A while back I gave a message on our identity in Christ. Seeing as how my blog is about God women and dating I feel its important to understand who we are before we begin partnering with others in a relationship.

These are "my notes" from that message. The thoughts may seem a bit choppy but I've tried to convert it to a flowing blog as best I can. Hope you enjoy!

Identity theft in the church

We’ve all heard about identity theft in today’s world. What happens when someone steals your identity? Your name, your reputation and your credibility are compromised if not destroyed. Ironically when we lose our identity in Christ the very same happens to us. Much of the Church walks around with no credibility and no authority. I would venture to say it is largely because those members have either lost or never learned their own identity.

I. What is our identity?

Our identity is: “the distinguishing character or personality of an individual.”
It is what defines us, distinguishes and sets us apart as being unique in this world.

A. What are the characteristics Christ assigns to us when we enter into a love relationship with Him?

· Cleansed: Eph 1:7-8 In Him we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of His grace which He lavished on us.

o He demands to take our crap, our issues and problems for Himself.

· Justified (declared innocent and without guilt): Rom 5:1 Therefore, having been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ.

· Eternal recognition: John 5:24 Truly, truly, I say to you, he who hears My word, and believes Him who sent Me, has eternal life, and does not come into judgment, but has passed out of death into life.

· Freedom from bondage (Involuntary servitude): Rom 8:1 Therefore there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus. **An important note here is there is no condemnation, but there IS accountability.

· Reception of the Holy Spirit: 1corn2:12 Now we have received, not the spirit of the world, but the Spirit who is from God, so that we may know the things freely given to us by God.

Understand that this is not simply how Christ sees us, it IS who we are. It is not optional, avoidable, or deniable.

II. What are the roles of our identity?

The scripture as a complete word, both Old and New, show two roles, different and yet bound by love: we are the bride of Christ the Son, and Children of a Holy Father.

A. The bride of Christ:

· All creation calls points to God, so much of our interaction with each other has the potential to teach us about how we interact with God, and Him with us.

· Gen2:18 God said “It is not good for the man to be alone” Part of a bride’s “role” is companionship. Christ desperately desires our companionship. Without your love and without your presence His heart breaks, weeping and crying out. <john11:35 “Jesus wept”>

o I would venture to say Christ still sweats blood on our behalf.

· Also a bride is a helpmate. While Jesus is not found lacking in anything, nor in need of anything, He does seek our help. <matt 21: 33 “parable of the landowner”

a) We are His voice and hands to a broken society. As willing bond servants we have chosen to be laborers in His vineyard, to be His ambassador to the world. 2corn 5:20

· As His bride we are called to love Him unconditionally, which can only be achieved through choice. Just as He chooses to love us continually regardless of our actions we must choose to love Him continually lest our actions lure our hearts away from Him.

· Finally the bride is uniquely equipped to bless her groom. After being intimately involved with the groom, she brings forth life. As Christ’s bride, we must first be intimate involved with Him, and then we WILL bring forth life. Life is almost a side effect of that intimacy, even unintentionally life will come when we are one with Christ.

B. A child of the King

· Rom 8:15 “…but you have received a spirit of adoption as sons by which we cry out, “Abba! Father!”” We are brought into the family in full.

· Rom 8:17 “and if children, heirs also, heirs of God and fellow heirs with Christ…” All that is our Fathers is made available to us.

· John 15:2 “...every branch that bears fruit, he prunes so it may bear more fruit.” Like any good parent He disciplines His children, which, will often seem painful to the children but betters them none the less.

o As we mature we understand better why we were disciplined

· Eph 1:3 “…who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places in Christ…” By being His child we are blessed beyond our imaginations. Every step we take with God is a step anointed with God’s favor, and as long as we are walking with Him, His blessing, His anointing, and His favor will accompany us.

o I had a week at work where I consistently failed. After doing my job for a few years and working in this business for 6 years you would think I know what I’m doing. I felt very low about myself.

o I spoke truth to myself and the situation and owned the fact that I am a child of God, that I have Gods favor and God’s blessing. As a result my attitude aligned. Shortly after I began doing my job properly again. My knowledge and work ethic had never changed, but I took ownership of God's anointing. That made all the difference.

· 2 Pet 1:4 “For by these He has granted to us His precious and magnificent promises, so that by them you may become partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world by lust. God, a Holy, and perfect father whose mere presence commands obedience and awe, took the time to not only speak, but to make a vow with us that we would be part of Him if only we would accept Him as He is for, who He is.

These are our two roles if you will: To be a loving, respectful, caring, and passionate bride to the ultimate groom. Also we are to be children: trusting, playful, full of laughter and joy in our father’s arms.

God, women, and dating

Friday, November 11, 2011