Identity in Christ

How many times have we seen others around us fall down spiritually and struggle to get back up because of the shame that they feel? How many times in our own spiritual walk with Christ do we feel like we are failing? And it may not be for something huge, it may be for something small. Yet no matter what it is, often when we fall short, we feel like we have let God down- like we have failed as a Christian. 

But the truth of the matter is: that is a big fat lie. Satan, after all, is the “Father of Lies”

"You belong to your father, the devil, and you want to carry out your father's desires. He was a murderer from the beginning, not holding to the truth, for there is no truth in him. When he lies, he speaks his native language, for he is a liar and the father of lies." - John 8:44

One of the biggest lies that Satan tells us- and tells us often- is that we have let God down or that we aren’t good enough for him. It literally says in the Bible that Satan is the “Accuser of the brethren.” In Revelation 12:10, the Bible says that Satan is the accuser of the brethren and goes before the Lord night and day accusing them.

The devil wants to attack our identity in Christ just like he did to Jesus himself when Jesus was tempted in the desert.

Matthew 4:3 says, “Then the tempter approached Him and said, ‘If you are the Son of God, tell these stones to become bread.”

“IF” is the beginning of doubt. “IF you are the Son of God…”-or for us- “IF you are a child of God…”  

The devil wants to instill doubt. He wants to attack our identity in Christ and our worthiness to Him. Satan wants God’s people to feel unworthy. He wants us to feel like we aren’t good enough because feeling like we aren’t good enough keeps us distant; it keeps us feeling shameful.  

And yes, we aren’t good enough. But that doesn’t matter to God. He knows that we are sinful people. “For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God,” (Romans 3:23)

He knows that we can never measure up until we are perfected in him when we are reunited with Him. But the thing is- God doesn’t care about any of that. 

He loves us because he loves us. 

We are gifted with righteousness because He says we are. That is part of the gift. It isn’t something that is earned- it is something that is given and given freely.

Ephesians 2:8-9, “For you are saved by grace through faith, and this is not from yourselves; it is God’s gift- not from works, so that no man can boast.”

As we have just gone through this Easter season and Holy Week, we have a fresh remembrance of what Christ did on the cross.

“He made the one who did not know sin to be sin for us, so that in Him we might become the righteousness of God,” - 2 Corinthians 5:21

If salvation was something that had to be earned, his work would be all for nothing. But it wasn’t for nothing. It was for everything. Every sin, every failed attempt, every set back, everything. We are washed totally clean when we accept him into our lives and follow after him.

1 Peter 1:18-19, “For you know that you were redeemed from your empty way of life inherited from your ancestors, not with perishable things like silver or gold, but with the precious blood of Christ, like that of an unblemished and spotless lamb.”

So these setbacks that we face, no matter how big or small,  can never separate us from the love of Christ or the work that he did on the cross. Just as Romans 8:38-39 states, “ For I am persuaded that neither death nor life, nor angels not rulers, nor things present nor things to come, nor powers, nor heights nor depths, nor any other created thing will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.” 

Maybe you have been struggling to wake up early and dedicate the first fruits of your day to him. 

Or maybe you have just relapsed on the drug that has been dragging you down for years. 

Whatever it is- whatever you have done- nothing can keep God from loving you or keep you away from him. The only thing that will maintain that distance from the cross is believing the lie of the enemy- that you have failed God and can never return. 

But with every lie, you need to fight it with the truth. And the truth is that God loves you and there is no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus

"Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus." - Romans 8:1

So if you are a part of God’s kingdom and have accepted Jesus as your savior, yet, you feel like you are too big of a mess up for him to sanctify you - remember Lamentations 3:22-23, “Because of the Lord’s faithful love, we do not perish, for His mercies never end. They are new every morning. Great is your faithfulness.”

 And if you are not a part of God’s kingdom and feel like you are too unworthy or unclean to come to him, know this truth found in Psalm 103:8-10, “The Lord is compassionate and gracious, slow to anger, abounding in love. He will not always accuse us or be angry forever. He has not dealt with us as our sins deserve or repaid us according to our iniquities.” 

God sent His only son to die on the cross for our sins so that ANYONE who believes in Him may have an everlasting life and join into a life eternal with Christ forever

"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." - John 3:16

All we must do is follow him and we can shed off that life of sin and shame. 

So I invite you today to plug up your ears to the lies of the enemy and open up your heart to the truth of Christ. There is nothing too big or too small that can separate us from the love and salvation of Christ Jesus.