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Believer\u2019s identity stems from Christ Jesus who has given us a glorious and exalted position in God.\u00a0 Christ\u2019s name stands for authority, identity, honor and character.\u00a0 The Bible, God\u2019s word, is full of declarations concerning believers in Christ which are expected to conform to some expected lifestyle, disposition, actions and conduct.\u00a0 When these expectations are fulfilled, the Godhead is glorified.\u00a0 For instance, the disciples were first called Christians in Antioch, Acts 11:26.\u00a0 The brethren in Antioch were identified as Christ-like because they conformed to the lifestyle of the Lord Jesus Christ.\u00a0 It was obvious that the people in Antioch observed the style of living among the believers n Christ, completely conforming or tallying with the lifestyle of Jesus Christ their Master and Mentor.\u00a0 Therefore they were nicknamed \u201cChristians\u201d; that is Christ-like.<\/p>\n
The believer\u2019s identities are declared by the Godhead in the Holy Scriptures.\u00a0 Knowing God is a prerequisite for knowing who you are in this world and in the world to come.\u00a0 Knowing God makes you obedient to His word and qualifies you to identify with His character which is your inheritance in the Lord Jesus Christ.\u00a0 In this study, we shall examine a few of such identities which distinguish us from unbelievers.<\/p>\n
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From John 1:12, we are told that any person who receives Jesus Christ into his heart is automatically adopted into the family of God as a son.<\/p>\n
Being a son of God, you are privileged to call God, Abba Father, my heavenly Father.\u00a0 When you remember this always, it should elicit a high sense of humility in your heart and cause you to live a lifestyle that is consistent with the heritage of sonship and replicate the character of God in your life.\u00a0 You must also abstain from sins and sinful habits as God\u2019s character does not condone such.<\/p>\n
A.\u00a0Servant of God \u2013 Romans 1:1, 6:22; Mark 10:43-44:<\/span><\/p>\n Being a servant of God is one of the greatest identity of a believer in Christ.\u00a0 It is a divine privilege to be called a servant of God.\u00a0 From Mark 10:43-44, Servant of God is the position of greatness in the kingdom of God.\u00a0 It is most rewarding, if all believers have servant hearts so that we can be of benefit to one another.\u00a0 Today\u2019s church needs more servant-leaders than bosses, in order to promote oneness, unity and teamwork in God\u2019s vineyard.\u00a0 Servanthood will enable us to submit to one another out of reverence for Christ Jesus, Ephesians 5:21<\/p>\n B. Heir of God \u2013 Romans 8:17; Galatians 3:29:<\/span><\/p>\n This is the believer who has the legal right to receive what God has prepared for those who love Him.\u00a0 True believers in Christ are heirs of God and co-heirs with Christ.\u00a0 Once you believe in Christ as personal Lord and Savior, you become a child of God having equal rights with the Lord Jesus Christ who had hidden us in Him, Colossians 3:3.\u00a0 However, to benefit maximally from Christ\u2019s love gesture, we must share in His suffering in order that we may also share in His glory.\u00a0 The heir of God takes delight in suffering for Christ through trials, temptation and persecutions, since there is an exceeding glory that awaits him in eternity, 1 Corinthians 2:9.<\/p>\n C. Temple of God \u2013 1 Corinthians 3:9, 16, 6:19-20; 2 Corinthians 6:16<\/span><\/p>\n \u201cknow ye not that ye are the temple of God, and that the Spirit of God dwelleth in you?\u201d, 1 Corinthians 3:16.\u00a0 It is a joyful experience to appreciate that believers are an embodiment of God\u2019s presence.\u00a0 God dwells within us.\u00a0 This implies that you are not your own since Christ purchased you with a high price.<\/p>\n A believer must learn to honor God with his body, keep it pure and never abuse it with corruption.\u00a0 We do hear some people declare that god is only interested in our spirit and not the body.\u00a0 This is an error.\u00a0 Such individual should realize that what manifests in his body is actually what he has in his hear or spirit man.<\/p>\n The believer, therefore, should maintain a mindset that allows continuous fellowship with the Godhead with the understanding that we are God\u2019s tabernacle of habitation.<\/p>\n D. A King \u2013 Revelation 1:5-6; Proverbs 31:4-5:<\/span><\/p>\n \u201cAnd hath made us kings and priests unto God and His Father: to Him be glory and dominion forever and ever, Amen.\u201d, Revelation 1:6.\u00a0 The Lord Jesus Christ is the prince of the kings of the earth.\u00a0 And because He loved us and washed us from our sins in His own blood, made us kings and priests unto God.\u00a0 In the Old Testament, the office of a king and a priest were separated, but in the new covenant, Christ Jesus became both king and priest.\u00a0 He has through His grace made us both kings and priests of God.<\/p>\n Kings do no misbehave or make careless utterances as their words are authority.\u00a0 You are expected to rule over every situation, condition, nation around you, since the price of the kings of the earth is the source of your authority.\u00a0 \u201cIt is not for kings, O\u2019 Lemuel, it is not for kings to drink wine, nor for princes strong drink, lest you forget the law of God and pervert judgment of any of the afflicted.\u201d, Proverbs 31:4-5.\u00a0 Kings are to be honored, but they must remember that honor begat honor.<\/p>\n E. Sheep of the Great Shepherd \u2013 John 10:4, 11-15; Psalm 23:1-6:<\/span><\/p>\n The Lord Jesus Christ is the only Great Shepherd of the sheep, the believers.\u00a0 They are to hear His voice and follow Him and never follow or hear the voice of a stranger.\u00a0 The Great Shepherd always call His sheep by name and leads them out, goes ahead of them and the sheep follow Him since they know His voice, John 10:3-4.\u00a0 He leads them to well-watered and green pasture to give them nourishment, refreshment, encouragement and strength.\u00a0 We must stay close to the Great shepherd so that we can avoid being burnt out, weak and devastated in the ministry or service to God.\u00a0 The Great Shepherd has the ability to restore our souls from every devastation.\u00a0 As sheep, we must commit our ways to the Lord and He will direct and order our steps, Proverbs 3:5-6.<\/p>\n F. Brethren to Jesus \u2013 Matthew 12:49-50:<\/span><\/p>\n The believers in Christ Jesus are the brothers to Jesus Christ.\u00a0 All persons, male and female who do the will of the Father are the brethren of Jesus Christ.\u00a0 They are joint-heirs and one with Him in the Godhead. \u00a0The Lord Jesus Christ as a brother, friend, sticks closer than a biological brother.\u00a0 This implies that all true believers in Christ are one in the Lord and must have compassion for one another, brotherly kindness, bowel of mercy towards one another.\u00a0 We must be open to the Lord Jesus Christ for He is a dependable and trusted bother.<\/p>\n G. Ambassador for Christ \u2013 2 Corinthians 5:20; Philippians 3:20:<\/span><\/p>\n A believer in Christ is the authentic, authorized, appointed, commissioned and empowered representative of the kingdom of God her on earth.\u00a0 He is therefore ambassador for Christ in this world.\u00a0 Believers are to manifest the will of God on earth by their lives.<\/p>\n We are to represent heaven\u2019s government here on earth by bringing to bear the true lifestyle and character of heaven.\u00a0 As citizens of heaven, a believer in Christ, is here temporarily and acting as ambassador, representing heaven in this world.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n All believers in Christ have a glorious and exalted position.\u00a0 We should therefore, maintain the standard of who we are and what we have in Christ Jesus; so that we can remain overcomers.\u00a0 As a believer in Christ Jesus, you should not only be known and recognized in title or name, but also in your lifestyle and works, which represent the kingdom of God.\u00a0 The identity you bear should tally with your Godly lifestyle and works.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n 1 Peter 2:9 \u2013 \u201cbut ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a peculiar people, that ye should show forth the praises of Him ho hath called you out of darkness into His marvelous light.\u201d<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" The Believer\u2019s Identity, Part 1 Central Thought:\u00a0 How we live our lives as believers, depend greatly on our knowledge of who we are in Christ Jesus. Text: 1 John 3:1-3; 1 Peter 2:5-12; Romans 8:17 Believer\u2019s identity stems from Christ Jesus who has given us […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[9],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-788","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-sundayschool"],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/mzgtiglobal.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/788","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/mzgtiglobal.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/mzgtiglobal.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/mzgtiglobal.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/mzgtiglobal.org\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=788"}],"version-history":[{"count":2,"href":"https:\/\/mzgtiglobal.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/788\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":790,"href":"https:\/\/mzgtiglobal.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/788\/revisions\/790"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/mzgtiglobal.org\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=788"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/mzgtiglobal.org\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=788"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/mzgtiglobal.org\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=788"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}<\/h3>\n
Daily Living Application<\/h3>\n
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