In christ jesus, I am

In this world, the identity of a person is something that helps define them.  Some people identity themselves by the position they hold within their family, close friends, and what they do at work.  However, these and many other forms of identity can change or be taken away over the course of a lifetime.  Experiencing such a lose can injury or even destroy the regard one holds towards themselves.  However, there is an identity that can remain within us for a lifetime; it can be found within Christ Jesus.

In Christ Jesus, I am ...

a Branch -- John 15:1-2, 4-8

“I am the true vine, and My Father is the vine-dresser. Every branch in Me that does not bear fruit He takes away; and every branch that bears fruit He prunes, that it may bear more fruit.”

“Abide in Me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in Me. I am the vine, you are the branches. He who abides in Me, and I in him, bears much fruit; for without Me you can do nothing.”

“If anyone does not abide in Me, he is cast out as a branch and is withered; and they gather them and throw them into the fire, and they are burned. If you abide in Me, and My words abide in you, you will ask what you desire, and it shall be done for you.”

“By this My Father is glorified, that you bear much fruit; so you will be My disciples.


a Brother , Sister , or Mother -- Matthew 12:50 ; Mark 3:35; Luke 8:21

“For whoever does the will of My Father in heaven is My brother and sister and mother.”

“For whoever does the will of God is My brother and My sister and mother.”

“But He answered and said to them, My mother and My brothers are these who hear the word of God and do it.”


a Child of God -- John 1:12-13 ; Romans 8:16-17 ; 1 John 3:1

“But as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God, to those who believe in His name: who were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God.”

"The Spirit Himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God, and if children, then heirs—heirs of God and joint heirs with Christ, if indeed we suffer with Him, that we may also be glorified together."

"Behold what manner of love the Father has bestowed on us, that we should be called children of God! Therefore the world does not know us, because it did not know Him."


a Disciple -- John 8:31-32 ; 13:34-35 ; 15:8

“Then Jesus said to those Jews who believed Him, “If you abide in My word, you are My disciples indeed. “And you shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.”

“A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another; as I have loved you, that you also love one another. By this all will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another.”

“By this My Father is glorified, that you bear much fruit; so you will be My disciples.”


a Fisher of Men -- Matthew 4:19-20 ; Mark 1:17-18

“Then He said to them, Follow Me, and I will make you fishers of men. They immediately left their nets and followed Him.”

“Then Jesus said to them, Follow Me, and I will make you become fishers of men. They immediately left their nets and followed Him.”


a Friend -- John 15:12-17

“This is My commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you. Greater love has no one than this, than to lay down one’s life for his friends. You are My friends if you do whatever I command you. No longer do I call you servants, for a servant does not know what his master is doing; but I have called you friends, for all things that I heard from My Father I have made known to you.”

“You did not choose Me, but I chose you and appointed you that you should go and bear fruit, and that your fruit should remain, that whatever you ask the Father in My name He may give you. These things I command you, that you love one another.”


Good Ground -- Matthew 13:23 ; Mark 4:20 ; Luke 8:15

“But he who received seed on the good ground is he who hears the word and understands it, who indeed bears fruit and produces: some a hundredfold, some sixty, some thirty.”

“But these are the ones sown on good ground, those who hear the word, accept it, and bear fruit: some thirty-fold, some sixty, and some a hundred.”

“But the ones that fell on the good ground are those who, having heard the word with a noble and good heart, keep it and bear fruit with patience.”


An Heir -- Romans 8:16-17 ; Titus 3:7 ; James 2:5

"The Spirit Himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God, and if children, then heirs--heirs of God and joint heirs with Christ, if indeed we suffer with Him, that we may also be glorified together."

"that having been justified by His grace we should become heirs according to the hope of eternal life."

"Listen, my beloved brethren: Has God not chosen the poor of this world to be rich in faith and heirs of the kingdom which He promised to those who love Him?"


the Light of the World -- Matthew 5:14-16
        [Jesus is Light -- John 8:12 ; 9:5 ; 12:36, 46]

“You are the light of the world. A city that is set on a hill cannot be hidden. Nor do they light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on a lamp-stand, and it gives light to all who are in the house. Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works and glorify your Father in heaven.”

“Then Jesus spoke to them again, saying, “I am the light of the world. He who follows Me shall not walk in darkness, but have the light of life.” ... “As long as I am in the world, I am the light of the world.”

“While you have the light, believe in the light, that you may become sons of light.” These things Jesus spoke, and departed, and was hidden from them.” ... “I have come as a light into the world, that whoever believes in Me should not abide in darkness.”


a Member of the Body of Christ -- Romans 12:4-8 ;
     1 Corinthians 12:12-14 , 27-28 ; Ephesians 4:11-12

"For as we have many members in one body, but all the members do not have the same function, so we, being many, are one body in Christ, and individually members of one another. Having then gifts differing according to the grace that is given to us, let us use them: if prophecy, let us prophesy in proportion to our faith; or ministry, let us use it in our ministering; he who teaches, in teaching; he who exhorts, in exhortation; he who gives, with liberality; he who leads, with diligence; he who shows mercy, with cheerfulness."

"For as the body is one and has many members, but all the members of that one body, being many, are one body, so also is Christ. For by one Spirit we were all baptized into one body—whether Jews or Greeks, whether slaves or free—and have all been made to drink into one Spirit. For in fact the body is not one member but many."

"Now you are the Body of Christ, and members individually. And God has appointed these in the church: first apostles, second prophets, third teachers, after that miracles, then gifts of healings, helps, administrations, varieties of tongues."

"And He Himself gave some to be apostles, some prophets, some evangelists, and some pastors and teachers, for the equipping of the saints for the work of ministry, for the edifying of the Body of Christ,"


a New Creation -- 2 Corinthians 5:17 ; Galatians 6:15

"Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new."

"For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision nor uncircumcision avails anything, but a new creation."


the Salt of the Earth -- Matthew 5:13 ; Mark 9:49-50

“You are the salt of the earth; but if the salt loses its flavor, how shall it be seasoned? It is then good for nothing but to be thrown out and trampled underfoot by men.”
    
“For everyone will be seasoned with fire, and every sacrifice will be seasoned with salt. Salt is good, but if the salt loses its flavor, how will you season it? Have salt in yourselves, and have peace with one another.”


a Saint -- 1 Corinthians 1:2-3 ; Ephesians 4:11-12

"To the church of God which is at Corinth, to those who are sanctified in Christ Jesus, called to be saints, with all who in every place call on the name of Jesus Christ our Lord, both theirs and ours: Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ."

"And He Himself gave some to be apostles, some prophets, some evangelists, and some pastors and teachers, for the equipping of the saints for the work of ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ,"


a Servant -- Matthew 20:26-28 ; Mark 9:35 ; 10:43-45 : Acts 16:17

“Yet it shall not be so among you; but whoever desires to become great among you, let him be your servant. And whoever desires to be first among you, let him be your slave — just as the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give His life a ransom for many.”

“And He sat down, called the twelve, and said to them, “If anyone desires to be first, he shall be last of all and servant of all.”

“Yet it shall not be so among you; but whoever desires to become great among you shall be your servant. And whoever of you desires to be first shall be slave of all. For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give His life a ransom for many.”

"This girl followed Paul and us, and cried out, saying, “These men are the servants of the Most High God, who proclaim to us the way of salvation.”"


a Sheep -- Matthew 10:16 ; 25:32-34 ; John 10:14-16, 27-30
    
“Behold, I send you out as sheep in the midst of wolves. Therefore be wise as serpents and harmless as doves.” ... “All the nations will be gathered before Him, and He will separate them one from another, as a shepherd divides his sheep from the goats. And He will set the sheep on His right hand, but the goats on the left.”

“I am the good shepherd; and I know My sheep, and am known by My own. As the Father knows Me, even so I know the Father; and I lay down My life for the sheep. And other sheep I have which are not of this fold; them also I must bring, and they will hear My voice; and there will be one flock and one shepherd.”

“My sheep hear My voice, and I know them, and they follow Me. And I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish; neither shall anyone snatch them out of My hand. My Father, who has given them to Me, is greater than all; and no one is able to snatch them out of My Father’s hand. I and My Father are one.”


a Son (or daughter) -- Matthew 5: 9, 43-45; Luke 6: 35-36; Romans 8: 14-15;
     2 Corinthians 6: 18; Galatians 3: 26-27; 4: 6-7; Hebrews 12: 7-8

"Blessed are the peacemakers, For they shall be called sons of God."

“You have heard that it was said, ‘You shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy.’ But I say to you, love your enemies, bless those who curse you, do good to those who hate you, and pray for those who spitefully use you and persecute you, that you may be sons of your Father in heaven; for He makes His sun rise on the evil and on the good, and sends rain on the just and on the unjust."

"But love your enemies, do good, and lend, hoping for nothing in return; and your reward will be great, and you will be sons of the Most High. For He is kind to the unthankful and evil. Therefore be merciful, just as your Father also is merciful."

"For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, these are sons of God. For you did not receive the spirit of bondage again to fear, but you received the Spirit of adoption by whom we cry out, “Abba, Father.”

“I will be a Father to you, And you shall be My sons and daughters, Says the LORD Almighty.”

"For you are all sons of God through faith in Christ Jesus. For as many of you as were baptized into Christ have put on Christ."

"And because you are sons, God has sent forth the Spirit of His Son into your hearts, crying out, “Abba, Father!” Therefore you are no longer a slave but a son, and if a son, then an heir of God through Christ."

"If you endure chastening, God deals with you as with sons; for what son is there whom a father does not chasten? But if you are without chastening, of which all have become partakers, then you are illegitimate and not sons."


a Temple -- 1 Corinthians 3:16-17 ; 6:18-20

"Do you not know that you are the temple of God and that the Spirit of God dwells in you? If anyone defiles the temple of God, God will destroy him. For the temple of God is holy, which temple you are."

"Flee sexual immorality. Every sin that a man does is outside the body, but he who commits sexual immorality sins against his own body. Or do you not know that your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit who is in you, whom you have from God, and you are not your own? For you were bought at a price; therefore glorify God in your body and in your spirit, which are God’s."


a Wise Man -- Matthew 7:24-25; Luke 6:47-48

"Therefore whoever hears these sayings of Mine, and does them, I will liken him to a wise man who built his house on the rock: and the rain descended, the floods came, and the winds blew and beat on that house; and it did not fall, for it was founded on the rock.”

“Whoever comes to Me, and hears My sayings and does them, I will show you whom he is like: He is like a man building a house, who dug deep and laid the foundation on the rock. And when the flood arose, the stream beat vehemently against that house, and could not shake it, for it was founded on the rock.”

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In closing, there are many things that we can be in this world.  All of these things may help us strengthen our identity and provide us with a sense of purpose within our family, close friends, and other levels of society.  Yet, none of them serve us as much as the identity that we hold in Christ Jesus. 

Let Us Pray: Lord Jesus thank you for allowing me to be so many things in You.  Please help me to maintain an active relationship with You, but also others who share their trust in You.  Please help me to continue to serve others as Your Spirit leads me to do so as well.  In Jesus name, Amen.