26 Jan W4 | Identity in Christ
REFERENCE BIBLE VERSES
Ephesians 1:5 ESV | “he predestined us for adoption to himself as sons through Jesus Christ, according to the purpose of his will,”
Ephesians 2:10 ESV | “For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them.”
John 15:16 ESV | “You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you that you should go and bear fruit and that your fruit should abide, so that whatever you ask the Father in my name, he may give it to you.”
OBJECTIVE
To live out the identity that God has bestowed on us through Christ–His children
To take hold of His call to bear fruit that will last
CONTENT
Appointed By Adoption
- We might identify ourselves with our workplace (“I am a manager”), our achievements (“I lost in this competition”) or our family (“My father is a successful businessman”) but at the core of it all, God has given us an unshakable identity which is the children of God. We are called His children through Jesus Christ and nothing can change that even if sometimes we don’t live up to that identity. Adoption brings not just a status but a calling: to live out the family likeness.
- As children of God, our identity shapes our assignment—reflecting His love, holiness, and compassion in the world. He appoints us to carry His name and display His heart. When we live up to this core identity that God has given each and every one of us, it will transform the way we operate our day-to-day lives. Rather than basing our decisions on what we think and how we feel, we should think and feel like how children of God should think and feel.
Aligning with Christ
- It is no small feat as a child of the Creator. It takes submitting our will and desires to God’s will, which often includes fighting off cultural trends that produce fleeting results and eventually, pruning identities that causes us to behave in ways that are contrary to the life of Jesus.
- We are to stay deeply attached to the Vine in order for the Holy Spirit to work out His fruit (Gal 5:22-23) organically in our lives. This connection is nurtured through a continuous relationship with Him by abiding in His Word, prayer, and obedience.
- We are altogether part of the body of Christ. Wherever we go as long as we’re walking on this earth, we stand as God’s hands and feet, moving and living to bring Him glory. By the same Spirit, we become “fellow citizens with the saints and members of the household of God” (Eph. 2:19).
- As we take root in His appointment, we ought to actively seek to imitate Christ’s character and live out His teachings, embracing the growth and transformation that the Holy Spirit bears in our lives. For in our Lord Christ Jesus, He gets to determine how far and wide our lives may impact others, breaking barriers of our own capacities as we work together with other believers in love and truth. Bearing with each other and forgiving one another (Col 3:13) is part of the assignment, such that altogether, He strengthens the body’s capacity for fruitfulness and ultimately, reveal His marvelous light forevermore (1 Pet 2:9)!
CONCLUSION
Our many earthly identities can clash or distract us, but our truest identity comes from being God’s adopted children. When we remember whose we are, our assignments flow. We are set apart to reflect God’s character. Good works naturally follow as evidence of living faith, shining God’s light to others and glorifying Him. Living as God’s children requires surrender and alignment with Christ. This means making allowance for the Holy Spirit to form His fruit in us. We are part of Christ’s body, called to love, forgive, and build one another up. As we walk in our God-given identity and assignment, our lives reveal His marvelous light to the world.
REFLECTION/DISCUSSION QUESTIONS
- Which truth of your identity in Christ do you find it hardest to believe personally? Why?
- What “good works” or “fruit” do you sense God gently nudging you toward this season?
REFERENCES