Real Hope: Identity in ChristSample

Who Am I?

We often define ourselves by a standard identity: What do you do? Who are you related to? Who are your friends? What team do you support? Your wealth, possessions, academic achievements? Where you live? Where do you holiday? and so on. We spend a lot of time cultivating our identity. In recent years social media has ushered in the role of ‘influencer’. It’s all about how and who you portray yourself as, and how awesome you appear because you do things and have ‘stuff’ and thus how desirable you appear to be to everyone else.

Genesis 1 tells us that our identity is defined by God because we are created by Him – we are in His image. We are unique and special and bear His mark.

As Zephaniah writes (3:17a), ‘The LORD your God is with you, the Mighty Warrior who saves. He will take great delight in you.’ John says in 1 John 3:1a, ‘See what great love the Father has lavished on us, that we should be called children of God!’

And that is who we are!

We have a new identity in Christ. There is freedom in being in Jesus. God provides reassurance and foundation that provides our true identity. It doesn’t mean we become perfect (unfortunately) but it does mean that our lives have purpose, meaning and context because of what God has done through Jesus.

Simply, we are God’s beloved children. Let us rejoice and be glad in that. That is enough.

Written by DAVID BARKER