As a student in my late teens navigating a new country, I quickly came to one realization. My identity in Christ just had to be more than asking God for things. Nothing wrong in asking God for things. However, when you have what is needed for the time, what happens to your identity? Today’s article is for the people who want to better understand and/or also be reminded of the identity they’ve received in Christ.
Since I read the 2 books of Corinthians, I’ve been smitten by it. Why? Because of how relatable it is. Sometimes, you & I don’t act the way we’re supposed to, and we need reminders of the identity we have in Christ.
Reminders about your identity in Christ
Let’s cover a couple of reminders Apostle Paul provided the Corinth church about their identity:
- Your faith as a believer is in the power of God
I Corinthians 2:5 NKJV says that your faith should not be in the wisdom of men but in the power of God.
What is the power of God? 1 Corinthians 1:18 says For the message of the cross is … to us who are being saved, it is the power of God.
Message of the cross = the Gospel = the power of God
You who has believed the Gospel – Jesus died on the cross & resurrected by the Spirit of God – has believed the message of the cross.
- You have the Spirit of God in you
I Corinthians 2:12 NKJV says Now we have received, not the spirit of the world, but the Spirit who is from God, that we might know the things that have been freely given to us by God.
It is the Spirit of God that enables you to understand the things you’ve been freely given by God.
You are God’s temple
I Corinthians 3:16 NKJV says Do you not know that you are the temple of God and that the Spirit of God dwells in you?
What does it mean to be God’s temple? God lives inside of you, He’s closer to you than before. You aren’t looking for God as a believer. You have Him in you.
Before God dwells in you, He cleanses and washes you:
I Corinthians 6:11 NKJV says And such were some of you. But you were washed, but you were sanctified, but you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus and by the Spirit of our God.
In the next set of articles, we’ll spend sometime on sanctification and justification.
How do you apply this practically?
- Find a Bible based fellowship or church community
In my quest to better understand my identity in Christ, I found a physical community where I could ask questions, listen, and observe. Although I listened to a lot of sermons online, that physical community sped up my understanding.
- Intentionally build a Christian life beyond Sundays
Sometimes, it’s easy to get comfortable practising Christianity on Sundays. So, I put a devotional routine in place. Every morning, the first thing is to pray and read my Bible.
Were there days I didn’t understand what I was reading? Yes. Did I give up? No. I’d just read it multiple times and find someone to explain.
As I go about my day, I also listen to good songs that build me. I’m a music girlie, so you can bet that those songs made quite an impact on me. Now, there are so many artists who have amazing songs that build you up on God’s word, you can listen to them. If you’d like a playlist, I’m willing to share mine.
- Find your Bible teachers
A teacher is someone who builds you up in Christ, based on the Bible. Depending on the phase of life you’re in and your country of origin, you can have a different teacher from me. That’s fine.
Your teacher teaches in a way that you understand quickly. For me, I had to try listening to a couple of sermons before finding the best set of teachers for me. Can you have more than 1 teacher? Yes.
Quick disclaimer: Your teacher having a larger following than mine doesn’t mean my teacher isn’t as good. As people, we sometimes make needless comparisons. The focus should always be: Am I becoming more like Christ? If yes, amazing! If not, can I find another teacher?
I Corinthians 3:5; 9 NKJV says Who then is Paul, and who is Apollos, but ministers through whom you believed, as the Lord gave to each one?
[9] For we are God’s fellow workers; you are God’s field. You are God’s building.
In my previous article, I shared a couple of learnings about your identity in Christ from the book of Corinthians. You can read it here: Dear Believer, this is 2025, you’re not a sinner.
That’s it for today’s article. Can you share your comments on practical steps you’ve taken to understand your identity in Christ?
Looking forward to reading from you!
P.S: Have you filled out the survey? Even if you don’t have questions, please share with your friends and family. What questions do you have about God?
Thank you for reading – Funmi
