Too often as we grow in our Christian walk we still identify ourselves in the our old words. Let me give you an example:

Hi my name is Kent. I am a husband, pastor, teacher, father, golfer, football official and so on. What is missing from the above? Where is my identity being placed.

In today’s world we hear about identity disphoria, gender identity, race identity. Identity disphoria is closely aligned with gender identity (disphoria). Race identity takes into consideration with approximately 76% of African Americans stating the significance of race in their personal identity. (https://www.pewresearch.org/race-and-ethnicity/2022/04/14/race-is-central-to-identity-for-black-americans-and-affects-how-they-connect-with-each-other/)

While these two types of identity descriptors may be important to one’s social constraints and definition, I believe them to be more of an ailment of our society norms seeking belonging. I submit that culture has placed extreme pressure on our cultural identity that we have become seperated and lost in cultural relevance not wanting to offend a certain group, hispanic, black, indian or otherwise that we have lost how we relate to the Biblical tructh of our identity in Christ. We are all created in the image of God. So, going back to my descriptor above…

What if? I chose to identify myself as:

I am a child of God redeemed by His grace through the blood of His Son, Jesus Christ and filled with the Holy Spirit as Jesus promised. Because of this… I am a husband to Emily edifying her and protecting her. I am the spiritual leader of my family. I am a servant leader who enjoys sharing Jesus and teaching the Word of God. I am loved. I am forgiven. I am exactly who God created me to be.

• Sometimes the more detailed we can be will allow us to better understand our motives, strengths, weaknesses and bias’.

Some Biblical truths of who you are when Christ is your Lord and Savior…

John 1:12 “Yet to all who did receive him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God.” I am a child of God

Galatians 2:20 “ I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I now live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.” I am loved

1 Peter 2:9. “But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, God’s special possession, that you may declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light.“ I am chosen! I am royalty! I am holy! I am special to God! I am called out of darkness! I am called into His wonderful light

2 Corinthians 5:21 God made him who had no sin to be sin[a] for us, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God. I am the righteousness of Christ

Other scriptures to consider:

1. Romans 8:28~ “And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.“
2. Ephesians 1:7 ~ “ In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, in accordance with the riches of God’s grace.“
3. John 15:16 ~ “You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you so that you might go and bear fruit—fruit that will last—and so that whatever you ask in my name the Father will give you.“
4. Romans 6:6~ “For we know that our old self was crucified with him so that the body ruled by sin might be done away with, that we should no longer be slaves to sin.”
5. Genesis 1:27 ~ “So God created mankind in his own image, in the image of God he created them; male and female he created them.”
6. Jeremiah 1:5 ~“Before I formed you in the womb I knew you, before you were born I set you apart; I appointed you as a prophet to the nations.”
7. John 15:15~ “I no longer call you servants, because a servant does not know his master’s business. Instead, I have called you friends, for everything that I learned from my Father I have made known to you.”
8. Ephesians 2:10~ “For we are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.”
9. Philippians 3:20~ “But our citizenship is in heaven. And we eagerly await a Savior from there, the Lord Jesus Christ”
10. 2 Timothy 1:7~ “But our citizenship is in heaven. And we eagerly await a Savior from there, the Lord Jesus Christ.”
11. Colossians 3:1-4~ “ Since, then, you have been raised with Christ, set your hearts on things above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things. For you died, and your life is now hidden with Christ in God. When Christ, who is your life, appears, then you also will appear with him in glory.
12. Romans 8:37~ “No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us.“
13. Psalm 139:14 ~ “I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; your works are wonderful, I know that full well”
14. 2 Corinthians 5:17~ “Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new.”

The Holy Scriptures has over 100 scriptures which defines our identity in Christ. One of my favorite passages deals with how we see ourselves. “11When I was a child, I talked like a child, I thought like a child, I reasoned like a child. When I became a man, I set aside childish ways. 12Now we see but a dim reflectionas in a mirror;then we shall see face to face. Now I know in part;then I shall know fully,even as I am fully known.13And now these three remain: faith, hope, and love; but the greatest of these is love.… Berean Standard Bible

Every morning we look into a mirror. Some of us may not like what we see, while others are okay with our reflection. What if we could see ourselves through the eyes of our Creator knowing that because of Christ we are God’s Child and we are loved.