Your True Identity in Christ
“You are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people belonging to God, that you may declare the praises of Him who called you out of darkness into His wonderful light. Once you were not a people, but now you are the people of God; once you had not received mercy, but now you have received mercy.”
1 Peter 2:9-10 (NIV)
What defines you? When you look into the mirror of your soul, what do you see? Are you defined by your past? If so, you’ll never live in the present or see a future with hope that God has for you. Are you defined by a hurt or experience that traumatized you? If so, you’ll miss the joy that Jesus offers despite the pain. Are you defined by shame or guilt for some failure that you can’t seem to overcome? If so, you’ll miss experiencing the grace and forgiveness offered to you in Christ. Are you defined by the acceptance or significance you receive from others? If so, you’ll yo-yo up and down, seeking people’s approval, and miss the security and confidence that can be yours, knowing that you are loved and accepted by God.
I believe Peter may have had some of these issues and dealt with people to whom he wrote his letter, who must have struggled with what defined them as well. In 1 Peter 2, he redefines who we are as Christ followers both then and today! Understanding and accepting who you are is huge if we are to grow in Christ, conquer old habits, and live in victory, experiencing the abundant life Jesus came to offer. Peter speaks to those who are coming to Christ in verse 4. He says anyone who trusts in (Jesus) will never be disgraced in verse 6. In other words, Peter is speaking to young Christ followers about the centrality of Christ in their lives and how that changes who they are and what defines them now.
Then, he amplifies that definition with insight into how God sees us in Christ! Consider each phrase as you read it and say it out loud to yourself. Replace the you in each line with “I am...”
“You are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people belonging to God, that you may declare the praises of Him who called you out of darkness into His wonderful light. Once you were not a people, but now you are the people of God; once you had not received mercy, but now you have received mercy.” 1 Peter 2:9-10 (NIV)
One of the most damaging attacks of Satan in our lives today is identity theft. His mental games cause us to believe as true what is really a lie. We define ourselves by those lies and live out our lives missing the blessing God designed us to experience. We strive for the acceptance He’s already given. We serve sincerely with the hope that God is pleased, but we do it in the energy of the flesh instead of the liberating power of the Holy Spirit. Soon, we find ourselves exhausted and burned out, wondering what went wrong. Peter makes a simple point that’s so easy to miss. It is not Christ and you but Christ in you that should define you as a Christ follower. In Christ, we are a chosen people… we are a royal priesthood… we are a holy nation … we are a people who belong to God… we have been called out of darkness into His wonderful light! Once, we had no identity as His people, but now (in Christ) we are God’s people! Once we had not received mercy, but now we have received God’s mercy!
Let those words define you in Christ! He is your life now! The greatest truth I know is that Jesus died for you so that He may give His life to you so that through His indwelling presence, He may live His life through you! Paul put it this way when he declared what defined him now as a Christian. “…. Not I, but Christ!” Invite Jesus to take up residence in your life today and give Him full control of everything!
You may have been hurt in the past, failed miserably and you’re helpless to change what happened or make up for it. Others may have betrayed or even abandoned you, but you are not defined by any of those experiences. Take the pain and failure to Christ. He died for it all that you may live a new quality of life that knows no other definition but Christ in you!
Another important part of your daily devotional is spending time with God in prayer. The Woodlands Church Prayer Board lists prayer requests submitted by our members and provides a way to send them some encouragement by using a button on the page to let them know that you prayed for them. Whether you use the Prayer Board, or pray from your heart, the goal is to build the habit of incorporating prayer into your quiet time.
Need prayer yourself? Let us know by submitting a prayer request on the Woodlands Church Prayer Board.