Identity in Christ
Our identities are something that we struggle with all the time, whether we realize it or not. My entire testimony is reliant upon the moment when I realized that what I thought was my identity wasn’t enough, and it would ultimately fail me. Trying to find our identity in anything other than Christ, no matter how we justify it, can’t uphold us and will leave us lost.
If then you have been raised with Christ, seek the things that are above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. Set your minds on things that are above, not on things that are on earth. For you have died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God. when Christ who is your life appears, then you also will appear with him in glory. - Colossians 3:1-4
We are who Jesus says we are. From the moment of our salvation, we get a new identity and a new title – “Child of God.” Nothing that we fabricate about ourselves or try to mold ourselves into will ever fulfill us.
Jesus has already defeated Satan, so he wants to corrupt what God has established and claimed as His own. Satan wants any kind of edge he can get, so he sows doubt into our hearts.
What Jesus Did.
“If then you have been raised with Christ”
Satan wants us to doubt the work of God. When we see this “IF,” he wants us to look back at our past and doubt that God could ever save us or change us from who we were before Him. We have been made into a new creation, but it can be hard to remember that and live in that reality when we still live in a world full of sin.
Satan wants us to look back at our past and ask these questions and think on these things…
If you’re so bad, then Jesus probably didn’t die for you.
You’re so bad that Jesus’ death can’t count for you.
You’re a believer, but are you really heaven bound?
You’re a believer, but have you done enough to earn or deserve that?
His blood surely couldn’t cover my sin. His goodness can’t apply to me.
He can’t really love me.
God calls us to think on things much higher than these. The truth is the work of God radically changed your identity.
2. Who Jesus Is.
“Seek the things that are above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. Set your minds on things that are above, not on things that are on earth.”
We were created to be in relationship with God. Our goal is to become more like Jesus every day. But Satan wants to use our temptations to make us believe Jesus isn’t worth changing for.
Paul is telling us that we must constantly set our minds on things that are above. This isn’t something we can just do once at the moment of salvation and then be perfect at it. Again, we live in a sinful world that is trying to pull our eyes down and get us to focus on things below. It feels easier to do this, too.
Satan has more things he wants us to consider when it comes to who God is.
Is Jesus really worth giving up the things of the world to follow?
Is God worth saying no to worldly things?
Is He really worth my worship and giving up my life to follow Him?
There is something that we all want to put on the throne of our hearts. Our heart craves to worship something. But we have to decide if it is worth it to take those things off the throne and let Jesus alone reside there. We have to turn to the Word of God to realize that He is worthy of so much more than the throne of our hearts, but our unending worship of Him as well.
3. What Jesus Has Said.
“For you have died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God. When Christ who is your life appears, then you also will appear with Him in glory.”
If the Word of God is the ultimate truth and points to Christ as the true King, wouldn’t it make sense that Satan would want us to doubt it? If the Word of God speaks directly to our identity in Christ, and the truth about it, wouldn’t he want us to see it as false?
This verse tells us 3 things about our identity in Christ.
We have died
We were dead in our sins.
Our lives are hidden with Christ in God
Our sins are not what we are recognized or defined by, but the work that Jesus did on the cross in our place.
When Christ appears, we will appear with Him in glory.
We will be raised with Christ when He returns.
Satan wants us to doubt these things about God and ourselves. When we do not believe in these things, we have no hope or future with Christ.
One of my favorite moments in scripture is Jesus being tempted in the desert. Satan is trying hard to twist the Word against Jesus so that He might sin. But Jesus knows who He is and what the Word says. It does not cause Him to stumble, because He has truth written on His heart.
Satan wants us to turn from truth so that our identity gets twisted. If he can get you to question the Bible, you’ll have to search for truth elsewhere, but you’ll only find lies that leave you empty.
Your identity is laid out clearly in the Word of God.
God created you intentionally.
You are a new creation.
You are a child of God.
You are seen as holy, blameless, and sanctified.
You are a citizen of Heaven.
You are His precious creation.
Your identity is not based on anything you formulate, but your identity is found in Christ, and in Him alone.
Written by: Macye Armstrong
Macye Armstrong has been part of The Mount since 2021, and is now the Student Ministry Intern in the same Student Ministry she grew up in. She is currently a sophomore at the Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary studying in the Humanities program. She has been on staff since May of 2024 and feels so blessed to be in the position that she is in.