THE GOSPEL DEFINES MY IDENTITY

Text: Eph. 2:1-10; 2 Cor. 5:17

Eph 2:1-10
1 And you hath he quickened, who were dead in trespasses and sins;
2 Wherein in time past ye walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that now worketh in the children of disobedience:
3 Among whom also we all had our conversation in times past in the lusts of our flesh, fulfilling the desires of the flesh and of the mind; and were by nature the children of wrath, even as others.
4 But God, who is rich in mercy, for his great love wherewith he loved us,
5 Even when we were dead in sins, hath quickened us together with Christ, (by grace ye are saved;)
6 And hath raised us up together, and made us sit together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus:
7 That in the ages to come he might shew the exceeding riches of his grace in his kindness toward us through Christ Jesus.
8 For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God:
9 Not of works, lest any man should boast.
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 Cor. 5:17
17 Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new.

Intro:

• Have you ever been asked for ID?
• The question you’re being asked is, “Are you who you say you are?”
• Our true identity is our spiritual identity.

1. I Am Who God Says That I Am

• My identity is determined by God in accordance to my standing with the Gospel. How I respond to the good news of Jesus’ death, burial, and resurrection determines who God says that I am.

1) Who I was (am) without Christ (Eph. 2:1-4)

1] Spiritually

(Eph 2:1)

2] Child of disobedience (Eph 2:2)

3]

to sin (Eph 2:2)

4] Child of wrath (Eph 2:3)

2) Who I am in Christ

1] Spiritually

(Eph 2:1; cf: Rom 6:11; Col 2:13)

2] Child of God (cf. Gal. 3:26)

3]

from sin (Rom 6:7, Gal 5:1a)

4] Recipient of mercy (Eph 2:4)

2. Being Who He Says I Am

1) I must have faith in God’s Word

1] About Who God is

2] About who I am

• Why is it so important that we believe properly who God says that we are?
• We don’t want to develop a “
  Reveal Answer
  ” mentality. (cf. Num. 13-14) It is the difference between living in defeat or victory.

2) I must have the love of

Reveal Answer

believers

• We can’t live the true Christian experience alone. We need each other. We need others to encourage us, to pray for us, to teach us, to help us, etc.
• If I’m going to live and be who God has created me to be (i.e. who I am in Christ), I must do it in the context of the church, community of believers.

3) I must have the right

Reveal Answer

• What is it that I’m speaking to myself? I must speak truth to myself.
• One of the reasons many Christians struggle to live the Christian life is because they don’t believe what God has said about them.

Bottom line: I am who He says that I am. And who He says I am is determined by my faith in the Gospel message.