Who I Am In Christ

[Sam]

1 John 5:1 says, "If you believe that Jesus is the Christ --that He is God's Son and your Savior-- then you are a child of God"
As children of God we have special privileges and access to our Heavenly Father. He loves us deeply and thinks very highly of us.
But, some times we let someone put us down and some times we even put ourselves down.
In Revelation 12:10 it says that satan is the accuser of God's children and we often listen to his accusations and even agree with him.

Below is a list of some of the things we are in Christ and what we have in Christ.
These are things that God says about you so you know they are true.
It's good to read these things and to think about these things and to even confess them aloud.
Jim Ellis


Who Does God Say I Am?

Here is a list of biblical affirmations about our identity in Jesus Christ that is derived from a few selected passages in the New Testament. This is just a portion of the many truths about who we have become through faith in God’s Son, but it is a powerful inventory to review from time to time:

--I am a child of God.
But as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God, even to those who believe in His name. John 1:12

--I am a branch of the true vine, and a conduit of Christ’s life.
I am the true vine, and My Father is the vinedresser. I am the vine, you are the branches; he who abides in Me and I in him, he bears much fruit, for apart from Me you can do nothing. John 15:1, 5

-- I am a friend of Jesus.
No longer do I call you slaves, for the slave does not know what his master is doing; but I have called you friends, for all things that I have heard from My Father I have made known to you. John 15:15

-- I have been justified and redeemed.
Being justified as a gift by His grace through the redemption which is in Christ Jesus. Romans 3:24

--My old self was crucified with Christ, and I am no longer a slave to sin.
Knowing this, that our old self was crucified with Him, in order that our body of sin might be done away with, that we would no longer be slaves to sin. Romans 6:6

--I will not be condemned by God.
There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus. Romans 8:1
He that hears my word and believes in Him who sent me, has everlsting life, and will not come into condemnation but is passed from death unto life. John 5:24

-- I have been set free from the law of sin and death.
For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus has set you free from the law of sin and of death. Romans 8:2

--As a child of God, I am a fellow heir with Christ.
And if children, heirs also, heirs of God and fellow heirs with Christ, if indeed we suffer with Him in order that we may also be glorified with Him. Romans 8:17

-- I have been accepted by Christ.
Therefore, accept one another, just as Christ also accepted us to the glory of God. Romans 15:7

--I am a saint, one of God’s holy (sanctifed) people
To the church of God which is at Corinth, to those who have been sanctified in Christ Jesus, saints by calling, with all who in every place call upon the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, their Lord and ours. 1 Corinthians 1:1;
Ephesians 1:1; Philippians 1:1; Colossians 1:2

--In Christ Jesus, I have wisdom, righteousness, sanctification, and redemption.
But by His doing you are in Christ Jesus, who became to us wisdom from God, and righteousness and sanctification, and redemption. 1 Corinthians 1:30

-- My body is a temple of the Holy Spirit. Jesus lives in me as the Holy Spirit
Know you not that you are the temple of God and that the Spirit of God dwells in you? 1 Corinthians 3:16. Christ in you is the hope of glory Colossians 1:27

--I belong to Jesus
Do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit who is in you, whom you have from God, and that you are not your own? 1 Corinthians 6:19

--I am joined to the Lord and am one spirit with Him.
But the one who joins himself to the Lord is one spirit with Him. 1 Corinthians 6:17

--God leads me in the triumph and knowledge of Christ.
But thanks be to God, who always leads us in triumph in Christ, and manifests through us the sweet aroma of the knowledge of Him in every place. 2 Corinthians 2:14

--I am a new creature in Christ.
Therefore if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creature; the old things passed away; behold, new things have come. 2 Corinthians 5:17

--I have become the righteousness of God in Christ.
He made Him who knew no sin to be sin on our behalf, that we might become the righteousness ofGod in Him. 2 Corinthians 5:21

--I have been made one with all who are in Christ Jesus.
There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free man, there is neither male nor female; for you are all one in Christ Jesus. Galatians 3:28

--I am no longer a slave, but a child and an heir.
Therefore you are no longer a slave, but a son; and if a son, then an heir through God. Galatians 4:7

--I have been set free in Christ.
It was for freedom that Christ set us free; therefore keep standing firm and do not be subject again to a yoke of slavery. Galatians 5:1

--I have been blessed with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places.
Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places in Christ. Ephesians 1:3

--I am chosen, holy, and blameless before God.
just as He chose us in Him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and blameless before Him. Ephesians 1:4

--I am redeemed and forgiven by the grace of Christ.
In Him we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of His grace. Ephesians 1:7

--I have been predestined by God to obtain an inheritance.
In Him also we have obtained an inheritance, having been predestined according to His purpose who works all things after the counsel of His will. Ephesians 1:10-11

--I have been sealed with the Holy Spirit of promise.
In Him, you also, after listening to the message of truth, the gospel of your salvation—having also believed, you were sealed in Him with the Holy Spirit of promise. Ephesians 1:13

--Because of God’s mercy and love, I have been made alive with Christ.
But God, being rich in mercy, because of His great love with which He loved us, even when we were dead in our transgressions, made us alive together with Christ (by grace you have been saved). Ephesians 2:4-5

--I am seated in the heavenly places with Christ.
He has raised us up with Him, and seated us with Him in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus. Ephesians 2:6

--I am God’s workmanship (masterpiece, work of art) created to produce good works.
For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand so that we would walk in them. Ephesians 2:10

--I have been brought near to God by the blood of Christ.
But now in Christ Jesus you who formerly were far off have been brought near by the blood of Christ. Ephesians 2:13

--I am a member of Christ’s body and a partaker of His promise.
the Gentiles are fellow heirs and fellow members of the body, and fellow partakers of the promise in Christ Jesus through the gospel. Ephesians 3:6; 5:30

--I have boldness and confident access to God through faith in Christ.
in whom we have boldness and confident access through faith in Him. Ephesians 3:12

--My new self is righteous and holy.
put on the new self, which in the likeness of God has been created in righteousness and true holiness. Ephesians 4:24

--I was formerly darkness, but now I am light in the Lord.
you were formerly darkness, but now you are light in the Lord; walk as children of light. Ephesians 5:8

--I am a citizen of heaven.
For our citizenship is in heaven, from which also we eagerly wait for a Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ. Philippians 3:20

--The peace of God guards my heart and mind.
And the peace of God, which surpasses all comprehension, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. Philippians 4:7

--God supplies all my needs.
And my God will supply all your needs according to His riches in glory in Christ Jesus. Philippians 4:19

--I have been made complete in Christ.
in Him you have been made complete, and He is the head over all rule and authority. Colossians 2:10

--I have been raised up in a spiritual resurrection with Christ
Therefore if you have been raised up with Christ, keep seeking the things above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. Colossians 3:1

--My life is hidden with Christ in God.
For you have died and your life is hidden with Christ in God. Colossians 3:3

--Christ is my life, and I will be revealed with Him in glory.
When Christ, who is our life, is revealed, then you also will be revealed with Him in glory. Colossians 3:4

--I have been chosen of God, and I am holy and beloved.
So, as those who have been chosen of God, holy and beloved, put on a heart of compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience. Colossians 3:12

--God loves me and has chosen me.
knowing, brethren beloved by God, His choice of you. 1 Thessalonians 1:4


The more we embrace these truths from Scripture about who we have become in Christ, the more stable, grateful, and fully assured we will be in this world.

[TGBTG]

Hey Bro Sam,

Who's that in your avatar?

[mfblume]

Someone has been reading Neil Anderson.

[Apprehended]

Originally Posted by Sam

1 John 5:1 says, "If you believe that Jesus is the Christ --that He is God's Son and your Savior-- then you are a child of God"
As children of God we have special privileges and access to our Heavenly Father. He loves us deeply and thinks very highly of us.
But, some times we let someone put us down and some times we even put ourselves down.
In Revelation 12:10 it says that satan is the accuser of God's children and we often listen to his accusations and even agree with him.

Below is a list of some of the things we are in Christ and what we have in Christ.
These are things that God says about you so you know they are true.
It's good to read these things and to think about these things and to even confess them aloud.
Jim Ellis


Who Does God Say I Am?

Here is a list of biblical affirmations about our identity in Jesus Christ that is derived from a few selected passages in the New Testament. This is just a portion of the many truths about who we have become through faith in God’s Son, but it is a powerful inventory to review from time to time:

--I am a child of God.
But as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God, even to those who believe in His name. John 1:12

--I am a branch of the true vine, and a conduit of Christ’s life.
I am the true vine, and My Father is the vinedresser. I am the vine, you are the branches; he who abides in Me and I in him, he bears much fruit, for apart from Me you can do nothing. John 15:1, 5

-- I am a friend of Jesus.
No longer do I call you slaves, for the slave does not know what his master is doing; but I have called you friends, for all things that I have heard from My Father I have made known to you. John 15:15

-- I have been justified and redeemed.
Being justified as a gift by His grace through the redemption which is in Christ Jesus. Romans 3:24

--My old self was crucified with Christ, and I am no longer a slave to sin.
Knowing this, that our old self was crucified with Him, in order that our body of sin might be done away with, that we would no longer be slaves to sin. Romans 6:6

--I will not be condemned by God.
There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus. Romans 8:1
He that hears my word and believes in Him who sent me, has everlsting life, and will not come into condemnation but is passed from death unto life. John 5:24

-- I have been set free from the law of sin and death.
For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus has set you free from the law of sin and of death. Romans 8:2

--As a child of God, I am a fellow heir with Christ.
And if children, heirs also, heirs of God and fellow heirs with Christ, if indeed we suffer with Him in order that we may also be glorified with Him. Romans 8:17

-- I have been accepted by Christ.
Therefore, accept one another, just as Christ also accepted us to the glory of God. Romans 15:7

--I am a saint, one of God’s holy (sanctifed) people
To the church of God which is at Corinth, to those who have been sanctified in Christ Jesus, saints by calling, with all who in every place call upon the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, their Lord and ours. 1 Corinthians 1:1;
Ephesians 1:1; Philippians 1:1; Colossians 1:2

--In Christ Jesus, I have wisdom, righteousness, sanctification, and redemption.
But by His doing you are in Christ Jesus, who became to us wisdom from God, and righteousness and sanctification, and redemption. 1 Corinthians 1:30

-- My body is a temple of the Holy Spirit. Jesus lives in me as the Holy Spirit
Know you not that you are the temple of God and that the Spirit of God dwells in you? 1 Corinthians 3:16. Christ in you is the hope of glory Colossians 1:27

--I belong to Jesus
Do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit who is in you, whom you have from God, and that you are not your own? 1 Corinthians 6:19

--I am joined to the Lord and am one spirit with Him.
But the one who joins himself to the Lord is one spirit with Him. 1 Corinthians 6:17

--God leads me in the triumph and knowledge of Christ.
But thanks be to God, who always leads us in triumph in Christ, and manifests through us the sweet aroma of the knowledge of Him in every place. 2 Corinthians 2:14

--I am a new creature in Christ.
Therefore if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creature; the old things passed away; behold, new things have come. 2 Corinthians 5:17

--I have become the righteousness of God in Christ.
He made Him who knew no sin to be sin on our behalf, that we might become the righteousness ofGod in Him. 2 Corinthians 5:21

--I have been made one with all who are in Christ Jesus.
There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free man, there is neither male nor female; for you are all one in Christ Jesus. Galatians 3:28

--I am no longer a slave, but a child and an heir.
Therefore you are no longer a slave, but a son; and if a son, then an heir through God. Galatians 4:7

--I have been set free in Christ.
It was for freedom that Christ set us free; therefore keep standing firm and do not be subject again to a yoke of slavery. Galatians 5:1

--I have been blessed with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places.
Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places in Christ. Ephesians 1:3

--I am chosen, holy, and blameless before God.
just as He chose us in Him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and blameless before Him. Ephesians 1:4

--I am redeemed and forgiven by the grace of Christ.
In Him we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of His grace. Ephesians 1:7

--I have been predestined by God to obtain an inheritance.
In Him also we have obtained an inheritance, having been predestined according to His purpose who works all things after the counsel of His will. Ephesians 1:10-11

--I have been sealed with the Holy Spirit of promise.
In Him, you also, after listening to the message of truth, the gospel of your salvation—having also believed, you were sealed in Him with the Holy Spirit of promise. Ephesians 1:13

--Because of God’s mercy and love, I have been made alive with Christ.
But God, being rich in mercy, because of His great love with which He loved us, even when we were dead in our transgressions, made us alive together with Christ (by grace you have been saved). Ephesians 2:4-5

--I am seated in the heavenly places with Christ.
He has raised us up with Him, and seated us with Him in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus. Ephesians 2:6

--I am God’s workmanship (masterpiece, work of art) created to produce good works.
For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand so that we would walk in them. Ephesians 2:10

--I have been brought near to God by the blood of Christ.
But now in Christ Jesus you who formerly were far off have been brought near by the blood of Christ. Ephesians 2:13

--I am a member of Christ’s body and a partaker of His promise.
the Gentiles are fellow heirs and fellow members of the body, and fellow partakers of the promise in Christ Jesus through the gospel. Ephesians 3:6; 5:30

--I have boldness and confident access to God through faith in Christ.
in whom we have boldness and confident access through faith in Him. Ephesians 3:12

--My new self is righteous and holy.
put on the new self, which in the likeness of God has been created in righteousness and true holiness. Ephesians 4:24

--I was formerly darkness, but now I am light in the Lord.
you were formerly darkness, but now you are light in the Lord; walk as children of light. Ephesians 5:8

--I am a citizen of heaven.
For our citizenship is in heaven, from which also we eagerly wait for a Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ. Philippians 3:20

--The peace of God guards my heart and mind.
And the peace of God, which surpasses all comprehension, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. Philippians 4:7

--God supplies all my needs.
And my God will supply all your needs according to His riches in glory in Christ Jesus. Philippians 4:19

--I have been made complete in Christ.
in Him you have been made complete, and He is the head over all rule and authority. Colossians 2:10

--I have been raised up in a spiritual resurrection with Christ
Therefore if you have been raised up with Christ, keep seeking the things above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. Colossians 3:1

--My life is hidden with Christ in God.
For you have died and your life is hidden with Christ in God. Colossians 3:3

--Christ is my life, and I will be revealed with Him in glory.
When Christ, who is our life, is revealed, then you also will be revealed with Him in glory. Colossians 3:4

--I have been chosen of God, and I am holy and beloved.
So, as those who have been chosen of God, holy and beloved, put on a heart of compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience. Colossians 3:12

--God loves me and has chosen me.
knowing, brethren beloved by God, His choice of you. 1 Thessalonians 1:4


The more we embrace these truths from Scripture about who we have become in Christ, the more stable, grateful, and fully assured we will be in this world.

This is a great post, brother Sam. I believe every word of it.

However...

Imagine all of that without even ONE stipulation...'cept just believe!

Could you define "believe?"

[Austin]

I can! Believe, The revelation sent from Jesus in regard to the truth of something, or the facts concerning something that you should know. The same thing that Peter experienced before he received the Holy Ghost when he said," that art the Christ the Son of the living God" The confidence of something that can't be doubted.
Sorry I just had to jump on that one.

[Sam]

Originally Posted by Apprehended

...Could you define "believe?"

Some times we are accused of making it too easy or too simple when we talk about a person being saved or justified by faith. The way I understand it is that faith is not just mentally agreeing with some one or some thing. Faith results in action.

Hebrews chapter 11 is called “the faith chapter” or “God’s Hall of Fame.” Throughout the whole chapter we are given example after example of people of faith. In each case the faith of these people resulted in action. Over and over we read, “by faith, so and so DID such and such.” It is an action chapter. Joni Eareckson -Tada said, “Faith isn’t the ability to believe long and far into the misty future, It’s simply taking God at His Word and taking the next step.” Martin Luther King said, “Take the first step in faith. You don’t have to see the whole staircase, just the first step.”

These are some thoughts on faith. I’ve written some of them in my Bible in chapter 2 of the Book of James and chapter 11 of the Book of Hebrews. Some are attributed to the person who said or wrote them, others I don’t remember where I heard or saw them.

Faith is the root of salvation, works are the fruit.

Faith is believing things when common sense tells you not to.

“Faith is the arm that reaches out to take the gift that God offers” Martin Luther

“Faith alone saves, but the faith that saves is not alone.” John Calvin

“Faith is taking God at His word and believing that what He He has promised, He is able to perform. It is believing that not only is He able, but that He will do it.” Finis Dake

“Faith is the hand receiving and appropriating the divine Gift, and grasping all His treasures”
Herbert Lockyer

Feed your faith and your fears will starve to death.

“Faith is like radar that sees through the fog” Corrie ten Boom

“Faith is to believe what you do not see; the reward of this faith is to see what you believe” St. Augustine

“Faith is not even worthy of the name until it erupts into action,” Catherine Marshall

“Faith is never passive. It is an action word. It is not just mental assent. It demands a response --some kind of action,” Bill Bright

Doing, not doctrine, is the test of faith.

Faith is the bird that sings when the dawn is still dark.

Every tomorrow has two handles. We can take hold of it by the handle of anxiety or by the handle of faith.

“Faith is grasping the unrealities of hope and bringing them into the realm of reality.” Kenneth Hagin

Faith leads people to do what the men of the world cannot understand at all.
----------------------------------------------

Saving Faith" is believing in Jesus or believing on Jesus, or trusting in Jesus as Savior or committing one's self to Jesus for salvation.

Some people refer to this as "easy believism" or "greasy grace."

I’m not quite sure what “easy believism” is. I’ve heard the term before and I think it means just a mental assent to something or what we might call head faith. For example we could say we believe in George Washington or we believe in Abraham Lincoln This could mean that we accept the concept that there was indeed an historical person named George Washington and one named Abraham Lincoln. Many people believe in Jesus this way. Yes, there was years ago a person named Jesus who lived, taught, and died in the area we now call Israel. I don’t think that is what the Bible means when it speaks of believing in or having faith in Jesus Christ. James chapter 2 speaks of faith which is demonstrated by and accompanied by action contrasted with just saying we believe. The difference would be between head faith and heart faith or between living faith and dead faith. James 2:18 sarcastically says that just claiming to believe doesn’t mean much because the demons believe in one God and obviously they are not saved by that kind of faith. Some times we hear the term saving faith which would mean a trust in or surrender to Jesus.

John 1:12 says that if a person receives Jesus he then has the right to become a child of God. The term receive is then expanded to mean believing in His name. Acts 16:31 says "believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and thou shalt be saved." 1 John 5:1 says "If you believe that Jesus is the Christ --that He is God's Son and your Savior--then you are a child of God." Romans 10:9-10 says that if a person confesses with his mouth Jesus as Lord and believes in his heart that Jesus has risen from the dead, that person is saved. This is further explained that with the heart a person believes unto righteousness and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation. In other words, salvation occurs when a person believes in or trusts in Jesus. One of the pastors of the VCC where I used to go says he prefers to use the word trust instead of faith or believe. One of the Bibles I have regularly used, The Complete Jewish Bible, uses the words trust or trusting instead of faith, believe or believing.

These are a couple of notes from the Spirit Filled Life Bible, copyright 1991, Jack Hayford, General Editor. These notes attempt to define the words believe and faith as used in the Old and New Testaments.

Believe, Hebrew word aman, Strong’s number 539, To be firm, stable, established; also, to be firmly persuaded; to believe solidly. In its causative form aman means to believe, that is, to consider trustworthy. This is the word used in Gen 15:6, when Abraham believed in the Lord. ...From aman comes emunah, faith. The most famous derivative is amen which conveys this idea; It is solidly, firmly, surely true and verified and established.

Faith, Greek word pistis, Strong’s number 4102. Conviction, confidence, trust, belief, reliance, trustworthiness, and persuasion. In the NT setting, pistis is the divinely implanted principle of inward confidence, assurance, trust, and reliance in God and all that He says.

Believe, Greek word pistseuo, Strong's 4100, The verb form of pistis, faith. It means to trust in, have faith in, be fully convinced of, acknowledge, rely on. Pisteuo is more than credence in church doctrines or articles of faith. it expresses reliance upon and a personal trust that produces obedience. It includes submission and a positive confession of the lordship of Jesus.

This is a note from the preface of the Amplified Bible
...Acts 16:31 reads: Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and thou shalt be saved. What does the word believe mean? Webster defines it: to place credence...apart from personal knowledge; to expect or hope...to be more or less firmly persuaded of the truth of anything, to think or suppose. In this sense, most people believe in Christ --that He lived; that He was a perfect Man Who sincerely believed Himself to be the Son of God, and that He died on the cross to save sinners. But this is by no means the meaning of the Greek word which twenty-two New Testament versions out of twenty-four consulted render believe. They do so because there is no one English word that adequately conveys the intended meaning. Actually, the Greek word used here for believe is pisteuo. It means to adhere to, cleave to, to trust, to have faith in; to rely on. Consequently the words, Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ really mean to have an absolute personal reliance upon the Lord Jesus Christ as Savior.

This is the way Acts 16:31 reads in the Amplified Bible
31And they answered, Believe in the Lord Jesus Christ , give yourself up to Him, [take yourself out of your own keeping and entrust yourself into His keeping] and you will be saved, [and this applies both to] you and your household as well

[rgcraig]

Sam,

Your avatar creeps me out.

[Adam]

Originally Posted by rgcraig

Sam,

Your avatar creeps me out.

He should consult Mr. Smith's hairdresser.

[Sam]

Originally Posted by rgcraig

Sam,

Your avatar creeps me out.

Well, I change my Avatar pretty often.
The current one is LS, a popular UPC minister.
Some people have said I look like him.

In the past I have used a picture of George Clooney and also of Kenneth Haney and a lot of others. I guess it's about time to change it again.

[mfblume]

Originally Posted by rgcraig

Sam,

Your avatar creeps me out.