Who are You? Christ: Who is Our Life

by Sarah
from Virtuous Daughters, August/September 2020~Volume 20, Number 3

Dear Sisters,

Greetings in our Lord Jesus! I am so thankful for the gift we have had to walk together through the years that Tiffany has published Virtuous Daughters magazine! It's sweet to follow the Lord and to reflect on the lessons that He is bringing home deeper and deeper in our hearts as the years go by. I am excited to share with you a few things the Lord has been teaching me lately on the topic of identity.

How would you describe yourself? Maybe someone has asked you before “what you do.” The typical answer we give is something along the lines of what our occupation is. The world talks a lot about identity. And to be honest, I have never really put much stock in the whole discussion. However, the Lord is showing me the importance of knowing the TRUTH about who I am—in Christ. That makes all the difference. Christ is all (Colossians 3:4). He gives all meaning to our existence. So the question about identity is important—really important. And letting the glorious truths of this reality sink in and shape our lives is critical.

If you're like me, maybe you tend to (maybe subconsciously) place your identity or worth in things like your role as a daughter, sister, friend, student, photographer, pianist—you fill in the blank! Maybe you even base your self-worth and value on your perceived success or failure in any or all of these areas.

Earlier this year, as I was studying the book of Ephesians, I was really struck by the contrasts given in chapter two—contrasts between our lost unredeemed state, and our new life in Christ. This got me thinking about WHO I really am in Christ.
Who we were before Christ...
•    We were dead in sin
•    We walked according to the world, the prince of the power of the air, 
•    We were children of disobedience
•    We were children of wrath
•    We were DEAD
•    We were aliens and strangers and utterly without hope!


Yet, look at the glories of our new state in Christ:
•    We are quickened (given life) with Christ
•    We are raised up and seated in heavenly places
•    We are saved by grace as the GIFT of God
•    We are His workmanship, created to do good works
•    We are brought close to God by the blood of Christ
•    We are RECONCILED to God!
•    We are fellow citizens with the saints in His household


These truths are enough to meditate on and be awed for a lifetime. We who were utterly spiritually dead, have been raised, reconciled to God, made a citizen of His kingdom, and given the promise of ruling and reigning with Christ!

THIS is the defining truth that we must find all meaning! It's not in our ability to anything, to achieve a certain accomplishment, to dress a certain way, or to be the best daughter/wife/mother, etc. This has been a freeing, yet in many ways, difficult lesson for me to learn over the past few years as the Lord has humbled my heart in many areas. Truly, we are nothing apart from Christ. This is why Jesus said, “I am the vine, ye are the branches: He that abideth in me, and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit: for without me ye can do nothing” (John 15:5).

Nothing can change the fact that our identity is ultimately—and forever—as a child of God. A daughter of the Most High. Romans 8:17 says, “And if children, then heirs; heirs of God, and joint-heirs with Christ; if so be that we suffer with him, that we may be also glorified together.” 

The knowledge of this truth transforms the way we are able to walk through the different seasons of this earthly journey. You see, life will bring changes to any or all aspects of our existence. Yet, who we are called to be in Christ remain unchanged throughout time. We are saved to walk worthy of the calling we have in Christ, with all humility, meekness, patience, forbearance, and love (Ephesians 4:1-2). We are chosen, as a royal, peculiar people, to show forth His praises (1 Peter 2:9). We are His children, and no change or hardship will ever separate us from that...not death or life, no powers whether spiritual or physical, no changes or trials (Romans 8:37-39). To soak in these realities...is incredible.
Knowing WHO Jesus is and who He has made us to be means that we can also face the future without fear...because “He hath chosen us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before him in love: having predestinated us unto the adoption of children by Jesus Christ to himself, according to the good pleasure of his will” (Ephesians 1:4-5). What are your personal fears about the future? Soak in the truth that He will do His perfect work, and nothing will thwart it!

I'm also finding that these seemingly lofty truths can even transform the hardest of days! It's a real reality. It's not a vague, disconnected, distant truth somewhere out there. When we know and live in the identity that we have in Christ Jesus, it's a living, transforming reality right NOW and gives context and meaning to this very moment. On the difficult morning when things just don't seem to be going right at all...when we are weakest, facing a long to-do list ahead...when we are discouraged about our inadequacies....then the truth of Christ and who we are in Him changes it all. It's so important and helpful to bring Scripture to mind. I love Colossians 2:10—“Ye are complete in Him, which is the head of principality and power.” My feelings may tell me I am weak, incapable of doing what He has given me to do today. The truth of Scripture tells me I am complete in Christ. He is everything I need. I must depend on Him and abide in Him for strength. This is why He redeemed me...to make Himself known.
And sometimes, God chooses to make Himself known in the most mysterious of circumstances. We don't always understand what He is doing. Sometimes the things that we are called to walk through aren't exactly our “Plan A.” Whether it be loss, sickness, injury, singleness, loss of someone you love, disappointment, unsaved relatives, a move across the world...whatever it is, maybe some days you feel like you are living in “Plan B.” Once again, the truth of our identity in Christ can set us free from a perception of being “ripped off.” I have found it helpful to remember that there is a difference between God's perfect design and God's perfect ordination. Meaning that He sometimes uses less than perfect situations to bring about His sovereign will. The truth is that God has ordained for you and I the exact circumstances, people, timing, hardships, and blessings that are in our lives at this very moment (Romans 28:8). As His child, I can rest in His wisdom and ability to work efficiently in my life through these very things to sanctify me and bring glory to Himself. I can—right now in the midst of the trial—rejoice in God's goodness and perfect work unfolding. In the situations where we await the redemption of God (for sin and the fall does affect our lives)—we earnestly pray for His work to be done, we anticipate it in hope, and eagerly look toward the completion of it, which He will do (whether on this side of Heaven in the way we desire, or otherwise—He determines). We must be “confident of this very thing, that he which hath begun a good work in you will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ” (Philippians 1:6)!
Knowing and walking in Who Christ is and who He calls us to be has been helpful also for me in the journey of singleness. Singleness isn't my identity—just as neither will a husband give me my identity! Christ is my meaning and purpose. In Him I find what my heart is created for (Psalm 107:9). Sisters, we are spiritual beings, created to experience deep relationship...with our Maker. We often long for this in the form of marriage, but over and over I have to remind myself that my soul was made for MORE...for relationship with Christ. This short journey on earth is merely leading me to the culmination and ultimate fulfillment of what my soul thirsts for—unhindered communion with my Maker and Redeemer (Psalm 63)! The feelings of “incompleteness” and loneliness that we experience on this pilgrimage will not be fully fulfilled in marriage. These longings are a soul hunger and heavenly whisper to “seek those things which are above, where Christ sitteth on the right hand of God” (Col. 3:1). They are a desire for the  redemption that Jesus alone can bring to this sin-filled, fallen world. He came to redeem. He came to redeem what was broken and give the hope of Heaven, where all will be made new. Truly, great is our God’s mercy, Who has reconciled us to Himself and set His love, mercy, patience, and salvation upon us (Psalm 40).


A New Perspective: It's All about Him...

As 2020 rolled around, a phrase from Philippians 3 came alive to me in a new way and changed my life. It's a truth that I will undoubtedly come back to again and again, as it reshapes my perspective.

“But what things were gain to me, those I counted LOSS for Christ. Yea doubtless, and I count ALL things but loss for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord: for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and do count them but dung, that I may win Christ, And be FOUND in him, not having mine own righteousness, which is of the law, but that which is through the faith of Christ, the righteousness which is of God by faith: That I may know him, and the power of his resurrection, and the fellowship of his sufferings, being made conformable unto his death” (Phil.3:7-10).

There's so, so much in this passage, but this one phrase—found in Christ—is what struck me. I realized that this is my identity. It's not about my performance.... success... accomplishments... name... reputation... or ability to follow the rules and impress others. W ow, what a relief this brought to my spiritual shoulders. If you're a challenge-driven, people-pleasing, check-it-off-the-list type big sister, maybe you can relate! My “good works” don’t earn me a bonus before the Lord. I don't need a “bonus”...because in Christ, I am found perfect because HE lived that perfect life FOR me! Now in Him, I can joyfully live and rest. It's about obtaining His glory...His righteousness...His suffering...His death and His resurrection. It's about losing myself and everything about ME and just taking up His cross. It's pretty simple... You and I have been saved and set free to love and serve Him with every breath He gives! As Galatians 5:13-14 puts it, “Brethren, ye have been called unto liberty; only use not liberty for an occasion to the flesh, but by love serve one another. For all the law is fulfilled in one word, even in this; Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself.” Truly, it's all about Him. What He has begun in our lives is all about His glory. We are chosen and honored to be part of His glorious redemption purposes.

Sisters, it is such a glorious thing to be His...to be hidden and found in Christ! To be called His daughter, above all else. He's the amazing one. Yea, He is altogether lovely (Song 5:16). 

So, who are we? We are Christ's. We who were once dead have been reconciled to God. And now we are dead, but alive with Christ in God. When Christ, who is our life, shall appear, then shall we also appear with Him in glory! (Colossians 3:3-4) See you there!