Who I am in Christ

Originally compiled by Neil Anderson

In Christ, the believer has a new identity. This is not aspirational. It is not who we might become if we work hard enough. It is who we already are, by virtue of being joined to Him by faith. Every statement below names a truth that is true of every believer the moment they belong to Christ — true now, not later; true by His finished work, not by our striving.

Read this list slowly. Receive each line. Let the verse beside it sink in. Meditate on one truth at a time. Pray these back to the Lord when the enemy whispers that you are still what you used to be. This is who you are.

I Am Accepted

John 1:12 — I am God's child. "But to all who believed him and accepted him, he gave the right to become children of God."

John 15:15 — As a disciple, I am a friend of Jesus Christ. "I no longer call you slaves, because a master doesn't confide in his slaves. Now you are my friends, since I have told you everything the Father told me."

Romans 5:1 — I have been justified (declared righteous). "Therefore, since we have been made right in God's sight by faith, we have peace with God because of what Jesus Christ our Lord has done for us."

1 Corinthians 6:17 — I am united with the Lord, and I am one with Him in spirit. "But the person who is joined to the Lord is one spirit with him."

1 Corinthians 6:19-20 — I have been bought with a price and I belong to God. "You do not belong to yourself, for God bought you with a high price. So you must honor God with your body."

1 Corinthians 12:27 — I am a member of Christ's body. "All of you together are Christ's body, and each of you is a part of it."

Ephesians 1:3-8 — I have been chosen by God and adopted as His child. "Even before he made the world, God loved us and chose us in Christ to be holy and without fault in his eyes. God decided in advance to adopt us into his own family by bringing us to himself through Jesus Christ. This is what he wanted to do, and it gave him great pleasure."

Colossians 1:13-14 — I have been redeemed and forgiven of all my sins. "For he has rescued us from the kingdom of darkness and transferred us into the Kingdom of his dear Son, who purchased our freedom and forgave our sins."

Colossians 2:9-10 — I am complete in Christ. "For in Christ lives all the fullness of God in a human body. So you also are complete through your union with Christ, who is the head over every ruler and authority."

Hebrews 4:14-16 — I have direct access to the throne of grace through Jesus Christ. "So let us come boldly to the throne of our gracious God. There we will receive his mercy, and we will find grace to help us when we need it most."

I Am Secure

Romans 8:1-2 — I am free from condemnation. "So now there is no condemnation for those who belong to Christ Jesus. And because you belong to him, the power of the life-giving Spirit has freed you from the power of sin that leads to death."

Romans 8:28 — I am assured that God works for my good in all circumstances. "And we know that God causes everything to work together for the good of those who love God and are called according to his purpose for them."

Romans 8:31-39 — I am free from any condemnation brought against me, and I cannot be separated from the love of God. "If God is for us, who can ever be against us?... 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 that is revealed in Christ Jesus our Lord."

2 Corinthians 1:21-22 — I have been established, anointed and sealed by God. "It is God who enables us, along with you, to stand firm for Christ. He has commissioned us, and he has identified us as his own by placing the Holy Spirit in our hearts as the first installment that guarantees everything he has promised us."

Colossians 3:1-4 — I am hidden with Christ in God. "For you died to this life, and your real life is hidden with Christ in God. And when Christ, who is your life, is revealed to the whole world, you will share in all his glory."

Philippians 1:6 — I am confident that God will complete the good work He started in me. "And I am certain that God, who began the good work within you, will continue his work until it is finally finished on the day when Christ Jesus returns."

Philippians 3:20 — I am a citizen of heaven. "But we are citizens of heaven, where the Lord Jesus Christ lives. And we are eagerly waiting for him to return as our Savior."

2 Timothy 1:7 — I have not been given a spirit of fear but of power, love and a sound mind. "For God has not given us a spirit of fear and timidity, but of power, love, and self-discipline."

1 John 5:18 — I am born of God and the evil one cannot touch me. "We know that God's children do not make a practice of sinning, for God's Son holds them securely, and the evil one cannot touch them."

I Am Significant

John 15:5 — I am a branch of Jesus Christ, the true vine, and a channel of His life. "Yes, I am the vine; you are the branches. Those who remain in me, and I in them, will produce much fruit. For apart from me you can do nothing."

John 15:16 — I have been chosen and appointed to bear fruit. "You didn't choose me. I chose you. I appointed you to go and produce lasting fruit, so that the Father will give you whatever you ask for, using my name."

1 Corinthians 3:16 — I am God's temple. "Don't you realize that all of you together are the temple of God and that the Spirit of God lives in you?"

2 Corinthians 5:17-21 — I am a minister of reconciliation for God. "And all of this is a gift from God, who brought us back to himself through Christ. And God has given us this task of reconciling people to him. So we are Christ's ambassadors; God is making his appeal through us."

Ephesians 2:6 — I am seated with Jesus Christ in the heavenly realm. "For he raised us from the dead along with Christ and seated us with him in the heavenly realms because we are united with Christ Jesus."

Ephesians 2:10 — I am God's workmanship. "For we are God's masterpiece. He has created us anew in Christ Jesus, so we can do the good things he planned for us long ago."

Ephesians 3:12 — I may approach God with freedom and confidence. "Because of Christ and our faith in him, we can now come boldly and confidently into God's presence."

Philippians 4:13 — I can do all things through Christ, who strengthens me. "For I can do everything through Christ, who gives me strength."

Live from this identity.

The list above is not a project. It is a description of what is already true of you in Christ. You do not have to earn any of it. You do not have to maintain any of it. The same Christ who made these things true of you is the One holding you in them now.

This identity is the foundation on which all spiritual growth is built. The believer does not pursue holiness in order to become God's child. The believer pursues holiness because they are already God's child. The doctrine that explains this — how positional truth becomes daily experience — is taught fully on our Sanctification page.

So receive what is already yours. When the enemy whispers a lie about who you are, answer him with what God has spoken. When circumstances tempt you to forget, read this list again. When you feel small, hidden, or forgotten — remember: you are God's masterpiece, His child, His friend, His ambassador, hidden with Christ in God, and securely held by the One who began this work in you.

This is who you are. Walk in it.