Foundations of Faith: What Does It Mean to Be a Christian?預覽

Your Identity in Christ

When you trusted in Jesus as your Lord and Savior, you were immediately transformed by Him! Through His finished work on the cross, you can rest assured that you are no longer separated from God.

This means that anyone who belongs to Christ has become a new person. The old life is gone; a new life has begun!

– 2 Corinthians 5:17

Praise God for this new life in Christ! As you grow deeper in your relationship with God through reading His Word (the Bible) and praying, you’ll begin to see shifts in the way you think, talk, and act. These changes are different for everyone. Some people experience radical change immediately, while others experience changes incrementally over time. Remember, this is a journey, and everyone has their own unique experiences.

As a follower of Jesus, you have eternal life. This means that when your time ends on earth, you will immediately be with God in heaven forever! Theologian C.S. Lewis says, "If we find ourselves with a desire that nothing in this world can satisfy, the most probable explanation is that we were made for another world." You are a citizen of heaven! Don’t be surprised if, on your journey, you find that the ways of the world no longer align with your beliefs.

Because your identity is in Christ, you are loved unconditionally, forgiven, are called God’s child, are enough, and have eternal life! Check out these verses that reference your new identity in Christ!

In Christ – You are Loved Unconditionally

• You made all the delicate, inner parts of my body and knit me together in my mother’s womb. Thank you for making me so wonderfully complex! Your workmanship is marvelous—how well I know it.
  - Psalm 139:13-14
  
• And I am convinced that nothing can ever separate us from God’s love. Neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither our fears for today nor our worries about tomorrow—not even the powers of hell can separate us from God’s love. No power in the sky above or in the earth below—indeed, nothing in all creation will ever be able to separate us from the love of God that is revealed in Christ Jesus our Lord.
  - Romans 8:38-39

In Christ – You Are Forgiven

• And I will forgive their wickedness, and I will never again remember their sins.
  - Hebrews 8:12
  
• This means that anyone who belongs to Christ has become a new person. The old life is gone; a new life has begun!
  - 2 Corinthians 5:17

In Christ – You Are God’s Child

• Even if my father and mother abandon me, the Lord will hold me close.
  - Psalms 27:10
  
• The Lord directs the steps of the godly. He delights in every detail of their lives.
  - Psalms 37:23
  
• Look at the birds. They don’t plant or harvest or store food in barns, for your heavenly Father feeds them. And aren’t you far more valuable to him than they are?
  - Matthew 6:26

In Christ – You Are Enough

• It is not that we think we are qualified to do anything on our own. Our qualification comes from God.
  - 2 Corinthians 3:5
  
• Each time he said, “My grace is all you need. My power works best in weakness.” So now I am glad to boast about my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ can work through me.
  - 2 Corinthians 12:9

In Christ – You Have Eternal Life

• When everything is ready, I will come and get you, so that you will always be with me where I am.
  - John 14:3
  
• The thief’s purpose is to steal and kill and destroy. My purpose is to give them a rich and satisfying life.
  - John 10:10