Who you are in Christ

[Jamie]

The difference between who we are in Christ and what we do is huge. We are so much more than our jobs, our accomplishments, or our failures. Our identity comes from Jesus. In and of ourselves, we are nothing, we have nothing, and we can do nothing of eternal value. But in Christ, we can be, do, and have everything God promises us in His Word.

An attitude of confidence will exude from us when we know who we are in Christ and believe in the power that the Bible says is ours through faith. We are enabled to live new lives because of who we are in Christ.

Our identity in Christ.

For our sake He made Christ to be sin Who knew no sin, so that in and through Him we might become [endued with, viewed as being in, and examples of] the righteousness of God [what we ought to be, approved and acceptable and in right relationship with Him, by His goodness].
2 Co 5:21.

Righteousness in Christ means being justified, forgiven, and adopted into God’s family. It is a gift from God received by faith.

 

[Begotten]

@JoshebB
Imagine what that will be like once the corruption of sin is finally and completely removed.

And we will all love each other.

 

[JoshebB]

Such were all of us once.....

Romans 1:28-32
And just as they did not see fit to acknowledge God any longer, God gave them over to a depraved mind, to do those things which are not proper, being filled with all unrighteousness, wickedness, greed, evil; full of envy, murder, strife, deceit, malice; they are gossips, slanderers, haters of God, insolent, arrogant, boastful, inventors of evil, disobedient to parents, without understanding, untrustworthy, unloving, unmerciful; and although they know the ordinance of God, that those who practice such things are worthy of death, they not only do the same, but also give hearty approval to those who practice them.

But thanks to God.....

@JoshebB
Imagine what that will be like once the corruption of sin is finally and completely removed.

And we will all love each other.

So....., the answer to the question, "Who are we in Christ?" is also.....

We are lovers .

 

[Obadiah]

Such were all of us once.....

Romans 1:28-32
And just as they did not see fit to acknowledge God any longer, God gave them over to a depraved mind, to do those things which are not proper, being filled with all unrighteousness, wickedness, greed, evil; full of envy, murder, strife, deceit, malice; they are gossips, slanderers, haters of God, insolent, arrogant, boastful, inventors of evil, disobedient to parents, without understanding, untrustworthy, unloving, unmerciful; and although they know the ordinance of God, that those who practice such things are worthy of death, they not only do the same, but also give hearty approval to those who practice them.

But thanks to God.....

So....., the answer to the question, "Who are we in Christ?" is also.....

We are lovers .

Good one! We love who we are in Christ and we love one another. We Love God because He first loved us
The reason we are able to love is because God loves us first.

“No one has ever seen God; if we love one another, God lives in us, and his love is perfected in us.” ( John 4:12)

“One another” is two words in English, but it’s only one word in Greek: ἀλλήλων (ah-LAY-loan). It’s used 100 times in 94 New Testament verses. 47 of those verses give instructions to the church, and 60% of those instructions come from Paul.

1. Be at peace with one another (Mk 9:50)
2. Don’t grumble among one another (Jn 6:43)
3. Be of the same mind with one another (Ro 12:16, 15:5)
4. Accept one another (Ro 15:7)
5. Wait for one another before beginning the Eucharist (1 Co 11:33)
6. Don’t bite, devour, and consume one another—seriously, guys, don’t eat each other (Ga 5:15)
7. Don’t boastfully challenge or envy one another (Ga 5:26).
8. Gently, patiently tolerate one another (Ep 4:2)
9. Be kind, tender-hearted, and forgiving to one another (Ep 4:32)
10. Bear with and forgive one another (Co 3:13)
11. Seek good for one another, and don’t repay evil for evil (1 Th 5:15)
12. Don’t complain against one another (Jas 4:11, 5:9)
13. Confess sins to one another (Jas 5:16)

Love. One third of them instruct Christians to love one another.

1. Love one another (Jn 13:34, 15:12, 17; Ro 13:8; 1 Th 3:12, 4:9; 1 Pe 1:22; 1 Jn 3:11, 4:7, 11; 2 Jn 5)
2. Through love, serve one another (Ga 5:13)
3. Tolerate one another in love (Ep 4:2)
4. Greet one another with a kiss of love (1 Pe 5:14)
5. Be devoted to one another in love (Ro 12:10)

Humility. About 15% stress an attitude of humility and deference among believers.

1. Give preference to one another in honor (Ro 12:10)
2. Regard one another as more important than yourselves (Php 2:3)
3. Serve one another (Ga 5:13)
4. Wash one another’s feet (Jn 13:14)
5. Don’t be haughty: be of the same mind (Ro 12:16)
6. Be subject to one another (Ep 5:21)
7. Clothe yourselves in humility toward one another (1 Pe 5:5)

Jeffrey Kranz

 

[JoshebB]

Good one! We love who we are in Christ and we love one another.............................................

That post is an excellent sampling of how who we are and what we do overlap. Faith that does not beget faithfulness isn't. Likewise, love that does not beget love isn't.

However, the matter of humility is not so simple. We are noble in Christ. We are royalty, royal priests. Our status has been elevated for all eternity, and it's been elevated above the dross of humanity that remains dead in sin and will one day get tossed into the fiery furnace. It is paradoxical, but it is because of that elevation that we walk humbly before God and man as "servant leaders," feeding the hungry, ever seeking to rekindle their warmth and sustenance with real, practical application of the gospel and Christ at work in us. In fact, over the course of my thirty years in the mental health field, I would venture to say that the fundamental problem among Christians is that many have forgotten their nobility and/or how it is to be applied on this side of the grave.

 

[Aeliana]

I recognize this thread is just getting started, but I am sensing a serious unintended problem (I assume it is unintended). Are there actually this many Christians who do not understand the purpose of their salvation? How is it there exists such difficulty answering the question,


Would you agree that the purpose of our salvation is to do good works that God planned for each of us to perform prior to His saving us?


that 1) none would provide the answer scripture provides and 2) and only one would offer an instantaneous "Amen!" to the testimony of Ephesians2:10 (nod to @Pancho Frijoles for the and unequivocal "YES")? How can anyone hope to discuss our identity in Christ ("who you are in Christ" is the op's title) without a basic understanding of one's purpose therein?

• Saved by grace
• Saved through faith.
• Created in Christ for good works.

Soteriology 101.

Can I get an "Amen!" now?

He saved us because He loves us. John 3:16 Our good work is to love one another. But if we are going understand God’s purpose for saving us we need to realize that there was something deep in God’s heart from before time was.

He made known to us the mystery of his will according to his good pleasure, which he purposed in Christ, Ephesians 1:9

 

[JoshebB]

He saved us because He loves us.

Yep. That is true but it says nothing about the purpose of our salvation.

John 3:16 Our good work is to love one another. But if we are going understand God’s purpose for saving us we need to realize that there was something deep in God’s heart from before time was.

He made known to us the mystery of his will according to his good pleasure, which he purposed in Christ, Ephesians 1:9

Still not an answer to the question asked. What is the purpose of your salvation? For what did God save you? What does scripture states is the purpose of your, my, and everyone else's salvation?


Would you agree that the purpose of our salvation is to do good works that God planned for each of us to perform prior to His saving us?

 

[Aeliana]

Yep. That is true but it says nothing about the purpose of our salvation.

Still not an answer to the question asked. What is the purpose of your salvation? For what did God save you? What does scripture states is the purpose of your, my, and everyone else's salvation?


Would you agree that the purpose of our salvation is to do good works that God planned for each of us to perform prior to His saving us?

I would say the purpose of our salvation is God wants us, His creation, to be with Him for eternity.

2 Timothy 1:9
“[God] has saved us and called us with a holy calling, not according to our works, but according to His own purpose and grace which was granted us in Christ Jesus from all eternity.”

God’s sovereign purpose is seen as the ultimate reason for our salvation.

 

[Olde Tymer]

.
Re: Who you are in Christ

Well; speaking for myself, were I God, I'd put me on display as a trophy.

The thing is; my life's history includes animal cruelty, arson, theft, illegal
possession of alcohol, tooling around in stolen cars, profanity, vandalism, assault
and battery, dishonesty, truancy, a lack of kindness and charity, etc. Folks like me
are the very kinds of human trash that God tends to shun yet He had me in mind
when His son went to the cross.

I was brought up to believe Jesus was a victim of circumstances beyond his control.
Well; when I was told the real purpose of his crucifixion, it wasn't long before I
went down front in a local church and prayed this simple prayer:

"God I know I'm a sinner. I would like to take advantage of your son's death."

When God succeeds in persuading miscreants like me to unify with His son; that is
something for Him to brag about!

Anyway, where once God shunned me, now we're bonded.

● John 16:27 . .The Father himself loves you because you have loved me and have
believed that I came from God.
_

 

[Keith]

Who we are in Christ? The verse that comes to mind is 2 Corinthians 5:21:

21 For our sake He made Christ [virtually] to be sin Who knew no sin, so that in and through Him we might become [endued with, viewed as being in, and examples of] the righteousness of God [what we ought to be, approved and acceptable and in right relationship with Him, by His goodness].

 

[Larry]

God has made us for Himself and our hearts are restless until we find Him.

He Himself is our reward as seen in Genesis 15:1
“Do not be afraid, Abram. I am your shield, your exceedingly great reward”

The theme of abundant reward for those with hearts fully committed to God recurs in Jesus’ teaching, particularly in His Sermon on the Mount: “God blesses you when people mock you and persecute you and lie about you and say all sorts of evil things against you because you are my followers. Be happy about it! Be very glad! For a great reward awaits you in heaven” Matthew 5:11–12