Your Identity in Christ

• In Christ I am filled with the Spirit and will seek to always give thanks to God the Father for everything, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ. Ephesians 5:18,20

Martin Luther described Christians as both saints and sinners (simul justus et peccator in latin).

If we forget that we are saints justified by Christ, we are left with a primary identity of sinner (confessed every week in worship, right?). It becomes easy to let that become our focus and self-image.

But God uses the blood of Jesus to make us white like new-fallen snow and tells us that we are His temples. In fact, we have His own Spirit living inside of us. We don’t just thank God that we are forgiven. It is more than that. He alters our identity, making us no longer defined as “poor, miserable sinners” but as justified in Christ, saints of the Most High God and inheritors of the eternal kingdom (Daniel 7:18).

Give thanks for being His new creation in Christ, holy and filled with His Spirit.

Prayer Prompt

Lord Jesus, if I were a lamp, I would say keep me plugged in. If I were a city, I would say keep me on the grid. If I were a solar light, I’d say keep me fully charged. As a disciple, it makes sense to be fully charged, connected, plugged into the Spirit.  

I know that I can do nothing apart from You Jesus. But connected to You I can produce much fruit -- or in this case light -- that brings You glory. That is my prayer and my heart's desire. Grant it for your sake Jesus. Amen.

The Christian who neglects the Holy Spirit is like a lamp that is not plugged in.

Micro-Meditation
Teaching or Command of God

Hebrews 1:6

When God brings his firstborn into the world, he says,
“Let all God’s angels worship him.”

Hebrews 1:14

Are not all angels ministering spirits sent to serve those who will inherit salvation?

Micro-Meditation
Pondering Point

Angels are sometimes identified by three categories of service: Warrior, Worshipper, and Messenger.

Similar to mankind, their acts of service, often serving people, are a service to God. Fallen angels, led by Satan, were found to be serving themselves rather than God.

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