Introduction
I have been working on putting together a project that includes going on a 31 day journey through scripture to understand our true identity in Christ.
Invitation
Please join me on a journey starting tomorrow – Sept 1. Each day for the next 31 days I will be posting a daily devotional reminder of our true identity in Christ. Come with me as we discover Who He Says We Are…
Please sign up for emails if you would like to receive a daily reminder and share with friends that you think might enjoy this journey as well.
Preface
Grace is a Person – His name is Jesus. You can’t have too much Grace because you can’t have too much of Jesus. He is our daily bread.
Only Christ Can Live the Christian Life
Trying or striving to be like Christ is not the goal of the Christian life. Living as Christ is. Christ living His life through you is the fullness of the Christian life. Once we believe and place our faith in His finished work on the cross, we are made new. We are given His DNA.
My Dad is Italian and my Mom is not. Being half Italian, I have Italian DNA. Even though I love pasta and make it often, no amount of pasta making could ever make me more Italian. And even if I never make pasta again, I will always be the same amount of Italian that I am right now. It’s not based on my actions. This is because of my DNA.
My friend, if you have placed your faith in Christ, you have His DNA. You can’t do more Christlike things to make you have more of His DNA and you can’t do less Christlike things to make you have less of His DNA. You will always have the same Grace given DNA; you are one with Christ. Him in you and you in Him. Jesus in you is the hope of glory.
“Those to whom God has chosen to make known what is the wealth of the glory of this mystery among the nations, which is The Messiah, who is in you, the hope of our glory”
– Colossians 1:27
Just as the branches of a strawberry bush produce the beautiful fruit from the DNA of it’s vine, we also produce fruit from the DNA of the Spirit that lives within us.
He is the vine. His life blood lives in us and produces fruit that reflects Him. We need to stop striving and start thriving in the New Creation identity we have been given. What is that new creation? It is Christ. Himself. We have been given His Spirit, His mind, and His heart, and I am convinced that if we repent (change our thinking) and allow Holy Spirit to convince us of our righteousness in Christ (John 16:8), we will more brightly, humbly, and restfully reflect Him in this world. The key to this transforming of our minds is to understand the Truth of our identity in Him. Join me on this 31 day journey to renew our minds to the Truth of how He sees us and watch as the power of His Grace strengthens you each and every day.
Living as Christ is a result of salvation, not a causation
We don’t do to become; We are, so we do.
The fruit happens when we truly know and rest in our identity in Christ.
The two following scriptures are at the very center of understanding our identity. These verses serve to keep us ever aware that:
- We are one with Christ
- With Christ, Daddy God is well pleased,
- Because Christ is one with us, our Heavenly Father is therefore well pleased with us also
“Whoever is united to the Lord, is one with Him in spirit.”
– 1 Corinthians 6:17
“And a voice from heaven said, “this is my Son, whom I love; with Him I am well pleased.”
– Matthew 3:17
Cross-Eyed Lens
The Cross of Christ changed everything. All of humanity is measured by dates before the cross or after the cross. This goes for unbelievers as well. Yet sadly, believers haven’t all learned to approach scripture with the same lens. The entire Christian Bible – Genesis to Revelation is about Jesus. In the Bible there are Two Covenants/Two Parts – Old and New. Most believers would say that the Old Covenant ends at Malachi and the New Covenant begins with Matthew. But this is not true. All of the Gospels contain some Old Covenant because the New Covenant, which was established in His blood (Matt 26:28), and ended the law (Romans 10:4) didn’t begin until the cross. All scripture must be read through the lens of the Cross. It changed everything.
My Prayer for you
Throughout this study you will read these words each day:
You don’t have to work for [your identity], you already are [your identity] because Christ gave you a new identity. His identity. This is who you are because of who He is, not who you have to try to become.
– Religion tells us what to do to become, which equals self reliance – the focus is on self.
– The truth of the Gospel tells us who we are because of who Jesus is and what He did – the focus is on Jesus.
Good News – Our Father in heaven is pleased with you because of what Jesus did – it all hinges on Him not us.
We are in union with Christ (1 Corinthians 6:17). When our Daddy in heaven looks at you, He sees Jesus, and He is nothing but pleased. (Matthew 3:17)
Rest in Him today.
It is my prayer that as you read these words each day that you will allow them to wash over you – into the deep places of your heart and your soul. The places where fear, doubt, and shame hide in the dark shadows. I pray that you will take these words to Holy Spirit and let Him use them to transform and renew your mind to His abundant Love and Grace and Truth for you. I pray that as you read these words each day for the next 31 days that your eyes will fix on Jesus and His Glory instead of gazing at your own shortcomings and imperfections (or self accomplishments). Our Daddy in Heaven is focused on Christ in you. I pray that by the end of these 31 days together, you will be empowered by His truth of deeply knowing who you are in Him. May you be forever changed by the Truth of His Love and Grace.
Amen
Journey to Grace Land 