Last week, we saw three ways God sees us that help determine our identities in Christ. We saw that we are blessed, chosen, and love. This week, we look at the last three.
In love he predestined us for adoption to sonship through Jesus Christ, in accordance with his pleasure and will— to the praise of his glorious grace, which he has freely given us in the One he loves. In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, in accordance with the riches of God’s grace that he lavished on us. (Eph. 1:4–8 NIV)
4.) Sons. I love my children, and I would do anything for them. They belong to me. There is nothing they can do that will sever that father/child relationship. They can call to me in the middle of the night, and not only will I hear them but I will also meet their need. That is exactly how our heavenly Father sees us. We are His sons; He is never ashamed of us. There is nothing we can do that will cause Him to turn His back on us. And one day, we will inherit everything He has. We are sons of the heavenly Father.
5.) Accepted. One of the biggest wounds I have had to work through is the fear of rejection. I want to be accepted, and I have found myself doing all kinds of things to try to get others to accept me. I have even tried to be good so that God would accept me. But I didn’t have to do that. I don’t ever have to look for acceptance from the Father because I already have it. Once I came to terms with that reality, it completely changed how I live my life. I don’t need to gain acceptance; I am accepted.
6.) Redeemed and forgiven. Jesus was willing to leave the splendor of heaven and redeem me. Because he redeemed me, I can be forgiven. When I fall short of the mark or when I am blatantly disobedient, He still forgives me when I ask. He doesn’t keep score or choose to remember. The sins that I can’t forget, He won’t remember. The sins that others won’t forget, He has already taken care of. There is more grace in God’s heart than sin in your past.
So my identity isn’t found in my degrees, bank account, job description, or car I drive. It is found in Christ Jesus. In Him, I am blessed, chosen, loved, a son of God, accepted, redeemed, and forgiven. I don’t know about you, but I love my identity and especially the One who gives me my identity.
Conversation:
- Which one of these three qualities do you identify the most with?
- Which one do you have the most difficult time wrapping your mind around?
I am indebted to Frank Bondarant for the ideas behind this month's topic.
Recommended Book
You are NOT who you think you are. In fact, according to bestselling author Craig Groeschel in Altar Ego, you need to take your idea of your own identity, lay it down on the altar, and sacrifice it. Give it to God. Offer it up.
Why? Because you are who GOD says you are. And until you’ve sacrificed your broken concept of your identity, you won’t become who you are meant to be.
When we place our false labels and self-deception on the altar of God’s truth, we discover who we really are as his sons and daughters. Instead of an outward-driven, approval-based ego, we learn to live with an “altar” ego, God’s vision of who we are becoming.
Discover how to trade in your broken ego and unleash your altar ego to become a living sacrifice. Once we know our true identity and are growing in our Christ-like character, then we can behave accordingly, with bold behavior, bold prayers, bold words, and bold obedience.
Altar Ego reveals who God says you are, and then calls you to live up to it.
