by Jesus and invited to become a new creation by trusting in him as your Lord!
3. Reflect on your union with Christ (“is in Christ”)
According to Romans 6:3-4, there is a spiritual sense in which Christians were with Jesus when he died, was buried, and was raised from the dead. Now it is “Christ who lives in [you]” according to Galatians 2:20. If you are in Christ, Jesus is now living in you and directing your life.
4. Rest in the assurance of your salvation (“he is”)
To be in Christ is to instantly be a child of God and to possess a salvation that cannot be lost. Paul speaks plainly that if a person is in Christ, “he is” a new creation. He does not say “may be,” “can be,” or even “will be” a new creation, but he is.
5. Realize God recreated you (“a new creation”)
Psalm 139:13 reveals that God “knit” you together in your mother’s womb, creating you at the beginning of your life. When you trusted in Christ, the same God recreated you, making you an entirely new creature in Christ.
6. Renounce your old ways (“The old has passed away”)
Paul says that “the old has passed away.” In other words, your old life is now dead — you were crucified with Christ and buried with him. While your old life died with Jesus at the cross, you may still struggle with old habits, practices, and sins. However, through the Holy Spirit, you can deny your old self and renounce old ways.
7. Receive your new nature (“behold, the new has come”)
Becoming a new creation in Christ means you are also given a new nature. You are not only empowered to put your old ways to rest, but also to live a totally new life and lifestyle. With Jesus calling the shots in your life, you now can think, speak, behave, love, and serve in a whole new way under his leadership and lordship.
Christians who want a closer relationship with God must understand their true identity. More than any self-help or self-improvement strategy, Christians need a belief that God has radically changed their identities in Christ. Reflecting on the fact, Christians can find peace, comfort, and a changed life as a result. B&R