Colossians 2:9-10 For in Him dwells all the fullness of the Godhead bodily; and you are complete in Him, who is the head of all principality and power. (NKJV).

Who am I? What’s my identity? I’ve written about this before (Brief Word – #10 March 2010), but it remains an important topic. Too often we don’t understand who we are (our identity) because we don’t fully understand who Jesus is, and, who we are IN HIM! It’s my belief when we have a greater revelation of who Jesus Christ is, we are on the way to a greater understanding of who we are, our identity.

So, who are you? Well, I will tell you. You are who He is! His identity is yours!

We know that Jesus Christ is fully God. He is the fullness of God! (See John 1:1). When we came to Him, we became part of who He is. We receive of HIM! Through the exchange at the Cross, we receive by faith all that He is. He gave us His righteousness for our unrighteousness. He gave us forgiveness and took our sin. He took our brokenness and gave us His wholeness. Look at what Paul says; 2 Corinthians 5:21 For He made Him who knew no sin to be sin for us, that we might become the righteousness of God in Him. (NKJV). And if we’re forgiven, righteous, holy, justified IN CHRIST, then we can’t be half forgiven, half righteous, half holy or justified!

Notice that John says that we have received of His FULLNESS. John 1:16 And of His fullness we have all received, and grace for grace. (NKJV).

When God saved us, we were immersed into Christ, that’s where we reside. It’s our true position. As a believer it’s where we are right now. IN HIM; we have everything we need, we are righteous, we are holy, we are strong; we are justified, we are sanctified, we are kings and priests, we are victorious, we are more than conquerors, we are blood bought sons and daughters of the Father, we are the salt of the earth, we have the mind of Christ, we can never be separated from the love of God, we are the branches of the True Vine, we have permanent access to the full life of Christ, we are saved by His grace, we are forgiven, we are worth more than the gold in every gold mine, we are not a mistake, we have a future, we have a purpose to live for on this earth, we are the apple of the Father’s eye, we are His treasured possession! We are complete IN HIM! Wow!

It is important to know these things and study them – our true position IN CHRIST! Because our brain will steer our lives in the direction of the picture we have of ourselves. Whatever we give attention to we give strength to.

Paul says this; Ephesians 2:4-7 But God, who is rich in mercy, because of His great love with which He loved us, even when we were dead in trespasses, made us alive together with Christ (by grace you have been saved), and raised us up together, and made us sit together in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus, that in the ages to come He might show the exceeding riches of His grace in His kindness toward us in Christ Jesus. (NKJV). Another Wow!

Here’s what Peter says; 2 Peter 1:3 as His divine power has given to us all things that pertain to life and godliness, through the knowledge of Him who called us by glory and virtue. (NKJV). Peter is on to something here! God has already given us all things – found in Christ! But those things can only become real in our experience through knowledge and appropriation, eg: faith. Growth does not consist in receiving more life, but is an expansion of the life it already possesses. When the conditions are right, a seed grows, from all the natural built-in life it already has. And the spiritual condition most conducive to growth is: “the knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ”.

As a seed grows with the right conditions, so too will we grow in an understanding of who we are, and into the full life of Christ, as we are immersed in the truth. The greatest revelation about who Jesus Christ is, and who we are, is from His Word! The more you know the more you grow.

When we know who He is, and we know who we are IN HIM (our true identity), then we are able to discover our life’s purpose and bear fruit that remains and which glorifies the Father.

Wow! (Yep another one!). We are complete in Him! Think about that for a moment. Either it is true, or it is not. If it isn’t true, then we are in fact INcomplete. But that’s not what my Bible teaches me. I just need to learn more of the fullness of this amazing truth, that I am complete in Him, and then from that revelation with simple faith, growth and change and more Christ-likeness in my daily life will come.

Here’s what John says; John 8:32 “And you shall know the truth (JESUS CHRIST!), and the truth shall make you free.” (NKJV).

Be free in who you are! In your true IN CHRIST identity. A blood-bought saint of the Living God! Free to grow and serve and live and make a difference to a needy world.
PS: Related to this Brief Word, it was my privilege to minister recently from John 15:1-8, on the topic “I am the True Vine”. To listen go to: www.sermon.net/ecctauranga and click on “I am the True Vine”. I trust it is an encouragement.