Living Out Your Identity in Christ
The past few years, I have heard sermons and read dozens of articles discussing my “identity in Christ.” It is a crucial Biblical concept. But I have personally found it difficult to connect my identity in Christ with my behavior day by day. “Identity in Christ” can easily become an abstract doctrinal truth which does not enter enter my mind throughout the day.
Recently, I was reading a section of a book called “Grit” which helped me understand how identity and action relate. I have previously written about the book in last week’s “Book Quote of the Week.” It is a helpful book for the most part, but there is nothing in it which is not already in Scripture. There is, however, a brief section which deals with “living out who you are.” I think it gives some helpful questions to aid you in living out your identity in Christ.
Who am I? What is the situation? What does someone like me do in a situation like this?
Grit by Angela Duckworth
What the quote means
Who you proceeds and informs what you do
In “Grit”, author Angela Duckworth discusses how passion and perseverance (or “grit”) both predict, to some degree, “success.” The chapter in which this quote appears focuses on developing a culture of grit. The point she makes is grit does not come from calculation or cost benefit analysis. It comes from “the strength of the person we know ourselves to be.”
Now, buried in this mire of self-focused self-help is the important point: most of what you and I do is not based on some sort of pros and cons calculation. For example, let’s say you saw an old lady fall over in front of you. How do you decide what action to take next? Do you sit down and write out the benefits of helping her up compared with the amount of time it would take out of your day? Perhaps you write out the pros and cons of coming to her aid?
Of course not. You would not do either of those things. Instead, you simply act: you either help the old lady up, or ignore her. The type of person you are will determine what you do. Most of your actions throughout a day are not calculated (although granted, some bigger decisions like what house you should buy are often calculated). They proceed simply from who you are. Your character. Your values.
Why it is important
How does Christ change your actions?
What I love about the quote I gave above, is it gives three memorable little questions for living out your identity in Christ. “Who am I? What is the situation? What does someone like me do in a situation like this?” Now, for Angela Duckworth and the American culture as a whole, identity is self-defined. Personal values and personal essence are a buffet as it were: you pick and choose who you want to be. But the Biblical worldview could not be more different.
God defines your identity. And for a Christian, you are “in Christ.” United with Christ. Paul constantly reminds almost every Church he writes to that they belong to Christ and therefore cannot continue living in sin. In fact, they must kill sin and “put on” Christ. So a Christian version of the three questions Duckworth gives is “Who am I in Christ? What is the situation? What does someone who is in Christ do in a situation like this?”
These three questions have really helped me live out my identity in Christ. You and I experience dozens of situations a day, some unexpected, some expected. You no doubt want to respond to each situation in a God-honoring, Christ-exalting way. But how?
Respond to each situation by asking yourself “What does a sinner redeemed by God’s grace in Christ and living under His Lordship do in this situation?”
Oftentimes, just asking the question will re-frame the whole situation. Instead of responding based on your own ideas or desires, you focus your mind back on Christ. What does Jesus value? How does the Lord want me to respond in this situation? What is the action which most pleases Him?
Living out your identity in Christ is not complicated. You just have to pause and remind yourself of who you are. If you do, oftentimes the Lord will bring to your mind Scriptures which clarify what you should do or what you should value.
Takeaways
1. Remind yourself of who you are in Christ each day
You can only live out your identity in Christ to the extant that you know who you are in Christ. Thankfully, this is clearly important to the New Testament authors. Reminding yourself of the gospel and theological truth is not some abstract, heady thing. There is nothing more practical than taking yourself back to the source of your life and hope: Christ.
How can you respond to situations in a Christ-honoring way if you don’t remind yourself what honors Christ? You and I have short memories. In the absence of Biblical truth, you will define your own identity and values. You will respond in a way that “feels best” to you. But one of the great joys of being a Christian is being free to live for Christ, not self.
I have been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me. And the life I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.
Galatians 2:20 ESV, emphasis added
Are you a Christian? You no longer live. The identity you made for yourself is dead and gone. But Christ lives in you. And the life you are living now is completely centered on Christ. In order to practically live that out moment by moment, you must remember who you are.
2. Don’t trust your instincts. Pause and reflect before you respond
It is so easy to live your day on autopilot. You go from one thing to the next without asking what you are doing and why you are doing it. You can easily live by “instinct” rather than by conscious obedience to Christ and His word. The old person you used to be before Christ with its attitudes, actions, and values can easily appear in how you respond to those around you. The antidote: pause.
Someone cut you off in traffic? Pause. Just for 5 seconds. Long enough to ask yourself “what does a Christian do in this situation?” Your spouse lashed out at you unfairly. Give it five seconds. Maybe ask the Lord “what would you have me do?” Reflect before you respond. Remind yourself of the omnipresent Lord of your life before you act. It is not actually that difficult and does not practically take very long.
Develop the habit of thinking of Christ before you respond to a particular situation
This is a tough habit to develop and maintain. But if you really want your “identity in Christ” to have a definite impact on your life, you need train yourself to constantly return to Him and who you are in Him. Behavior modification won’t work. Analyzing every possible response to a given situation is not possible or practical. You must pause, pray, and act as a Christ would act.
Transform your day simply by asking each moment along the way: How would Jesus want me to respond? In 90% of situations, just by asking this question the Lord will give you insight into how you should act.
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