Tag: identity in Christ

Influences and Identity

It is so easy to be weighed down by comparison and thoughts that tell you you’re not enough, but when they become the only voices that you listen to, you are choosing to ignore everything that God says about you over and over again in Scripture.

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In this guest post, Cate Richter shares her personal experience and calls us to be shaped and influenced by the truth of God’s Word above any other voice, either internal or external.

“So God created mankind in his own image, in the image of God he created them; male and female he created them.” Genesis 1:27 NIV

When I was younger, maybe 3 or 4, I would spend HOURS (no exaggeration, we have videos) staring at myself in the mirror and posing. I loved my reflection and I couldn’t get enough of myself. Call it arrogance if you want, but I was confident for sure! At some point in my life, that all changed, and I began to hide from my reflection, ashamed of what I looked like and who I was. What changed? As a child, my primary influences were my parents. They were constantly telling me I was beautiful, smart, and strong. They built me up and made sure I knew who I was and how they saw me. As a teenager, I was bombarded with thousands of influences telling me how I could be better- how I could get skinnier, grow longer hair, have nicer shoes, get better grades. Eventually, I started to view myself the way I was convinced everyone else viewed me- never enough

As we grow up, we grow further from the influence of our parents, becoming immersed in the world outside of our home. This isn’t always a bad thing, but in my case, I chose to ignore what my parents said about me and believe what the world said. Furthermore, I ignored who God said I was, living in shame of what I looked like and who I was. As I moved further from Him, His influence over me faded, giving way to my growing insecurity and shame. At some point, I got so sick of being insecure and unsure of myself that I decided to make some changes. I started limiting all influences in my life that I couldn’t trust completely (social media, mean girls, tv, marketing). Instead, I turned to God. I begged Him to show me who He created me to be, and He did. I spent weeks searching through scripture and finding evidence of my identity in Christ.

It is so easy to be weighed down by comparison and thoughts that tell you you’re not enough, but when they become the only voices that you listen to, you are choosing to ignore everything that God says about you over and over again in Scripture. Why would you want to live in lies, rather than living in love? You are an image bearer of the Almighty God! When God created mankind, He declared that they were made in His own image. This means that we act as a reflection of God here on earth. Furthermore, in 1 John 3:1 God calls us His children, inviting us to become like Him while Colossians 3:12 describes us as chosen, holy, and beloved. 2 Corinthians 5:17 calls us a new creation, free from past mistakes and shame, and 1 Corinthians 3:16 calls us God’s temple. Romans 5:8 describes the pinnacle of God’s love for us; the death of Christ on the cross for our sins. Who are we to ignore the greatest act of love in history and continue living in our shame, self-doubt, and self depreciation? The God who created the Universe loves you so wholly and so personally that He offered up the ultimate sacrifice in order for you to live a life free of the burden of sin!

So, make the conscious effort to surround yourself with the truth of who you are in Christ. The closer you are to Him, the easier it will become to discern the truth in the midst of so many lying voices. As 1 John 4:16 says, if you are abiding in Him, you are abiding in love, and if you are abiding in the love of Christ, you will begin to see yourself the way God sees you- as His child, unconditionally loved and unfathomably cherished. Draw near to Him, allowing Him to be the greatest influence in your life, and choose to believe that your Creator knows you well enough to tell you who you are.

By Cate Richter

Get Dressed

While we may be attentive to clothing the outer person, God is most concerned with the dressing of the inner person. God calls us to dress according to our identity not our activity.

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Everyday it’s the same routine. We get out of bed, remove whatever we slept in, jump into the shower and then get dressed. Women probably spend more time choosing their wardrobe than men. Women not only carefully choose their wardrobe but also their accessories (i.e. earrings, necklace, scarf, shoes, etc.). If we don’t spend a lot of time pondering outer adornments, at the very least, we think about what we’ll be doing for the day and dress for that. We dress appropriately for the task at hand. Since God clothed Adam and Eve in the Garden we have been putting on something to cover the body.

One can easily recognize a person’s vocation or who that person represents by the way he or she is dressed. Police officers are identified by their uniforms. Healthcare professionals are known by their scrubs. A firefighter is recognized by his/her PPE. I know the difference between the FedEx driver and the UPS man not by his face but by his uniform.

They are dressed to be known and recognized before they ever utter a word.

While we may be attentive to clothing the outer person, God is most concerned with the dressing of the inner person.

Colossians 3:12-13 Put on then, as God’s chosen ones, holy and beloved, compassionate hearts, kindness, humility, meekness and patience, bearing with one another and, if one has a complaint against another, forgiving each other, as the Lord has forgiven you, so you also must forgive.

The Word of God uses the same language for physical dressing as for spiritual dressing. Everyday we cover the body with outer garments that are determined by the activities of the day. Not so for spiritual dressing. It doesn’t matter what you’re doing for the day. The spiritual dressing is for every day, every activity, every moment. God calls us to dress according to our identity not our activity.

He reminds us the we are:

  • Salt and light (Matthew 5:13-16)
  • Image Bearers (Genesis 1:27; Colossians 3:9)
  • Individual members of the body of Christ (1 Cor .12:27)
  • Chosen (1 Peter 2:9)
  • Adopted as Sons, Children of God (Ephesians 1:6; 1 John 3:1-2)
  • New Creations (2 Corinthians 5:17)
  • Debtors (Romans 8:12-13)
  • Ambassadors-One who represents the sender in character and authority. (2 Corinthians 5:20)

And in Christ we: Ephesians 1

  • Are blessed with every spiritual blessing
  • Have redemption through the Blood
  • Have forgiveness of trespasses according to the riches of His grace
  • Have wisdom and insight
  • Have obtained an inheritance
  • Have been sealed with the promised Holy Spirit

Who we are in Christ determines what we put on! That identity establishes our wardrobe. It looks nothing like the self-centered garments of the old man (Ephesians 4:22). We, who are in Christ, must chose to live and dress like the One we represent. We must, with great thought and intention, put on our new garments. We are not the same. We were bought with a price and covered by the blood of Jesus. We are a new creation. Our behaviors, responses and pursuits should match our identity.

Isaiah 61:10 I will greatly rejoice in the Lord; my soul shall exult in my God for he has clothed me with the garments of salvation; he has covered me with the robe of righteousness, as a bridegroom decks himself like a priest with the beautiful headdress, and as a bride adorns herself with her jewels.

Everyday you choose what spiritual garments you will wear. Remind yourself who you are in Christ. The new man, holy and beloved, puts on garments of compassion, kindness, humility, meekness and patience. Wear them with joy, as they are a gift from the one who covered you with the garments of salvation and the robe of righteousness.

Get dressed!