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Scripture:
"We know that our old sinful selves were crucified with Christ so that sin might lose its power in our lives. We are no longer slaves to sin. For when we died with Christ we were set free from the power of sin." (Romans 6:6-7 NLT)What is Identity?
The identity of a person is defined as, "the characteristics that distinguish them from others." It sounds simple, but the core of who we are is our identity. All we do and say stems from our faith in who we think we are, or are not.Decisions are made and action is taken regardless of where our identity is put.
In the end, the one we classify affects every aspect of our lives.
What is security?
Security is freedom from, or resilience against, potential harm (or other unwanted coercive change) caused by others. Security mostly refers to protection from hostile forces. It is a feeling of being secure or guarded, unharmed and confident that you are saved.In this devotion, we will reflect together Jesus Christ and having our security in Him through the identity
He gave us.
"We know that our old sinful selves were crucified with Christ so that sin might lose its power in our lives. We are no longer slaves to sin. For when we died with Christ we were set free from the power of sin." (Romans 6:6-7 NLT)
A New Identity
When Christ died on the cross, our sinful nature also died with Him. This is how God made the greatest act of love for us sinners, His Son died for us. That’s why the power of sin is no more for we have accepted Jesus Christ as our Lord and Savior. When we embrace Christ into our hearts, we are not the person we were before, rather, we are reborn as a "new life."“For we died and were buried with Christ by baptism. And just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glorious power of the Father, now we also may live new lives.” (Romans 6:4 NLT)
“This means that anyone who belongs to Christ has become a new person. The old life is gone; a new life has begun!” (2 Corinthians 5:17 NLT)
We don't associate with the world and all their lies anymore. We associate with Christ, and distinguish ourselves. Our trust in Him sets us apart from others, it makes us secured in His love and grace. To have security in our identity means making a strong foundation in the Lord. A strong foundation brings perfect security. Security comes with perfect peace and the protection of the Lord. Man will always be there to make you fall and feel insecure, but remember who you are in the Lord. The enemy will always be at your doorstep. He also tries to steal, kill and ruin the ministry to which the Lord has called you, but remember who you are in the Lord. You are a child of the living God. You are an heir with Christ.
An Identity Free From Sin
We are free from the sinful nature we had when we received Christ in our lives.. Paul emphasizes that we need no longer live under sin’s power. We may still feel like sinning, and sometimes we will sin. The difference is that before we were saved, we were slaves to our sinful nature, but now we can choose to live for Christ.“My old self has been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me. So I live in this earthly body by trusting in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.” (Galatians 2:20 NLT)
No one and nothing can take away our identity given to God, but it is up to us either to accept it or to deny it. When, for whatever reason, we chose to ignore His reality, we are left to define our identity through things such as life experiences, views, individuals, bank accounts and even skills. We will put our security on these things. We will feel that through these things we are secured. But the reality is that we are lost souls who try to be somebody but still fall short of feeling strong and secure. We look for someone or something to please us or to be pleased from. The sooner we realize that everything that we want and need is in Christ, the sooner we can live the lives we've been looking for.
Our God's arch enemy tries to persuade you that the death of Christ isn't enough to keep you saved when you fail or sin. In your life, there will be people who will plant the seeds of doubt, questioning, and fear. They may even try to mis-quote or mis-represent the Word of God in an attempt to dislodge your faith in Christ. But they are WRONG.
A Secured Identity
When God formed our identity, He made it permanent and unchangeable. He built it this way to allow us to walk in freedom and trust, realizing that even though we sin and constantly mess up, we are cherished, loved, useful and strong forever because His spirit is in us. We are secure in Him.“God saved you by his grace when you believed. And you can’t take credit for this; it is a gift from God. Salvation is not a reward for the good things we have done, so none of us can boast about it.” (Ephesians 2:8-9)
The certainty of our security has absolutely nothing to do with our ability to keep ourselves saved, or even to keep ourselves within God's grace. Rather, we are justified by his grace as a gift to be obtained through faith by the redeeming that is in Christ Jesus, whom God brought forth as an atoning sacrifice by his blood. It was to prove the righteousness of God, since through his eternal forbearance he had transgressed past sins.
So instead of listening to the voices of misunderstanding, doubt and mistake, let’s listen ONLY to the God of Scripture. Let’s praise God for our unshakable security in Christ. This will remove fear, strengthen your joy of redemption and increasing your trust in the return of Christ. It will deepen your faith, accelerate your expressions of mercy, and ignite your desire to share Christ with those lost in sin. For we are no longer slaves of sin, for we are saved and reformed our identity through Christ.
No matter what you struggle with, and why, get ready to be broken by the old way you see yourself. The path to discover your identity in Christ will leave you forever changed. RENEWED, FREED and SECURED.
Photo by: Zee Gabales
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