Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has gone, the new has come! 2 Corinthians 5:17
I love the movie Alice in Wonderland. Remember the caterpillar asking the question of Alice, "Who are you?" Though that question sounds simple, it is really one of the most complex you'll ever answer. Most people, when they are asked, "Who are you?" will answer with a series of statements. Some will answer with just their name. Others will state their profession. Others still will share where they live or where they grew up. You see, most of us will answer the question of our identity based upon things that are easily seen from outside of our lives. Yet, what we do does not primarily define who we are! The truth is, you are far more than what people see on the outside.
According to Jesus – YOU ARE A CHILD OF GOD. That should make a HUGE difference in your life. How we perceive ourselves affects how we feel and act, which in turn impacts how others treat us. Labels, shame, guilt and manipulation can literally shape or even destroy a person's identity and self-esteem. In many respects, we live our lives based upon how we perceive ourselves. That's why, for the person who loves and follows Jesus, how we see ourselves can make an ENORMOUS difference in how we live out our lives as Christ-followers.
Write this down somewhere where it can serve as a constant reminder: IN CHRIST, YOU ARE A NEW PERSON! When Jesus is in your life, something changes inside of you.
The Bible says we are physically born "into Adam" -- into sin. Your spiritual nature is a broken life and relationship with God. That doesn't mean that God doesn't love you. But when faith awakens in our lives and we accept God's gift of His grace, forgiveness and salvation, your identity changes from the inside out. When Jesus becomes real to you,when you say, "Lord Jesus, I'm yours," God does away with your old identity in order to give you a new identity in Jesus. Living with this knowledge prompts us to change our old perceptions and allows us to live with the confidence of a new, God-empowered life
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GOING DEEPER:
1. Who are you? How would you identify yourself? Does your identity have anything to do with your relationship with Jesus? Why or why not?
2. Think and pray today: if I am a new person in Jesus, what difference is that going to make? What is really going to shape my life today? Jesus or any other "identifier"
FURTHER READING:
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Ephesians 5:1-13; Romans 5:12-17, 6:11-14, 8:1-4
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