What does it mean to "fix my identity in Christ"? I’m hearing this phrase a lot in my church community and online, but I’m not sure I fully grasp it. Does it mean simply believing Jesus is the Son of God and that I’m saved? Does it involve more active steps? How does "fixing" my identity differ from discovering or claiming my identity in Christ? What are some practical ways I can actually go about doing this – are there specific practices, scriptures, or thought processes I should focus on? And what are the potential pitfalls or misunderstandings associated with the idea of fixing my identity in Christ? For example, could it lead to neglecting other aspects of my identity, like my talents, relationships, or cultural background?
Answer
Fixing your identity in Christ means anchoring your sense of self, worth, and purpose in your relationship with Jesus Christ, rather than in external factors like achievements, possessions, relationships, or societal expectations. It involves understanding and embracing who you are as a child of God through faith in Jesus and allowing that understanding to shape your thoughts, actions, and motivations.
Here’s a more detailed breakdown:
Understanding Your Identity in Christ:
- Child of God: Believing that through faith in Jesus Christ, you are adopted into God’s family and become His child (John 1:12; Galatians 3:26). This new identity supersedes any previous labels or backgrounds.
- New Creation: Recognizing that when you accept Christ, you become a new creation; the old has gone, the new has come (2 Corinthians 5:17). This means your past sins are forgiven, and you are given a new nature empowered by the Holy Spirit.
- Loved and Accepted: Understanding that God loves you unconditionally, not based on your performance, but because of His grace (Romans 5:8; Ephesians 2:4-5). This love provides security and affirms your value.
- Forgiven and Redeemed: Accepting that Jesus Christ paid the penalty for your sins through His death on the cross, offering you forgiveness and redemption (Ephesians 1:7; Colossians 1:14). This frees you from guilt and shame.
- Righteous: Acknowledging that through Christ, you are made righteous in God’s sight (2 Corinthians 5:21). This imputed righteousness is not earned but received as a gift.
- Chosen and Called: Believing that God has chosen you and called you for a specific purpose (Ephesians 1:4; 2 Timothy 1:9). This calling gives your life meaning and direction.
- Sanctified: Understanding that the Holy Spirit is working within you to make you more like Christ, a process called sanctification (1 Thessalonians 4:3; Hebrews 10:10). This ongoing transformation shapes your character.
- Heir with Christ: Recognizing that you are an heir of God and a co-heir with Christ, sharing in His inheritance (Romans 8:17; Galatians 4:7). This assures you of eternal life and blessings.
- Citizen of Heaven: Understanding that your ultimate citizenship is in heaven, not on earth (Philippians 3:20). This perspective helps you prioritize eternal values.
- Temple of the Holy Spirit: Knowing that the Holy Spirit dwells within you, making you a temple of God (1 Corinthians 6:19). This empowers you to live a holy life.
Living Out Your Identity in Christ:
- Renewing Your Mind: Consistently focusing your thoughts on biblical truth and challenging negative self-perceptions that contradict your identity in Christ (Romans 12:2; Philippians 4:8).
- Walking in the Spirit: Allowing the Holy Spirit to guide and empower you in your daily life, resisting the desires of your old nature (Galatians 5:16; Romans 8:14).
- Obeying God’s Word: Seeking to understand and obey God’s commands as a response to His love and a demonstration of your new identity (John 14:15; 1 John 2:3-6).
- Loving Others: Extending the same love and grace that you have received from God to others, reflecting Christ’s character (John 13:34-35; 1 John 4:7-8).
- Serving Others: Using your gifts and talents to serve others and advance God’s kingdom, fulfilling your calling (1 Peter 4:10-11; Ephesians 2:10).
- Bearing Fruit: Allowing the Holy Spirit to produce spiritual fruit in your life, such as love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control (Galatians 5:22-23).
- Sharing Your Faith: Sharing the good news of Jesus Christ with others, inviting them to experience the same transformative identity (Matthew 28:19-20; Acts 1:8).
- Finding Security in Christ: Recognizing that your worth and security come from your relationship with Christ, not from external validation (Colossians 3:3; Psalm 62:5-8).
- Living with Purpose: Pursuing God’s purpose for your life, guided by His Word and the Holy Spirit, rather than chasing after fleeting worldly goals (Ephesians 5:15-17; Romans 12:1-2).
- Enduring Trials: Relying on God’s strength and grace to persevere through trials and challenges, knowing that He is working all things together for your good (Romans 8:28; James 1:2-4).
Fixing your identity in Christ is a lifelong process that requires intentionality, commitment, and reliance on the Holy Spirit. It’s about continually growing in your understanding of who you are in Christ and living in accordance with that truth.
Pray This Prayer
Heavenly Father,
My heart longs to understand what it truly means to fix my identity in Christ. I confess I often look to the world for validation, for a sense of belonging, for a definition of who I am. I chase after fleeting pleasures, earthly achievements, and the opinions of others, and find myself feeling lost and unfulfilled.
Show me, Lord, what it means to root my worth, my purpose, and my very being in You. Help me to understand that I am not defined by my successes or failures, my talents or shortcomings, my past mistakes or future anxieties.
Reveal to me the truth that I am Your beloved child, created in Your image, redeemed by the blood of Jesus, and filled with Your Holy Spirit. Help me to grasp the magnitude of Your love for me, a love that knows no bounds, a love that accepts me as I am, while also transforming me into who You have called me to be.
Teach me to rely on Your Word as the foundation of my identity, to find my strength in Your presence, and to walk in the freedom that comes from knowing who I am in Christ. Help me to see myself as You see me – not as flawed and broken, but as a masterpiece in progress, a vessel of Your grace, and a reflection of Your glory.
Lord, break down the walls of insecurity and fear that keep me from fully embracing my identity in Christ. Fill me with courage to live authentically, to love unconditionally, and to serve wholeheartedly, knowing that my true identity is secure in You.
I pray that You would continue to refine me, shape me, and mold me into the person You desire me to be, a person who lives and breathes in the light of Your love and grace.
In Jesus’ name I pray, Amen.