Your “Born Again” - Sharing God’s Grace

1 your born - again identity in Jesus christ Part I Setting a Firm Foundation Bridgeway s Wednesday Night Study Instructor: Sandy Pope PAGE 2 COPYRIGHT 2013 SANDRA POPE Video: your identity in christ (1 min, 39 secs - ) identity distinguishes the character and personality of an individual. If most people are asked about their identity , they would be able to describe the physical and psychological characteristics that make them who they are. Likewise, as born again believers there are characteristics that define who we are in Jesus christ .

2 When someone accepts Jesus christ as Lord and Savior, they are adopted into the family of God and given an identity in christ . God is continually molding and shaping each believer in christ by combining the characteristics of christ s identity , the spiritual gifts he has provided combined with a hint of individual uniqueness to make them into the person he wants them to be. Ultimately, the purpose for this is to glorify God, serve him and proclaim the message of the Gospel. The purpose of tonight s study is to affirm your identity in Jesus christ by examining who we are before christ , who we are in christ and to talk about some of the things that can prevent us from being secure in our identity in Jesus christ .

3 Question: What are some of the attributes of a person s identity ? To understand who we are, we have to understand our origins. This is true for Christians who truly have a personal relationship with Jesus christ . The truth is, none of were born having a personal relationship with Jesus christ . So, what was our identity before coming into the saving knowledge of Jesus christ ? your identity BEFORE JESUS christ SINNER Romans 3:23 Psalm 51:5 SLAVE TO SIN John 8:34 Titus 3:3 LOST AND CONDEMNED John 3:18 John 3:36 2 Thessalonians 2:9-12 Romans 6:23 ENEMY OF GOD Colossians 1:21 James 4:4 SEPARATED FROM GOD 1 John 5:12 Ephesians 4:18 PAGE 3 COPYRIGHT 2013 SANDRA POPE your identity BEFORE JESUS christ Ephesians 2:12 DEAD IN SINS/TRANGRESSIONS Ephesians 2:1-5 Colossians 2:13 UNGODLY Romans 5:6 1 Timothy 1.

4 9 UNRIGHTEOUS Romans 3:10-18 Isaiah 64:6 Ecclesiastes 7:20 These were the characteristics of your identity before accepting christ . Perhaps, you were aware of some of these and perhaps you weren t. Even if someone is heroic, kind, philanthropic, compassionate or religious without christ , the items in the chart above describes their eternal identity . We were spiritually dead, blind and oblivious to the fact that we were sinners and separated from God until we had a supernatural encounter with Jesus christ . We know the message of the Gospel, right? We know that christ being perfect and sinless, paid the punishment for all of these things for the whole world (mention some of them in the chart) in his death on the cross and that rose from the dead 3 days later.

5 2 Cor 5:21 says, God made him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God. Romans 5:6-8 - You see, at just the right time, when we were still powerless, christ died for the ungodly. Very rarely will anyone die for a righteous person, though for a good person someone might possibly dare to die. But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, christ died for us. At that moment you received christ , you became a new creation and with God s help through the process of through spiritual growth, you shed off your old identity and are constantly striving to be more like christ .

6 You receive salvation, eternal life and justification, which is God s act of removing the guilt and penalty of sin while at the same time declaring a sinner righteous through christ 's atoning sacrifice. Becoming less of who we are and becoming more like christ is a lifelong process called sanctification, which is the process of God's Grace by which the believer is separated from sin and becomes dedicated to God's righteousness. PAGE 4 COPYRIGHT 2013 SANDRA POPE your born - again identity IN JESUS christ You are a new 2 Corinthians 5:17 Therefore, if anyone is in christ , the new creation has come: The old has gone, the new is here!

7 You are John 1:12 - We are Children of God John 15:15 - Jesus christ is our friend. Ephesians 2:8-9, Titus 3:5-7 - We are saved by Grace through faith. Romans 5:1, Romans 8:30 - We have been justified. Hebrews 10:10 - We have been sanctified (made holy). 1 Corinthians 6:19-20 - We have been bought with a price and belong to God. Colossians 1:13-14 - We have been redeemed and forgiven of all our sins. Hebrews 4:14-16 - Through Jesus christ , we can directly approach God's throne of Grace with confidence in our time of need. You are Romans 8:1-2 - In christ , we are no longer under condemnation. John 10:27-30 - We are securely in God's hands.

8 Romans 8:31-39 - We cannot ever be separated from the love of God. Ephesians 1:13-14 - We have received the Holy Spirit 2 Corinthians 1:21-22 - We have been established, anointed and sealed by God. 2 Timothy 1:7 - Through christ , we have the power to overcome fear. You are Ephesians 2:10 - We are God's masterpiece. John 15:16 - We have been chosen and appointed to bear fruit. 1 Corinthians 3:16 - We are God's temple in which the Holy Spirit dwells. Philippians 4:13 - We can do all things through christ , who strengthens us. Galatians 2:20 - Our worldly identity has been crucified with christ . We live for and belong to Jesus 1 Corinthians 6:19-20 - We have been bought with a price and belong to God.

9 Jeremiah 32:38 - We are God's people. 1 Corinthians 6:19-20 & Luke 17:7-10 - We belong to and serve the Lord Jesus christ . PAGE 5 COPYRIGHT 2013 SANDRA POPE your born - again identity IN JESUS christ John 15:14 - We do what the Lord Jesus commands. Matthew 6:24 & Jude 1:4 - We have one Master, the Lord Jesus christ . Luke 14:33- We give up everything to follow the Lord Jesus christ . Luke 9:23 & John 14:21,23-24 - We deny ourselves, take up our cross, follow and obey the Lord Jesus. Philippians 4:19 & 2 Corinthians 9:8 - We are totally dependent on the Lord Jesus to meet/provide our needs.

10 We are christ s Acts 1:8 - We are christ 's witnesses locally and abroad. Matthew 28:18-20, Mark 16:15 - We are called to share to Gospel of Jesus christ and make disciples. 2 Corinthians 5:18-20 - We are ministers of reconciliation and ambassadors for Jesus christ . Romans 1:16 - We are unashamed of the Gospel of Jesus christ . Matthew 25:31-40, 1 John 3:17, 1 Timothy 6:17-19 - We are to be compassionate to the poor and those facing adversity. Matthew 22:39 - We are to love our neighbor as much as we love ourselves. As a body of believer, Jesus said that the world would recognize our identity in him by our love for one another In John 13:34-35 (NLT) Jesus says, 34 So now I am giving you a new commandment: Love each other.