(Pt.5) ~ Who We Are In Christ: Not Guilty?

Who We Are "In Christ"
In Search Of Our Identity~(Part 5)
Not Guilty?
Questions Answered

Folks? By now you've either decided to investigate these facts for yourself, or not. It is my sincerest prayer that you have decided to approach all of this by the unction of the Spirit, and a free~will intellect seeking to understand the most you can about God and our relationship with Him.

That being said:

Having a proper understanding of our identity in Christ greatly depends on how we view God's forgiveness toward us. If we see ourselves as unforgiven or not worthy of forgiveness, in my opinion, it perverts our understanding of God's love. In a world where forgiveness has to be earned or paid for, complete and unconditional forgiveness is sometimes difficult to understand, especially by those of us that have been taught otherwise. However, the scriptures will tell us that this is the way God has forgiven us.

Please listen to what will be said here very closely, and make your mind up for yourself concerning God's forgiveness. Please know, that without Truthfully understanding God's forgiveness, we'll never really understand one of the most important things about our God, and our relationship with Him. This holds true no matter what your view.

When Christ died on the cross, His last words were, "It is finished." In other words, "The payment for sin has been satisfied." Please make no mistake here. When Christ came to us here on this earth, He was on a multi-task mission. One part was to purge Heaven of satan's sin (another whole topic in itself), and the other was to save US! One of the things He came to do for us was to adequately deal with our sin.

Sin exists for us in three time frames... past, present and future. If Christ had failed to deal with any one of these, it would be impossible for Him to "save" us from anything! Right? But He was successful in all phases of His mission, both upon this earth and in heaven. THIS is the freedom we have as children of God.

2 Corinthians 5:19 says, God is "no longer counting men's sins against them."
"All the prophets testify about Him that everyone who believes in Him receives forgiveness of sins through His name." ~ Acts 10:43

This scripture reveals that all the prophets testified about Jesus. It also says that the way we receive forgiveness of our sins is to "believe" in Jesus. In light of this verse, the prophets in the Old Testament were expecting the Messiah to bring us to a place of forgiveness. Jesus fulfilled that expectation in all ways.

According to this verse, when we put our faith in Christ, what do we receive? Our forgiveness. After this, there is no need to seek and re-seek that which has already been given you! Thus, a huge part of our "new" identity in Christ is that we are a "forgiven" person. But let's not stop here.

"I will rescue you from your own people and from the Gentiles. I am sending you to them to open their eyes and turn them from darkness to light, the power of satan to God, so that they may receive forgiveness of sins and a place among those who are sanctified by faith in me." - Acts 26:17-18

Glory To God! Let's take a minute and see what was said here! Paul makes it clear that his mission is to "open their eyes". He says that before coming to Christ we are under satan's power. Upon putting our faith in "Christ Alone", we WILL receive forgiveness of sins, removing us from the power of satan! We are also "sanctified" (found not guilty!) because of and through our faith in "Christ Alone!"

If we are forgiven and sanctified (found not guilty) when we put our faith in"Christ", their is no need to be sanctified (found not guilty!) and forgiven at any subsequent time after our salvation! Glory To God! When we become children of God, we receive Forgiveness and Eternal Life as part of our Godly Inheritance! Thank You, God, for what you have done for us! Amen!

"For He has rescued us from the dominion of darkness and brought us into the Kingdom of the Son He loves, in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins!" - Colossians 1: 13, 14

What has God rescued us from? The dominion of darkness! If it were not a done deal, this scripture would have read, "in Whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins, if you constantly ask for it!" Sound a little funny to you? Me too! Plainly, "In Christ", we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins! We were redeemed at the point of having faith (believing in and accepting) Christ. We were forgiven at the same time. According to this verse, our forgiveness and redemption are already ours. We DO NOT need to ask for them on a daily basis.

In light of all the previous scriptures mentioned in this particular writ, it is quite clear that our forgiveness was complete on the day we put our faith in Christ. Are we willing to rest in the fact that we are totally forgiven and that there is nothing we can do to "add" to His forgiveness? It's a very important question. The conclusion you have may completely transform your relationship with God. Give it some deep thought!

'Then He adds, "Their sins and lawless acts I will remember no more." And where these have been forgiven, there is no longer ANY sacrifice for sin"!- Hebrews 10:17, 18

As plain as this scripture is, many do not have the courage to look into the Truth because of "previous mis-understanding through teaching". God WILL NOT remember our sins any longer. He won't remember them because they have been forgiven!

If God has forgiven our sins and remembers them no more, how then, should "we" look at our sins? As forgiven and forgotten. This understanding does something for the believer that nothing but the Truth can... It sets you FREE! You are now FREE to fully realize your "FREEDOM" from sin and REST in the TOTAL ASSURANCE in your FUTURE! Realizing this, is there anything to be "fearful" of in your relationship with God? NO! NO! NO! And what does scripture say about this other than "PERFECT LOVE DRIVES AWAY FEAR!" GLORY!

"There is no fear in love. But perfect love drives out fear, because fear has to do with punishment. The one who fears is NOT made perfect in love. We love because He first loved us." - 1 John 4:18, 19

According to this verse, anyone who remains "fearful" in their relationship with God has an underlying problem. Most of these problems are the direct result of mis-understanding God's intentions and works toward you. Instead of the love of God being the most abundant and prevalent thing in our hearts and minds toward God and others, we are "fearful". Fearful of God's judgment... We wonder at what times He may look at us in "acceptance" and when He looks upon us with "rejection". We know we are less than perfect... But if we think God's acceptance of us hinges on our "performance" or our ability to beg, we'll miss the greater part of how He really feels about us and what He, in His all-knowing deity, has really done for us to insure our eternal well-being.

There is something that "drives out fear": Love. This whole scenario can be best explained by examining the parallels in the traditional Jewish Wedding. When Christ calls us "His Bride", He is speaking in terms that everyone back then would have understood. The Jews are God's chosen people. By examining this traditional ceremony, we can more fully understand what God is saying to us.

There are a few things that are revealed through this custom, some of them quite astonishing and new to our understanding. It is a topic in itself and one I hope to blog in the future, but the point I wish to immediately focus on here, is that Christ FIRST chose US to be His bride. We, then, make a decision to accept His marriage by being "born again". Thus, we love Him because He "first loved us!" Glory To His Name! As a born again child of God, we now await to drink from the "fourth cup"... the cup of "consummation" which now awaits us in Heaven, to be shared between us... and Christ... GLORY!

So, with this "Bride and Groom" theme that is most dominant in scripture and the "love - fear" Truth that is brought forth in the scripture above, we can discern a few different things:

• If we are "fearful" in our relationship with God, we are not "perfect in love".
• We cannot be fearful and loving at the same time
• Should any bride "fear" the Groom? No!
• We love God ONLY because He first loved us.
• Correctly understanding or mis-understanding God's love and forgiveness affects "every" circumstance and action governing our lives as Christians.
• If you can fully realize you are forgiven, it will take away your fear of God's judgment, assure you of your eternal acceptance, and set you free to live the life God intends for you in total peace, joy, love and certain confidence that God has dealt with your sin -- "Once And For All!"

"Therefore, brothers, since we have confidence to enter the Most Holy Place by the blood of Jesus, by a new and living way opened for us through the curtain, that is, His body, and since we have a great priest over the house of God, let us draw near to God with a sincere heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled to cleanse us from a guilty conscience and having our bodies washed with pure water. Let us hold "unswervingly" to the hope we profess, for He who promised is faithful" - (Hebrews 10: 19-23)

Wow! Jesus opened the way for us to the Most Holy Place by His life's blood sacrifice for our sin. The "Most Holy Place" is the very Throne Room of God! Jesus is our "Great Priest!" Knowing that you are forgiven should give you "full confidence" to approach God! The ONLY thing that cleanses us from a guilty conscience is "being sprinkled" by the blood of Jesus! We can now draw near unto God faith a sincere heart and an attitude of "full assurance" that we have been sanctified (found not guilty) and eternally accepted by God as a child of God!

In verse 23, it's important to note that "Jesus" is the One that is faithful... NOT us! So, then, it is very important for us to realize that we are totally forgiven! If He had left any part of our salvation up to us, rest assured, we would have screwed it up... It's inevitable!

"In Him and through faith in Him we may approach God with freedom and confidence" - (Ephesians 3:12)

Starting to dawn on you yet? The ONLY way we can approach God in freedom and confidence is in Jesus and our faith in Him (which includes what He has done for us). To approach God in freedom and confidence means you must "KNOW" you have been accepted by God, "once and for all"! That freedom is ours to be had!

We have seen that our relationship with God should be greatly affected by the forgiveness Christ has provided. Is there any reason why you are not experiencing freedom and confidence in your relationship with God? If so, are you willing to let go of it and by faith accept the fact that as a child of God you are totally forgiven?

Our understanding of God's forgiveness has a lot to do with how we treat other people, also. If we have never experienced God's love and forgiveness for ourselves, it would be very hard to be a loving and forgiving person toward others. Make sense to you?

"Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as Christ God FORGAVE you..." -- (Ephesians 4:32)

As you can well see, the way you view God's forgiveness toward you will surely determine how you apply the wisdom of the above scripture to your life. This scripture points out that we are to forgive others as Christ "forgave" (notice the past tense that is very specific in this scripture) us. God forgave us because of His kindness and compassion toward us. If God has forgiven us totally and unconditionally, we SHOULD forgive others in the same way... But do we? How often do we require that the other person "ask" our forgiveness before we "try" to forgive them? How often do we put forth our best effort to forgive and seek forgiveness just because we think it a "command" that our very salvation hinges on? And even when we "try" to do these things, how often are we really successful?

If we see ourselves as unforgiven, or conditionally forgiven, being constantly in danger of punishment, just like sinners who have never been saved, how will we treat others? I don't need to answer that one for you... But if we see ourselves as totally forgiven, how then would you treat others? You could easily learn that it is within you to have forgiven most trespasses before they even occur... Making the process an already done deal... Drastic difference isn't it?

"Therfore, as God's chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience! Bear with each other and forgive whatever grievance you may have against one another. Forgive as the Lord "forgave" (past tense) you." -- (Colossians 3:12 & 13)

This is very revealing wisdom in that it describes God's chosen people as people clothed in compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience... A people that bears with one another and a people that forgives all grievances between themselves... Forgiving each other in the same manner as God forgave them... Oh. And this is done in the "heart" of His people. It's not referring to "lip service" here. Does this accurately describe us? If not, we've missed something very important in our understanding of God. A forgiving spirit is totally natural for God's people. This is because it is the personality of Christ in the believer.

Christ forgave us of "all" our sins. So, we are to forgive ALL grievances we have against others... ALL... "Once and for all"... This means those of the past, those of the present, and yes, those of the future. Your reward will be "YOUR" freedom!

Forgiveness is at the very root of our identity in Christ. His unconditional love for us that He demonstrated by dying for us on the cross is what gives us the power to draw near unto God... And to love others ~~

~~~~~~~~~~~~~To Be Continued~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

(Pt.3) Your Identity Continued

A person has no identity apart from a relationship with someone or something else. That is why we latch on to practically anything in our desperate need to discover who we are. We determine our identity through our appearance, occupation, abilities, family relationships, friends, denominational affiliation -- The list is absolutely endless.

As a born again Christian, God is the Potter 

of your vessel and everything about you... 

IF you'll let Him.

Identity, however, is a "spiritual" need. Who we truly are is determined by our relationshipwith Jesus Christ. This is the only way you will find out who you really are - through the One who created you! When we are identified with Him, we have an identity that cannot be shaken or taken away. It's an identity that is more wonderful than we could ever imagine.

Unfortunately, the tragedy of "Modern-Day Christianity" is our utter ignorance of who we are in Christ! As a result, many Christians struggle, wondering if God really loves them, if God ever did love them, or if God "still" loves them. The believers identity in Christ is not a side issue; it is central to experiencing the "Real" Christian life!

1 Corinthians 15:22 says, "22For as in Adam all die, so in Christ all will be made alive."

Where does the road you walk go? 

Into death with Adam? 

Or eternal life in Christ?

From God's point of view, there are only two kinds of people in this world. Their identities are determined by whom they are identified with. According to the verse above, we are either identified with Adam, which is "spiritually dead" in relation to our relationship with God and lost in our sin, or we are identified with Christ, which makes us "born-again" unto God spiritually, with the "old self" dead and gone...

To be "in Adam" or "in Christ" may be strange language to us. Biblically, to be "in" someone means that person is our family head. As such, he has left us his name, his nature, an inheritance, and a destiny.

The "destiny" for those that are "in Adam", is unbelief and ultimately, separation from God. The destiny for those that are "in Christ", is one of belief in God, and total and eternal acceptance by God, that we may have eternal life. "Eternal life" is our inheritance from God! Magnificent, isn't it?!

Let's face it. Eternal means eternal. If we could lose our relationship with God once He has accepted and forgiven us, God's Word could not have said "eternal" could it? If we had a relationship with God for let's say 10 years, then we think we can "lose" that acceptance, then we've had life for 10 years... There wasn't anything eternal about it, was it?...To think that anyone can "lose" their salvation, is to be ignorant of the "Whole Truth" that God has given us. There is a great deal of what God is trying to tell us that has either been mis-understood, or not realized at all by the born-again believer. The Word of God does say "eternal", doesn't it? That's what it says, and that's what I'm going to believe.

Every human being is born into the world "in Adam". That means we are born with the same nature, inheritance, and destiny that Adam possessed after his fall. Let's take a closer look at the inheritance left to us by Adam.

Romans 5:19 says, "19For just as through the disobedience of the one man the many were made sinners, so also through the obedience of the one man the many will be made righteous."

As revealed above, through the disobedience of one man, we were made sinners through our sinful nature. The one man was Adam. Therefore, our identity in Adam is a "sinner", when we are born into this world, depicting the inevitable sinner we will become because of our nature...

Romans 5:12 - "12Therefore, just as sin entered the world through one man, and death through sin, and in this way death came to all men, because all sinned"

Sin entered the world through *one man. This one man was Adam. Death entered the world through sin. As a result of this, *death came to all men. God wasn't speaking of physical death to our bodies. He didn't address that until later. God was speaking of *"spiritual death"! This death was brought upon us because of "sin". Therefore, the *"inheritance" we have been given in Adam, is a sinful nature and spiritual death because of sin.

Ephesians 2:1-3 says, "1As for you, you were dead in your transgressions and sins, 2in which you used to live when you followed the ways of this world and of the ruler of the kingdom of the air, the spirit who is now at work in those who are disobedient. 3All of us also lived among them at one time, gratifying the cravings of our sinful nature and following its desires and thoughts. Like the rest, we were by *nature objects of wrath."
 
In this scripture, our condition before we knew Christ was that we are "dead in our transgressions and sins". We "follow" the ways of this world and the ruler of the "kingdom of the air" (saTan). satan is the "spirit who is now at work in those who are disobedient (the sinner). The sinner will seek to gratify the cravings of the sinful nature (within all of us before Christ) and following it's (sinful nature) desires and thoughts. By our very nature in Adam we are nothing more than "objects of God's WRATH"... Not a very pretty picture is it?

So. What type of *nature did Adam pass on to us as our family head? A *sinful nature, we are objects of wrath and we are doomed to a lifestyle of sin... Still want to be "In Adam"?

As we've seen thus far, all of us are *born into the world as unavoidable sinners. We were born totally controlled by our flesh. As a result, we were by nature, objects of wrath. This is the identity Adam passed on to us -- an identity we received through birth. For this identity to change requires a "new birth".

John 3:3-6 states: ”3In reply Jesus declared, "I tell you the truth, no one can see the kingdom of God unless he is born again."4"How can a man be born when he is old?" Nicodemus asked. "Surely he cannot enter a second time into his mother's womb to be born!"5Jesus answered, "I tell you the truth, no one can enter the kingdom of God unless he is born of water and the Spirit. 6Flesh gives birth to flesh, but the Spirit gives birth to spirit.”

As revealed in these scriptures, for a person to see and enter the Kingdom of God we must be "born again". John describes being born of water as "flesh gives birth to flesh". But the kind of birth Jesus refers to when He says, "You must be born again", is a new "spiritual" birth.

Physically, we are born "in Adam" and he (Adam) is our family head. When we are "born again" of the "Spirit" of God, our family head changes. God is then our family head through being "born again" spiritually unto God. Thus we have a "new identity". This new identity is from God Himself.

When Nicodemus heard Jesus say you must be born again, Nicodemus asked, How can this be?" If you think about it, probably every one of us would have asked the same thing. So, how can you be born again? Jesus gives the answer in the famous passage of John 3:16.

16"For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life."

Jesus paid the price for the sin of the entire WORLD. 

But salvation is not about forgiveness of sin only. 

It is a matter of receiving ETERNAL LIFE instead of 

eternal death! In Christ, you have LIFE! 

That is salvation my friends: LIFE is salvation!

This is absolutely astounding in that God did not "have" to do any of this for us! As revealed in this scripture, God's sole motivation to give His one and only Son as a sacrifice for our sins was His Love for us! If we were to be saved, Jesus was the only sacrifice in all of earth and Heaven that was good enough to pay the price. None other would do.

What must we do, according to this scripture, to receive eternal life? Simple. The answer is so simple, it confounds the wise. We simply need to know we need a Savior, turn to Jesus and "BELIEVE IN JESUS CHRIST"! Now. To be 'born again", what need we do according to this scripture? Yep. You got it... "Turn to Jesus as our Lord (repent)", and "BELIEVE IN JESUS CHRIST" (have faith in Him only and His complete work on the cross and resurrection)!

John 1:12-13 – “12Yet to all who received him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God! 13children born not of natural descent, nor of human decision or a husband's will, but born of God.”

This scripture is also phenomenal when realizing who we are "in Christ". It plainly says when we receive Jesus Christ we get the right to become "children of God"! We receive Christ through believing faith. As a child of God, whom are we born to? God! John distinctly contrasts being born of natural descent and being born of God. I think he does this because he wants us to clearly see the difference and realize what has happened to us!

So. If we believe in Jesus Christ and are "born again", what is your new identity? Simply, we are a "Child of God"...

Romans 8:15-17 -- "15For you did not receive a spirit that makes you a slave again to fear, but you received the Spirit of son-ship. And by him we cry, "Abba, Father." 16The Spirit himself testifies with our spirit that we are God's children. 17Now if we are children, then we are heirs. Heirs of God and co-heirs with Christ, if indeed we share in his sufferings in order that we may also share in his glory."

Focusing on this scripture, when we are born again of the Spirit of God, we received a "Spirit of sonship"! Paul starkly contrasts this to a "spirit of fear". Evidently, Paul knew that many were and would in the future mis-interpret their relationship with God as one as was under the Old Covenant. But Paul is trying to reveal something new to us!

"Fear is the beginning of Godly knowledge and wisdom. 

But the end result is LOVE, that CASTS out all fear."

In Ephesians 2:3, we learned that "in Adam" we were all, by nature, objects of wrath, and our natural response to God is one of "fear". But in Proverbs's, we are told that the fear of God is the "BEGINNING" of understanding. It said nothing of it (fear) being the end result... Quite the contrary... The Word tells us that "perfect love drives out fear". In light of these things, we can conclude that it is very important for us to understand that when we are born again, we DO NOT receive a spirit that makes us a slave to fear!

Because we have received the Spirit of son-ship, we should be crying out, "ABBA, FATHER!" The Spirit of God should testify to our human spirits that WE ARE GOD'S CHILDREN!!! Because we are children of God, we have become HEIRS! Heirs to God! All that God has is now ours! Because we are children of God, we are "CO-HEIRS" with CHRIST! Good God, Almighty! Co-Heirs with CHRIST!

"We have received an inheritance! An eternal, glorious, unspeakable, Spiritual inheritance! ... From none other than God, Himself!"

In summary of this part, a person's identity is determined by the one he is identified with. From God's vantage point, a person is either identified with *Adam or with Jesus Christ. If you are identified with *Adam, you are a sinner and your identity is eternal separation from God -- death. If you are identified with Jesus Christ, you are a child of God and your destiny is eternal life.

Your identity can change through "new birth". If you are still "*in Adam", are you willing to receive Jesus Christ by believing in His name and experiencing "new birth" in Christ? You can do so by simply asking Jesus to come into your heart.

If you wish to do so right now, here is a suggested prayer:

Please pray with me and receive 

Jesus into your heart now, while 

the reviving power of the Holy 

Spirit is upon your heart!

Lord Jesus? I need You. I recognize that I was born into this world a slave to my sinful nature, spiritually separated from You since my first decision and I am in need of "life in Christ". Thank You for dying for the forgiveness of my sins and then for being raised from the dead so You could come and give me life! I now receive You into my heart! Take control of my life and teach me about Your Love and the inheritance I now have as a child of God! Thank You, God, for coming into my heart and for giving me eternal life... In Your Name Jesus I pray only, as You are the only source of anything which I seek! Amen...

If you prayed to receive Christ, you are now a child of God! You have a new identity, a new nature, and a new destiny. Throughout the rest of this particular series of study, we'll take a closer look at just what it means to be a "child of God" and the eternal inheritance we have as His Children...

Glory To God Only... Amen & Amen...