KNOWING YOUR IDENTITY #3

By Robert Alanis

In this last part I would like to give foundational scriptures how “righteousness” became our identity. Let me give you a little understanding of the covenant God made with Abraham and the connection it plays on the believer today. In Hebrews 2:16 it mentions that “Jesus came to give aid to the seed of Abraham.” Think about this, the Bible says that God made a covenant with Abraham 430 years before the law…Galatians 3:17 “…the law, which was four hundred and thirty years later, cannot annul (invalidate) the covenant that was confirmed before by God in Christ…” Note: The law represented the works of man to be accepted of God. This places Abraham to believe (to have faith in) God before the law…Galatians 2:16 “Knowing that a man is not justified (to declare righteous) by the works of the law but by faith in Jesus Christ, even we have believed in Christ Jesus that we might be justified by faith in Christ & not by the works of the law; for by the works of the law no flesh shall be justified.” Note: This proves that our identity in Christ was not restored based upon performance but faith in God’s promises.

 So God promised Abraham that He would bless him and his seed…Galatians 3:6-9 “Just as Abraham believed God, and it was accounted (to credit; deposit into your account) to him for righteousness. “Therefore know that only those who are of faith are sons of Abraham (this is referring to us). And the scripture, foreseeing that God would justify the Gentiles by faith, preached the gospel to Abraham beforehand, saying, “In you all the nations shall be blessed.” So then those who are of faith are blessed with believing Abraham.”

 Notice how the scriptures refer to Jesus which through Him connects all those who believe in Jesus with the promises made to Abraham by God…Galatians 3:16 “Now to Abraham & his Seed (Jesus) were the promises made. He does not say, “And to seeds,” as of many, but as of one, “And to your Seed,” who is Christ.” Galatians 3:13-14 “Christ has redeemed (to free from) us from the curse of the law, having become a curse for us…that the blessing of Abraham might come upon the Gentiles in Christ Jesus, that we might receive the promise of the Spirit through faith.” Galatians 3:26-29 “For you are all sons of God through faith in Christ Jesus. For as many of you as were baptized (spiritual emersion-born again) into Christ have put on Christ. There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free, there is neither male nor female; for you are all one in Christ Jesus. And if you are Christ’s, then you are Abraham’s seed, and heirs according to the promise.” 

Let me reiterate this, Jesus the Son of God came through the seed of Abraham became a man to restore back man’s identity of God in him and gave us the right to become sons and daughters of the living God. As a result we now have peace with God… Romans 5:1 “Therefore, having been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ.”

 As I stated earlier, man had lived in a fallen state trying to regain their identity. We are living in a world that is constantly trying to find self (identity) which has led to greater confusion and dissatisfaction. We do not have to continue to live in this state of mind when God in His mercy has raised us out of our selves to regain our identity in Him.

 Now before ending this series, I want to strongly encourage you to meditate and study carefully the proceeding scriptures that will help you to understand the position God has placed every believer to experience complete freedom in their identity in Him: 

1. God through Jesus has restored man to his original creation (identity)…2Corintians 5:17 “If anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation (image); old things have passed away; behold all things have become new.” Note: This means that we never have to look back at our past again. God has chosen not to ever use our past against us to decide our future…Philippians 3:13 “Forgetting those things which are behind and reaching forward to those things which are ahead.”

2. The scripture encourages us to let go of everything that can hinder our progression of maturing in our restored identity…Hebrews 12:1-2 “…let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which so easily ensnares us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith…”

3. Through believing in Jesus it restored relational position with God to give us our identity as sons and daughters of the living God…John 1:12 “But as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God, to those who believe in His name.”

4. God has raised the believer to become the righteousness of God through Jesus…THIS IS OUR NEW IDENTITY…2Corinthians 5:21 “For He (God) made Him (Jesus) who knew no sin to be sin for us, that we might become the righteousness of God in Him.”

a.       We do not deserve this at all---it is only by the “Grace” of God (not of our works) that He restored our position with Him…Ephesians 2:1, 4-6 “And you He made alive, who were dead in trespasses and sins. But God, who is rich in mercy, because of His great love with which He loved us, even when we were dead in trespasses, made us alive together with Christ (by grace you have been saved), and raised us up together, and made us sit together in the heavenly place in Christ Jesus.” Ephesians 2:8“For by grace (favor) you have been saved through faith, & that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God not of works, lest anyone should boast.” Note: This is all an expression of God’s unconditional love to the world…Romans 5:8 “But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.”

b.      Being in this position of righteousness one can now reign (rule) in life. This means that we do not have to be subject to the negative elements of this world if we choose to live in our identity of righteousness by faith…Romans 5:17 “For if by the one man’s offense death reigned through the one, much more those who receive abundance of grace (favor) and the gift of righteousness will reign in life through the One, Jesus Christ.”

5. Through God’s unconditional love He imprinted (made permanent) His image in our hearts to become His love creatures. This gives us credibility to express His righteousness to the world. Again, THIS IS OUR IDENTITY!

a.       1John 3:1-2 “Behold what manner of love the Father has bestowed on us, that we should be called children of God...Beloved, now we are children of God…”

b.      The completion of our identity is in Him. Colossians 2:9-10 “For in Him (Jesus) dwells all the fullness of the Godhead bodily; and you are complete in Him, who is the head (Jesus) of all principality and power.”

c.       We have been given the right to live His divine nature (image of God). 2Peter 1:4 “There have been given to us exceedingly great and precious promises (Word of God), that through these you may be partakers of the divine nature (our identity), having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust.”

d.      God will work through the believer in a greater degree of power as self (own will) is sacrificed…Galatians 2:20 “I have been crucified with Christ; it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me; & the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me & gave Himself for me.” Note: This is allowing God’s identity to be revealed through us.

e.       Since guilt has always made one feel unworthy, the believer never has to walk in guilt again! Romans 8:1 “There is therefore now no condemnation to those who are in Christ Jesus (born again), who do not walk according to the flesh (self), but according to the Spirit (God’s will).”

f.       We now have been given the confidence to walk in our new identity…1John 4:17 “…as He (Jesus) is, so are we in this world.” This should encourage every believer to walk worthy of their position in Him…1John 3:3 “And everyone who has this hope in Him purifies (to cleanse) himself, just as He is pure.”

g.      It is walking by faith in God’s Word that will keep one clean…John 15:3 Jesus said, “You are already clean (pure) because of the Word which I have spoken to you.”

 Jesus promised in John 10:10 “I have come that they may have life, and that they may have it more abundantly.” This can only be possible as you walk in your identity of righteousness (right standing with God) in Christ Jesus. So I encourage you to be blessed as you begin to take the steps to your new life of victory!

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