How do you typically describe or summarize yourself?

Do you think first of your roles? I’m a wife, mom, teacher, etc.

Or, maybe you think of your dreams or hobbies? I’m creative and I love to read.

Maybe your culture or background define how you see yourself…I’m American. I’m from the south and we love family and football.

And, all of these things would be true. They are good ways for people to understand our roles, our backgrounds, and our preferences.

But, as followers of Christ Jesus, we have been made new. We have a new identity. This identity informs all of the other identities we hold. We aren’t just a mom anymore. We are a Christian mom who seeks to be an example for our kids and lead them to Christ.

With this in mind, let’s look at 10 ways the gospel changes our identity. The purpose of this list is to inform, encourage, change, and inspire us to live in a way that our number one identity is follower of Christ.

10 Ways the Gospel Changes Our Identity

In Philippians 3:8 NKJV, Paul says, “Yet indeed I also count all things loss for the excellence of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord, for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and count them as rubbish, that I may gain Christ.”

For Paul, nothing in this world was as important as knowing Jesus. NOTHING! He counted it all as rubbish when set up against having Christ. This is how important it is to have our identity completely in Christ.

1. We go from Death to Life.

As for you, you were dead in your transgressions and sins,  in 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.  All of us also lived among them at one time, gratifying the cravings of our flesh and following its desires and thoughts. Like the rest, we were by nature deserving of wrath.  

Ephesians 2:1-5 NIV

I would encourage anyone struggling with identity in Christ to read Ephesians 1-3 and to especially focus in on the contrasts presented in chapter 2.

Paul reminds the church that we were once dead in our sins. We followed the flesh and were earning wrath, but because God is rich in mercy and grace, we are alive in Christ!

2.We were far off but now brought near.

Remember that at that time you were separate from Christ, excluded from citizenship in Israel and foreigners to the covenants of the promise, without hope and without God in the world.  But now in Christ Jesus you who once were far away have been brought near by the blood of Christ.

Ephesians 2:12-13 NIV

Once we were separated from Christ, excluded from the promise, and without hope and God. Now, because of Jesus’ finished work on the cross, we are brought near to God. That is worthy of praise!!

3. We go from Foreigner to Family.

Consequently, you are no longer foreigners and strangers, but fellow citizens with God’s people and also members of his household,  built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, with Christ Jesus himself as the chief cornerstone.

Ephesians 2:19-20 NIV

Before salvation, God considered us strangers and foreigners because of the sin we held on to so tightly. But now, our new identity in Christ means we are family-“members of His household.”

4. We go from Lost to Found.

But we had to celebrate and be glad, because this brother of yours was dead and is alive again; he was lost and is found.

Luke 15:32 NIV

When we humbly surrender to Christ, we are no longer like lost sheep or wandering prodigals. He adopts us into His family. We are found by Him and have a place to be welcomed and belong.

5. We were enemies, but now are at peace with God.

For if, while we were God’s enemies, we were reconciled to him through the death of his Son, how much more, having been reconciled, shall we be saved through his life!

Romans 5:10 NIV

Even though we were considered God’s enemies, Christ died on that cross for us. We were reconciled, restored our peace, to God. That same peace can be a part of our every day lives if we only trust and rest in Him.

6. We went from condemned to saved.

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.  For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him. Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe stands condemned already because they have not believed in the name of God’s one and only Son. 

John 3:16-18 NIV

Jesus told Nicodemus that God did not send him to condemn the world, but that those who do not believe are already condemned by their unbelief. Thankfully, our belief in Christ Jesus means that we are saved through Him.

7. We were slaves and now we are free.

Since the children have flesh and blood, he too shared in their humanity so that by his death he might break the power of him who holds the power of death—that is, the devil—  and free those who all their lives were held in slavery by their fear of death. 

Hebrews 2:14-15 NIV

Christ shared in our humanity so that his death, as the perfect sacrifice, would break the power of death and the devil. What a wonderful Savior to suffer and die in our place so we could be free from the bond of slavery to fear and death.

8. We were hopeless but now have living hope.

Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! In his great mercy he has given us new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead,

1 Peter 1:3 NIV

Remember that Ephesians 2:12 says before Christ that we were “without hope.” Living hope! Christ is alive. We don’t have to fear death but can look forward to a glorious future in heaven with our Lord.

9. We were destined for nothing but now have an inheritance.

and into an inheritance that can never perish, spoil or fade. This inheritance is kept in heaven for you,  who through faith are shielded by God’s power until the coming of the salvation that is ready to be revealed in the last time. 

1 Peter 1:4

Just picking up the rest of Peter’s message in verse 4, we see that because of Christ giving us new birth, we have an inheritance of treasures in heaven. Not just any inheritance but one that will never perish, spoil, or fade. It is kept in heaven for us by our faithful, King who sits at the right hand throne of God. You can rejoice. You are an heir with Christ. You are royalty!

10.We were in darkness, but now walk in light.

But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, God’s special possession, that you may declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light.

1 Peter 2:9 NIV

I wanted to close with this verse because it says so much about how God sees us. We are CHOSEN. We are ROYAL PRIESTS. We are part of a HOLY NATION. We are GOD’S SPECIAL POSSESSION.

We can declare His praises! He has brought us out of darkness and into light. Let’s walk in that light. Never doubt who you are to Him. He has given you this identity out of love. Let the gospel inform your identity.

Teaching Your Children or Teens About their Identity in Christ

It is so important that our kids know exactly what God says about them. The world pushes it’s own narrative of who you are to be and how you should act and what defines you. As Christians parents, we have an obligation to set a Biblical worldview in our homes.

You can use these verses on a daily as a reminder of our identity in Christ. Right living comes from right thinking. God has called us to be holy and we start by knowing who we are in Him. A grateful heart moves us to act in accordance with who He has called us to be.

Consider also these resources to reinforce these ideas to your children (and yourself):

• How to Praise Children with Purpose
• Live Like Jesus
• Teach Them to Be the Light Lesson
• Christian Family Goals Examples