Know Who You Are in Christ
Main Scripture - 2 Corinthians 5:17 (KJV): “Therefore if any man be in Christ, he
is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become
new.”
Introduction: - Beloved, there are things about you that God
has already accomplished through the New Birth that many Christians have never
fully understood.
Many believers spend their Christian lives asking: - “What must I
become?”
But the Word of God teaches us to ask a deeper question: - “What has
God already made me in Christ?”
The Christian life is not merely about trying harder to behave better. It
begins with discovering what happened to us when we were born again.
We are not simply forgiven sinners trying to become acceptable to God. In
Christ, we have become a new creation.
The important issue is therefore not merely our behavior, feelings,
circumstances, or past failures. The important issue is whether we know what
God has already done in us and for us.
The teaching before us presents seven realities of the New Creation:
- You are in Christ—and Christ is
in you.
- Love is your new nature.
- You have authority over the works
of the enemy.
- Christ has been made your wisdom.
- Your body is the temple of the
Holy Spirit.
- You have been translated out of
the authority of darkness.
- You are seated with Christ in
heavenly places.
These are not merely motivational statements. They are truths rooted in
Scripture concerning our identity and position in Christ.
1. YOU ARE IN CHRIST — AND CHRIST
IS IN YOU
2 Corinthians 5:17 - “If any man be in Christ, he is a new creature.”
Notice the expression:
“In Christ.”
Christianity is not simply about following Christ from a distance.
Through the New Birth, we have been brought into a living union with Him.
But there is another glorious truth.
Colossians 1:27 - “Christ in you, the hope of glory.”
So there are two dimensions:
You are in Christ.
Christ is in you.
This changes everything.
If I am in Christ, my position before God is no longer determined by my
past.
My old identity does not have the final word.
My failures do not have the final word.
My circumstances do not have the final word.
Christ has the final word concerning my identity.
And if Christ is in me, I am not facing life alone.
The same Christ whom I worship is dwelling in me through the Holy Spirit.
Therefore, child of God, don't keep saying: “I am weak. I am defeated. I cannot
overcome.”
Begin to discover what God says about you.
Christ is in you.
The source of your life is not merely external.
The life of Christ has been placed within you.
2. LOVE IS YOUR NEW NATURE
1 John 4:8 - “He that loveth not knoweth not God;
for God is love.”
The Bible does not merely say that God does loving things.
It says:
God is love.
When we are born again, God's life comes into our recreated spirit.
Therefore, love should not be merely an external performance.
The Christian is not simply trying to imitate love.
The Holy Spirit produces the character of Christ within us.
Galatians 5:22 - “But the fruit of the Spirit is love…”
This means that when we allow the Holy Spirit to govern our lives, the
character of Christ begins to flow through us.
Think about a difficult person.
Our natural response may be anger.
Our flesh may say:
“I will answer them the way they answered me.”
But the Spirit says:
“Walk in love.”
Why?
Because love is consistent with the new nature God has given us.
The question is no longer merely:
“Do I have enough strength to love this person?”
Instead:
“Will I allow Christ's nature in me to express itself?”
Beloved, don't merely try to manufacture Christian behavior.
Yield to the Holy Spirit.
Let Christ live through you.
3. YOU HAVE AUTHORITY OVER THE
WORKS OF THE ENEMY
Luke 10:19 - “Behold, I give unto you power to tread on serpents and scorpions, and
over all the power of the enemy…”
Jesus did not call His people to live continually under fear of Satan.
The believer must understand his position in Christ.
Colossians 2:15 - “And having spoiled principalities and
powers, he made a shew of them openly, triumphing over them…”
The victory belongs to Christ.
Satan is not equal to Jesus.
The cross was not a defeat.
The resurrection was not merely the beginning of a new religious
movement.
Christ conquered.
Therefore, the believer does not fight for victory as though Jesus has
not already won.
We stand in the victory of Christ.
Ephesians 6:12 - “For we wrestle not against flesh and blood…”
Our battle is spiritual.
So when people oppose you, don't make people your enemy.
When temptation comes, don't surrender.
When fear attacks your mind, don't agree with it.
When the enemy whispers condemnation, return to the Word of God.
Your authority comes from Christ.
You belong to Jesus.
4. CHRIST HAS BEEN MADE YOUR WISDOM
1 Corinthians 1:30 - “But of him are ye in Christ Jesus, who of God is made unto us wisdom,
and righteousness, and sanctification, and redemption.”
What a powerful statement!
It does not merely say that Christ can occasionally give us wisdom.
It says that Christ has been made unto us wisdom.
We need wisdom for:
- our families,
- our ministry,
- our relationships,
- our finances,
- our decisions,
- our future,
- our spiritual life.
There will be situations where natural intelligence is insufficient.
Education is valuable.
Experience is valuable.
Counsel is valuable.
But the child of God has something greater:
the wisdom of God available through Christ and the Holy Spirit.
James 1:5 - “If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God…”
Therefore, when you face a difficult decision, don't panic.
Pray.
Open the Word.
Listen to the Holy Spirit.
Ask God for wisdom.
And then obey what He shows you.
5. YOUR BODY IS THE TEMPLE OF THE
HOLY SPIRIT
1 Corinthians 3:16
“Know ye not that ye are the temple of God, and that the Spirit of God
dwelleth in you?”
Your body matters to God.
Your body is not meaningless.
It belongs to God.
1 Corinthians 6:19
“What? know ye not that your body is the temple of the Holy Ghost…”
Think about that.
The Holy Spirit dwells in you.
Therefore, we should honor God with our bodies.
We should not deliberately use our bodies for sinful purposes.
We should take care of our bodies.
We should recognize that our entire life belongs to God.
A balanced biblical point
The fact that our bodies are God's temple does not mean Christians will
never experience physical weakness or sickness. Scripture calls us to pray for
healing, trust God, care wisely for our bodies, and remain faithful to Him in
every circumstance.
Our confidence ultimately rests not in our physical condition but in
Christ, who is our life.
6. YOU HAVE BEEN TRANSLATED OUT OF
DARKNESS
Colossians 1:13
“Who hath delivered us from the power of darkness, and hath translated us
into the kingdom of his dear Son.”
Notice the verbs:
Delivered.
Translated.
These are powerful words.
God did not merely forgive us while leaving us spiritually under the
authority of darkness.
He brought us into another kingdom.
We now belong to Christ.
We have a new Master.
We have a new citizenship.
We have a new identity.
We have a new destiny.
John 8:36
“If the Son therefore shall make you free, ye shall be free indeed.”
Therefore, don't continually define yourself by your old life.
You may have a past.
But you don't have to live under the dominion of your past.
You may have made mistakes.
But your mistakes do not have to become your identity.
You may have fallen.
But Christ can restore you.
The message of the Gospel is:
You have been brought from darkness into the kingdom of God's beloved
Son.
7. YOU ARE SEATED WITH CHRIST IN
HEAVENLY PLACES
This is one of the most powerful truths concerning our position in
Christ.
Ephesians 2:6
“And hath raised us up together, and made us sit together in heavenly
places in Christ Jesus.”
Notice:
“Hath raised us.”
“Made us sit.”
It is describing something God has already accomplished.
We are seated in Christ.
Ephesians 1:20–21
Christ has been raised and seated at God's right hand, “far above all
principality, and power, and might, and dominion…”
And Ephesians 2 tells us that we have been seated with Him.
This does not mean that we become equal with Christ.
It means that our spiritual position and victory are in Him.
Therefore, we don't approach spiritual warfare as defeated people trying
to persuade God to help us.
We come to God through Christ.
We stand in Christ.
We pray in Christ's name.
We depend upon Christ's authority.
We stand upon the finished work of Christ.
THE GREAT DIFFERENCE: RELIGION OR
REVELATION?
There is a tremendous difference between trying to become something and
discovering what God has already made you.
Religion often says:
“Try harder.”
The Gospel says:
“Believe what Christ has accomplished.”
Religion says:
“Work until God accepts you.”
The Gospel says:
“You are accepted in the Beloved.”
Religion says:
“Become worthy.”
The Gospel says:
“Christ is your righteousness.”
Religion says:
“Climb up to God.”
The Gospel says:
“God has come to us in Christ.”
Therefore, the Christian life begins with revelation.
We must discover:
Who am I in Christ?
FROM HEAD KNOWLEDGE TO HEART
REVELATION
Knowing these truths intellectually is not enough.
We must allow the Word of God to become settled in our hearts.
You can know:
“I am a new creation.”
But still live like the old person.
You can know:
“Christ is in me.”
But still live in fear.
You can know:
“I have authority in Christ.”
But still live defeated.
You can know:
“I am seated with Christ.”
But still approach every problem as though Satan is in control.
Therefore, we must meditate upon God's Word until it becomes part of our
thinking.
Romans 12:2
“Be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind…”
The mind must learn what the spirit has received.
SEVEN DECLARATIONS OF THE NEW
CREATION
Church, let us declare these truths together:
1. I am in Christ, and Christ is in me.
2. I have received God's love and I will walk in love.
3. I have authority in Christ over the works of the enemy.
4. Christ is my wisdom.
5. My body belongs to God and is the temple of the Holy Spirit.
6. I have been delivered from the authority of darkness and transferred
into Christ's kingdom.
7. I am seated with Christ in heavenly places.
These truths are among the central themes of the supplied teaching.
CONCLUSION: KNOW WHO YOU ARE
Beloved, the greatest question is not:
“What am I going through?”
The greater question is:
“Who am I in Christ?”
Circumstances can change.
Feelings can change.
People can change.
Our physical condition can change.
But God's Word does not change.
Therefore, don't allow your circumstances to define you.
Don't allow your failures to define you.
Don't allow your past to define you.
Don't allow the enemy's accusations to define you.
Let Christ define you.
You are a new creation.
You are in Christ.
Christ is in you.
You belong to the kingdom of God.
You have access to God's wisdom.
You are called to walk in love.
You have authority through Christ.
And you are seated with Christ in heavenly places.
The supplied teaching summarizes the central challenge this way: the
believer must not merely learn about the New Creation, but learn who he or
she is.
FINAL CALL
Today, stop asking only:
“Lord, what must I become?”
Begin asking:
“Lord, show me what You have already made me in Christ.”
Open the Scriptures.
Meditate upon them.
Believe them.
Confess them.
Live from them.
Let the truth move from your head to your heart, and from your heart
into your daily life.
Final Declaration
I am a new creation in Christ.
The old has passed away.
Christ is in me.
I am in Christ.
I belong to God.
I will walk in love.
I will stand in the victory of Christ.
Christ is my wisdom.
My body belongs to God.
I have been delivered from darkness.
I belong to the kingdom of Christ.
I am seated with Christ in heavenly places.
I will no longer live according to my old identity.
I will live according to who God says I am in Christ.
In Jesus' name. Amen.
