Identity

In a day when people are focused on identity, we who have believed in the gospel of Christ, that Christ died for our sins and rose again, that the righteousness of God is by faith of Jesus Christ unto all and upon all them that believe, should also be fixated on our identity.  A reading of Paul’s epistle to the Ephesians is quite helpful in determining exactly what that identity is:

Ephesians 1:1 — “Paul, an apostle of Jesus Christ by the will of God, to the saints which are at Ephesus, and to the faithful in Christ Jesus…”

1:3 — “Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who hath blessed us with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ…”

1:4 — “According as he hath chosen us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before him in love…”

1:6 — “To the praise of the glory of his grace, wherein he hath made us accepted in the beloved.”

1:7 — “In whom we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of his grace…”

1:10 — “That in the dispensation of the fulness of times he might gather together in one all things in Christ, both which are in heaven, and which are on earth; even in him…”

1:11 — “In whom also we have obtained an inheritance, being predestinated according to the purpose of him who worketh all things after the counsel of his own will…”

1:12 — “That we should be to the praise of his glory, who first trusted in Christ.”

1:13 — “In whom ye also trusted, after that ye heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation: in whom also after that ye believed, ye were sealed with that holy Spirit of promise…”

1:15 — “Wherefore I also, after I heard of your faith in the Lord Jesus, and love unto all the saints…”

1:20 — “Which he wrought in Christ, when he raised him from the dead, and set him at his own right hand in the heavenly places…”

2:6 — “And hath raised us up together, and made us sit together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus…”

2:10 — “For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them.”

2:13 — “But now in Christ Jesus ye who sometimes were far off are made nigh by the blood of Christ.”

2:15 — “Having abolished in his flesh the enmity, even the law of commandments contained in ordinances; for to make in himself of twain one new man, so making peace…”

2:21 — “In whom all the building fitly framed together groweth unto an holy temple in the Lord…”

3:6 — “That the Gentiles should be fellowheirs, and of the same body, and partakers of his promise in Christ by the gospel…”

3:11 — “According to the eternal purpose which he purposed in Christ Jesus our Lord…”

3:12 — “In whom we have boldness and access with confidence by the faith of him.”

Now that we understand our identity, hold up that identity boldly:

6:10 — “Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord, and in the power of his might.”