10 Verses About Our True Identity in Christ

“It is enough for the disciple that he be as his teacher, and the servant as his lord,” is what the Master of masters said in Matt. 10:25. Much is said these days on the subject of “our true identity in Christ”, that is, in the Savior, the Son of God. And indeed, there is much to be said about it. In this brief Bible study we gather some verses and propose to show and explain some things about this so-called “identity in Jesus”. Some of them are not so said or experienced out there, but we’ll see if it wouldn’t be interesting to recover them.

Which Bible verse speaks about our identity in Christ?

In fact, the word “identity” doesn’t even exist in the Bible. It is clear that it defines one’s character, and therefore, examining the character of “Christ”, many people whose faith in him is sincere want to identify with him, to follow and imitate him. And indeed we have to do this, because as we have seen, he said, “it is enough for the disciple to be like his teacher”.

Therefore, to define what our true “identity in Christ” would actually be, let’s make use of some verses that his disciples wrote, and that define what they became by believing in him and exercising faithfulness to God through him. So let’s apply what they taught to our current context.

To elaborate this study, we are going to use excerpts from some letters that his disciples wrote and that define what was the “identity” that they received “in Christ”. We’re not going to do more because we’re not writing a book right now.

1) Our “identity in Christ” defines that we are people forgiven by God.

We know that we are all sinners; we trespass against God and disobey his commandments. Unfortunately, by inheritance, we received a tradition full of sins and transgressions against divine principles. But, through his beloved son, whom he anointed as a preacher of his word and guide of his people (Lk 4:16-18; Mt 2:4-6), we can find the way back to God and recover the true identity we should have Him! (see 1 Pet 1:18-19)

But to recover the true human being that we should be in union with the Son of God, naturally He must first forgive our transgressions. It is at this point that God offers His Son as a propitious sacrifice to bear our sins and, through His death, obtain His forgiveness.

By God’s grace, without earning it, all are granted the status of being considered righteous before him, through the act redeeming us from our enslavement to sin that was accomplished by the Messiah Yeshua. God put Yeshua forward as the kapparah for sin through his faithfulness in respect to his bloody sacrificial death. This vindicated God’s righteousness; because, in his forbearance, he had passed over [with neither punishment nor remission] the sins people had committed in the past;

(Romans 3:24-25 Complete Jewish Bible)

Therefore, we must no longer follow sin, that is, our true “identity in Christ”, that is, in the anointed Son of God, defines that we no longer take pleasure in disobeying the word, teachings and commandments of God (the sin is disobedience to God, see 1 John 3:4).

See also Romans 6:3-11.

2) We have no condemnation in our “identity in Christ”.

We just said that we were forgiven by God and therefore we no longer follow sin, that is, disobedience to divine teachings and ordinances.

However, sometimes in life, we feel guilty again for the mistakes previously committed. But, as already stated, God has forgiven us of our past failures, and if we truly cling to this new identity of obedience and holiness, there will be no condemnation for us, therefore no guilt.

Therefore, there is no longer any condemnation awaiting those who are in union with the Messiah Yeshua.

(Romans 8:1 Complete Jewish Bible)

3) We are one body through our new “identity in Christ”.

Our unification with the Lord brought us together in the same thought and way of life. In being united with the Master, his disciples considered their community to be one body.

so there are many of us, and in union with the Messiah we comprise one body, with each of us belonging to the others.

(Romans 12:5 CJB)

Even our differences now unites us. But we refer, of course, to the differences in our personal characteristics and our aptitudes; for there should not be disharmony between us in thought and attitudes, because we are not the head of this body, but the Anointed One! That’s why we should follow him, because he leads us to God (see John 14:11-12).

4) In our identity in Christ, we are sanctified.

To: God’s Messianic community in Corinth, consisting of those who have been set apart by Yeshua the Messiah and called to be God’s holy people…

(1 Co 1:2a, CJB)

Some people, trying to define what holiness is, refer to it as a way of life. However, holiness goes beyond a mere religious way of living. Holiness, in fact, is closely linked to the practice of God’s commandments, that is, a saint is one who practices God’s commandments; and this, from the beginning, God Himself explains in His holy word.

Therefore consecrate yourselves — you people must be holy, because I am Adonai your God. Observe my regulations, and obey them; I am Adonai, who sets you apart to be holy.

Leviticus 20:7-8
Complete Jewish Bible

Therefore, the Master states in one of his prayers to the Father that he sanctified himself in favor of his disciples, see John 17:19. So this means that he kept himself in the practice of the word of God, that is, his commandments, ordinances and principles (cf. Jn 15:10).

Therefore, we too must seek perfection in obedience to God’s commandments by assuming our true “identity in Christ”, that is, our identification with the Lord Yeshua, the anointed Son of God (Mt 16:16; Mk 14:61; Luke 4:41; John 6:69; 20:31).

5) In Christ (in the Anointed One) we are a new creature!

Therefore, if anyone is united with the Messiah, he is a new creation — the old has passed; look, what has come is fresh and new!

2 Corinthians 5:17
Complete Jewish Bible

As we are describing, old habits, bad and sinful, not pleasing to God, are left behind by those who have united with the Messiah Yeshua, as they truly take on a new identity!

Note that Paulo, whose original name is Shaul (Saul) is much more profound and self-explanatory in writing this message. For in v. 14 he affirms that the love of the Messiah unites us, because we start to consider that if one died for all, then all died; and he died that those who now live might hereafter live no more merely for themselves, but for him who died for them. And finally, it is this very death of the Messiah/Anointed One that leads us to reconciliation with God, for just as he was obedient and pleasing to God, those who unite with him will naturally also be (see John 8:29).

6) United to the Messiah we are children of God!

Accordingly, the Torah functioned as a custodian until the Messiah came, so that we might be declared righteous on the ground of trusting and being faithful. But now that the time for this trusting faithfulness has come, we are no longer under a custodian. For in union with the Messiah, you are all children of God through this trusting faithfulness;

Galatians 3:24-26
Complete Jewish Bible

The above text is basically saying that the Torah (Law of God) led us to the Messiah, so that we could see in him the perfect example of obedience to God. Now, seeing the perfect man indicated in the Torah, who perfectly obeyed God, we have our confidence increased/perfected. Once our trust is firm, we can exercise allegiance to God and thus become his children, as Yeshua did (cf. Rom. 1:4). That is why those who are united with the Messiah/Anointed Yeshua are children of God, because like him they exercise allegiance to the blessed Creator forever; amen.

Therefore, the Torah of God, through its commandments, indicates what would be the perfect type of man according to God; Yeshua was this perfect man, and he is our guide to be as well (to obey God). So our union with him inevitably promotes our perfection as we progress in obedience to God’s statutes.

7) We become practitioners of good works through our new identity in Christ.

For we are of God’s making, created in union with the Messiah Yeshua for a life of good actions already prepared by God for us to do.

Ephesians 2:10
Complete Jewish Bible

Our union with the Messiah (“identity in Christ”) should naturally make us people who do good works. Considering that this is what will identify those who belong to him, when he comes in his glory, just read Mt 25:31-40. In this text are explained what these good works are. The summary is:

• Those who are united to the Messiah feed the hungry;
• They give water to the thirsty;
• They are hospitable;
• They dress the needy;
• They help the sick;
• Have mercy on the erring;
• etc.

See also Eph 5:2.

8) United to the Messiah, we also unite to the holy people!

Unfortunately, this is something so clear in any biblical translation, but that few people are allowing themselves to realize, or are having no idea what it is: our unification with the people of Israel! Therefore, we will use a common biblical translation here to show that it is possible to perceive more specific scenarios of the so-called “identity in Christ” that, unfortunately, we are not realizing very well…

Therefore remember that previously you, the Gentiles in the flesh, who are called “Uncircumcision” by the so-called “Circumcision” which is performed in the flesh by human hands— remember that you were at that time separate from Christ, excluded from the people of Israel, and strangers to the covenants of the promise, having no hope and without God in the world. But now in Christ Jesus you who previously were far away have been brought near by the blood of Christ.

Ephesians 2:11-13
New American Standard Bible

Yes, the text here is talking about ethnicity, nation, because it is the people who carry with them the identity of their leader, founder or ancestor. In this case, Israel would carry with it the “identity of God”! It is clear that this people committed not a few faults and transgressions over time in the past, but this is not the object of our study now; but it is important to know for now that, even with their faults, they did not cease to be God’s chosen people (see Romans 11:1-5).

So, firstly, the biblical text quoted above is stating that some people in that Ephesian community were “Gentiles”, that is, their ethnicity belonged to other nations; they were not natural Israelites.

However, something brought them closer to the nation/community of Israel, and made them participants in God’s covenants and promises along with His people. The author of the text makes it clear that this approximation was promoted by the “blood of Christ”. That is, the Anointed One was sacrificed to attract other people and unite them with Israel, because it is through this people, the people of the Messiah, that God gives his own identity to the world! (see Rom 9:4; Ps 147:19-20)

So, if we assume an “identity in Christ”, that is, if we unite with the Anointed Yeshua/Jesus, then naturally we should be united with his people as well, serving God together.

So, if we assume an “identity in Christ”, that is, if we are truly united with the Anointed Yeshua/Jesus, then naturally we should be united with his people too, serving God together! But instead, certain men of the past bequeathed to the world a history of rejection and even hatred of the chosen people. And the reflection of this today is the continuity of the various branches of the religion they founded, apart from the people of God; religion that, through new distorted theological interpretations, taught the world several justifications for not obeying several commandments and traditions of divine law. Indeed, even to this day, good people have been deceived by false teachings that claim to be good and true.

Thank God! Yeshua, the anointed, has guided us and enabled us to share in the same blessings as the holy people, if we unite with them, and if only we are faithful! (see Eph 3:6)

Look for a Jewish/Israeli community to be guided by! Maybe the First Fruits of Zion community can help you, or another similar one.

9) Humility is also part of our identity now.

Humility is the quality of someone who is modest, simple, and does not express vanity. He who is aware of his limitations; modesty. Who expresses some kind of submission towards their superiors; subordination.

Imagine how many lessons we have to learn from this?!

Have among yourselves the same mindset as the anointed Yeshua, who, even though he existed in the form of a supreme authority¹, he did not consider being equal to that authority something that should be retained at all costs. Rather, he emptied himself, taking the form of a servant, becoming like any human being.
And, recognized in a human figure, he humbled himself, becoming obedient to death, and death on a cross. Therefore God also highly exalted him and gave him the name that is above every name, so that at the name of Yeshua every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth,
and every tongue confess that Yeshua, the anointed, is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.

Philippians 2:5-11; adapted by us from a common bible.

1. Supreme authority: according to the original meaning of the word “elohim”, see Exodus 4:16 and 7:1, for example.

How far we are from the humility that the Messiah showed us! Do not you think?!

Not having a place to be born, he was born in a stable, in a manger… borrowed;
He preached his message inside boats… Borrowed;
Yeshua triumphantly entered Jerusalem to fulfill a prophecy, riding a simple colt … Borrowed;
He took his last Passover meal in a large room with the disciples… Borrowed;
Being King of kings, he wore a crown of thorns on his head… Borrowed;
He was hung on a cross that was not for himself… Borrowed;
He too was placed in a new tomb… Borrowed;

For we have brought nothing into the world; and we can take nothing out of it;

1 Timothy 6:7

10) Our union with Yeshua brings us peace with God!

Then God’s shalom, passing all understanding, will keep your hearts and minds safe in union with the Messiah Yeshua.

Philippians 4:7
Complete Jewish Bible

Saul had already explained in another letter that, when we trust in the Messiah and practice the word of God like him, we are then justified, and therefore we acquire peace with God (Rm 5:1).

Now, in a kind of “antidote” against anxiety, which since ancient times ruins many hearts (cf. Phil 4:6), he claims that our union with Yeshua, the anointed, will bring us peace. That’s because, as he (Yeshua) prayed to God and was heard, so will we be. Bear in mind that he got to the point of being very badly treated and even killed, but he was resurrected by the ETERNAL!

Therefore, in the end, God is faithful, and our union with Yeshua/Jesus, His son, brings us rest and peace because, just as he walked with God and eventually obtained peace from Him, so will we, if we act in the same way.

Our complete identity.

In short, through our “identity in Christ”, or better said, through our union with the Messiah/Anointed One Yeshua, we:

1. We are forgiven by God;
2. We no longer suffer condemnation;
3. We are one body (united);
4. We are sanctified (doers of the word of God);
5. We have become a new creature;
6. We are/will be children of God;
7. We start to practice good works, charity or social justice;
8. We are united with the chosen people (Israel);
9. We dress in humility and
10. We received peace.

Of course, there are many other things we enjoy through our union with Yeshua, the anointed one; however, these few make a big difference in our life, don’t you think?! Comment below if you remember any more.

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