I have sat in front of my computer screen one too many times over the last 3 weeks, trying to piece together something of worth when talking about finding my identity in Christ. I was overwhelmed by all that I wanted to say, but not knowing how to say it. So first off, please know that I do not want these words to be my own. These words are what God has taught me over the last month or so, so none of this is from me but Him.
So where to start? Well, when listening to The Village Church Podcast a few weeks ago, Matt Chandler spoke some incredible words about who we are in Christ and I wanted to share a few excerpts from that sermon with you:
“Being a Christian is more than just imitation of the life and teaching of Jesus. Being a Christian is the present experience of the Risen Christ indwelling our hearts by the Spirit. Theologians call this ‘Union with Christ’- it is a celebration that we are IN Christ, and it should change everything about how we live and how we see the world around us…being with Christ is a fundamental shift in who we are, in what we can do and can’t do, what we see and can’t see, everything changes in our union with Christ.”
He went on to share some scripture about this idea of being in union with Christ, and 2 Corinthians 5:17 says: ‘Therefore, if anyone is in Christ he is a new creation, the old has passed away and the new has come.’
With this picture of a new creation in mind, we can say that if we are in Christ, the old has passed away and the new has come, or as Chandler says: “it means my old shortcomings and failures fall off, and new abilities are mine because I am in Christ.”
So what does this union with Christ mean for us and our identity in Him? Well it first paints a beautiful picture of why Christ came, giving us hope in Him and our lives with Him. But Matt Chandler did not just stop there in his sermon, he kept going, offering a few ways in how this union with Christ can practically be sought out in our daily walk. And where did it start? In finding our identity in Him.
Finding our identity in Him starts with Christ. Our identity in Christ starts with us seeking out who Christ is, and surrounding ourselves in Him. Who He is should be what we want to dive into, finding who we are in who Christ is. Our identity in Him means finding who we are in the person and story of Christ. This means diving into His word, seeking out those who can mentor and guide you in your walk, and daily walking with The Lord. Being with and in Christ, like Chandler said, “is a fundamental shift in who we are, in what we can do and can’t do, what we see and can’t see, everything changes in our union with Christ.”
To find your identity in Christ, you have to know Him first, and then everything will change.
gwenn | lynn 