Our Identity In Christ

Precious Promises 

One day I was thinking about 2 Peter 1:3-4 which says, “His divine power has given us all things that pertain to life and godliness, through the knowledge of Him who called us by glory and virtue, by which have been given to us exceedingly great and precious promises, that through these you may be partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust” (NKJV).

Those verses intrigued me and they started me on a journey to try to figure out what those “exceedingly great and precious promises” were. 

I believe that those promises include Romans 6:6, which says, “Knowing this, that our old man was crucified with Him, that the body of sin might be done away with, that we should no longer be slaves of sin.” Romans 6:4 adds, “Therefore we were buried with Him through baptism into death, that just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life.” This verse and similar verses might sound impossible at first, but they are verses where God is trying to communicate to me some of the many things that were achieved when Christ died for me on the cross.

Acceptance, Security, Significance

I am still early in my journey, but thus far the journey has led me to begin studying about the believer’s identity in Christ. 

I have come to see the value in believing what God’s Word says about a believer, even though at first impression, the truths of God’s Word may seem somewhat foreign to the daily experience that I consider normal. For myself, and maybe many of us, comprehending all that Christ achieved for us by dying on the cross takes a while to fully grasp.

It sounds like 2 Peter 1:4 is referring to some truths that have great value, but that I have only begun to explore. For example, having accepted Jesus Christ as my Savior and Lord means that, “therefore, having been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ” (Romans 5:1). That verse (and several other verses) addresses my acceptance in Christ.

Also, Romans 8:1 says, “There is therefore now no condemnation to those who are in Christ Jesus, who do not walk according to the flesh, but according to the Spirit.” That verse and several other verses speak to my security in Christ. 

In John 15:16, Jesus said, “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.” This verse and other verses speak to my significance in Christ.   

While regular confession of sin is certainly biblical (1 John 1:9) and therefore necessary, gradually I realized that repentance involves not just the confession of sin, but it also includes a steady stream of confessing the truths of God’s Word, especially the blessings that pertain to who I am in Christ since I became a believer. The problem is that many of us have been battered by Satan’s lies that try to make us picture God as distant, judgmental, and reluctant to answer our prayers.

God is holy and does have moral standards that He wants to live by, therefore Jesus has designed commands for us because He loves us so much. In John 15:10, Jesus says, “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.” His commands are much like a parent that requires a toddler to hold the parent’s hand when crossing the street – a safety standard required because of great love and very much in the best interest of the child.    

Listen to 1 Peter 2:5, which says, “you also, as living stones, are being built up a spiritual house, a holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ.” Verse 9 adds, “But you are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, His own special people, that you may proclaim the praises of Him who called you out of darkness into His marvelous light” (1 Peter 2:9).

Continuing the Journey

Though my journey still has a long, long way to go, already these verses have been a breath of fresh air to me as I realize that I am accepted by God, but not by anything that I have achieved in and of myself. I am accepted and loved by God because of what Christ has already done for me, and even my receiving His gift of salvation was guided by His Holy Spirit. 

As I continue my journey, I will keep you posted.