Who we are in Christ. That is a question many of us ask ourselves and if we remember this, we would not have the fear, doubt, shame, anxiety or lack of confidence that we often do. We would have the fruit of the Spirit…love, joy, peace…we would remember the hope that is in us. We would be encouraged knowing that we are His children, and we would have boldness to share with others so that they can have what we have. God gave us a gift, not only in the life to come but in the life we have now.
1 John 3:1-3
Behold what manner of love the Father has bestowed on us, that we should be called children of God! Therefore the world does not know us, because it did not know Him. Beloved, now we are children of God; and it has not yet been revealed what we shall be, but we know that when He is revealed, we shall be like Him, for we shall see Him as He is. And everyone who has this hope in Him purifies himself, just as He is pure.
What an encouragement knowing that we who trust in Christ are considered sons and daughters by God! And as children of God, we have an inheritance far greater than we could imagine. We have that hope. Not hope as the world sees it, but hope in that we have assurance of eternal life with Him.
1 John 2:28-29
And now, little children, abide in Him, that when He appears, we may have confidence and not be ashamed before Him at His coming. If you know that He is righteous, you know that everyone who practices righteousness is born of Him.
As children of God, we have that confidence. Nothing we do can earn it or lose it. It is all Him. We are declared righteous by God because of what Christ did on the cross. He took our sins away and paid for them.
Romans 5:1-11
Therefore, having been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom also we have access by faith into this grace in which we stand, and rejoice in hope of the glory of God. And not only that, but we also glory in tribulations, knowing that tribulation produces perseverance; and perseverance, character; and character, hope. Now hope does not disappoint, because the love of God has been poured out in our hearts by the Holy Spirit who was given to us. For when we were still without strength, in due time Christ died for the ungodly. For scarcely for a righteous man will one die; yet perhaps for a good man someone would even dare to die.
But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us. Much more then, having now been justified by His blood, we shall be saved from wrath through Him. For if when we were enemies we were reconciled to God through the death of His Son, much more, having been reconciled, we shall be saved by His life. And not only that, but we also rejoice in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have now received the reconciliation.
Who are we in Christ? Because of His death and resurrection, paying for the wages of our sin, we have been justified, we have been declared righteous by God. We are saved. We are loved by God. We are victorious over death and sin.
Romans 8:37-39
Yet in all these things we are more than conquerors through Him who loved us. For I am persuaded that neither death nor life, nor angels nor principalities nor powers, nor things present nor things to come, nor height nor depth, nor any other created thing, shall be able to separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.
How’s that for encouragement? We are conquerors! And nothing can separate us from God’s love. As Jesus said, no one can snatch us out of His hands. That is assurance that will give us boldness before God and to share this good news to others.
2 Corinthians 5:17-21
Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new. Now all things are of God, who has reconciled us to Himself through Jesus Christ, and has given us the ministry of reconciliation, that is, that God was in Christ reconciling the world to Himself, not imputing their trespasses to them, and has committed to us the word of reconciliation. Now then, we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God were pleading through us: we implore you on Christ’s behalf, be reconciled to God. For He made Him who knew no sin to be sin for us, that we might become the righteousness of God in Him.
As a believer, the moment we decided to follow Christ, we have newness of life. We are a new creation. We have been changed. If there was no change, you need to come to Him and have faith in Jesus Christ. Accept that free gift of grace. Nothing we can do can earn it. Believe that He has saved you from your sins. Then you will be saved and the Spirit will come live in you and change you. You are reconciled to God and have been called to spread the word. Through Christ, we are the righteousness of God. We are His ambassadors on this earth. And one day we will be with Him.
Ephesians 2:1-10
And you He made alive, who were dead in trespasses and sins, in which you once walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit who now works in the sons of disobedience, among whom also we all once conducted ourselves in the lusts of our flesh, fulfilling the desires of the flesh and of the mind, and were by nature children of wrath, just as the others. But God, who is rich in mercy, because of His great love with which He loved us, even when we were dead in trespasses, made us alive together with Christ (by grace you have been saved), and raised us up together, and made us sit together in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus, that in the ages to come He might show the exceeding riches of His grace in His kindness toward us in Christ Jesus.
For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, not of works, lest anyone should boast. For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them.
We have newness of life in Christ. We are alive! We are His workmanship, His masterpiece, that He loves more than we can imagine. Because of this, our hearts will be filled with joy. Because of His grace, we can look at life differently. The burden of sin and the burden of life in this world has been removed. We have no need to fear but we have that hope that is in us. No matter what life throws at us we can have peace because we are His children. “I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.” (Philippians 4:13)
Romans 8:12-17
Therefore, brethren, we are debtors—not to the flesh, to live according to the flesh. For if you live according to the flesh you will die; but if by the Spirit you put to death the deeds of the body, you will live. For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, these are sons of God. For you did not receive the spirit of bondage again to fear, but you received the Spirit of adoption by whom we cry out, “Abba, Father.” The Spirit Himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God, and if children, then heirs—heirs of God and joint heirs with Christ, if indeed we suffer with Him, that we may also be glorified together.
As mentioned before, we are children of God. We can have an intimate relationship with Him. Abba is a term of endearment or familial intimacy, kind of like “daddy.” Paul says we our God’s children and heirs. It is like we are in His will! One day we will have glorified bodies in heaven. We will be in His presence. Jesus says in Revelation that when He returns, He will bring rewards to us. I imagine they will be the crowns mentioned throughout the New Testament (see What Crown will We Receive?) to lay at His feet to show Him honor. Maybe that is the part of being debtors, in addition to being His hands and feet, showing kindness and His love and grace to others.
John 15:5-17
“I am the vine, you are the branches. He who abides in Me, and I in him, bears much fruit; for without Me you can do nothing. If anyone does not abide in Me, he is cast out as a branch and is withered; and they gather them and throw them into the fire, and they are burned. If you abide in Me, and My words abide in you, you will ask what you desire, and it shall be done for you. By this My Father is glorified, that you bear much fruit; so you will be My disciples.
“As the Father loved Me, I also have loved you; abide in My love. If you keep My commandments, you will abide in My love, just as I have kept My Father’s commandments and abide in His love.
“These things I have spoken to you, that My joy may remain in you, and that your joy may be full. This is My commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you. Greater love has no one than this, than to lay down one’s life for his friends. You are My friends if you do whatever I command you. No longer do I call you servants, for a servant does not know what his master is doing; but I have called you friends, for all things that I heard from My Father I have made known to you. You did not choose Me, but I chose you and appointed you that you should go and bear fruit, and that your fruit should remain, that whatever you ask the Father in My name He may give you. These things I command you, that you love one another.“
As Jesus was speaking to His disciples, He speaks to us. His commandment is to us is to love one another and to abide in Him. Often the Bible talks about us, the church, being the body of Christ. We need to surround ourselves with our brothers and sisters and love each other. Help each other. Encourage one another. As a family should. Jesus says we are the branches. We are nurtured by Him. As we are nurtured by Christ, we are to bear fruit. We are to share His love with others. Allow the Holy Spirit to work in your life as you encounter others. Jesus says that as we abide in Him, we will have joy and we will have it abundantly. And as we abide in Him, He calls us friends. We are His family and His friends. As one of my friends used to pray, “Thank you God for friends that are family and family that are friends.”
1 John 3:23-24
And this is His commandment: that we should believe on the name of His Son Jesus Christ and love one another, as He gave us commandment. Now he who keeps His commandments abides in Him, and He in him. And by this we know that He abides in us, by the Spirit whom He has given us.
Jesus has given us the Spirit who lives in all who believe. This is who we are in Christ. We are His temple where the Holy Spirit dwells. We are His children. We have confidence in Him. We are justified and declared righteous. We are loved by God. We are forgiven. We are conquerors. Death and sin has no power over us. We have overcome the world. We are a new creation. We are saved by His grace and reconciled by God. We are His ambassadors. We are alive. We abide in Him to bear fruit. We are a part of God’s family and we are the church. We are His friends. We are filled with joy. We have hope. We have security. How can we not be when we realize who we are in Christ?
My Daily Scriptures 