Firm Foundations – Session 3 : Identity

Notes:

Identity

The most important question you can ask yourself is, ‘Who Am I?’ Sadly, many Christians receive their identity messages from the wrong sources. For example:

  • Achievements
  • Approval
  • Appearance
  • Behaviour

Who are you?

As Christians we do not receive our identity from our achievements, behaviour or appearance, nor from the approval or disapproval of others. Our identity is based upon the one with whom we are identified.

Romans 5:12-21 tells us:

  • We were ‘in Adam’ people
  • Now we are ‘in Christ’ people

Paul’s favourite description of a Christian is someone who is ‘in Christ’.

Understanding our new creation identity is vital to spiritual health, because: ‘It’s not what we do that determines who we are, but knowing who we are that will determine what we do.’

Our brain will steer our lives in the direction of the picture we have of ourselves.

The problem many Christians struggle with is this: They have a new identity, but have kept their old mentality.

Making the transition from old identity thinking to new identity thinking

We make the transition from old identity thinking to new identity thinking by renewing our minds.

In Romans 6:1-14 Paul shares 4 important stages in this process:

1) Romans 6:3-4 – KNOW that you died to your old identity in Adam and have been raised a new creation, with a brand new identity in Christ.

  • It is the truth that sets us free.
  • Satan’s only power is deception. He can bring a person into bondage by making them believe a lie.
  • We don’t need a power encounter; but we do need a truth encounter.

2) Romans 6:8 – BELIEVE that you are now a new creation in Christ Jesus.

  • Knowing the truth is not sufficient. We must believe it.
  • Some Christians are unbelieving believers!

3) Romans 6:11 – RECKON it to be so, i.e. live according to what is now true of us.

  • To reckon means to consider or conclude what is true of us and live accordingly.

4) Romans 6:13 – PRESENT the members of your body as instruments of righteousness.

  • The Christian has a new nature living in the old body. The body we live in is the same body we had before we were saved.
  • Previously, we obeyed the dictates and demands of the body; but now we are free from sin’s dominion.
  • We can choose to present the members of our bodies as instruments of righteousness.

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