When I was a little girl, my family attended church regularly, and I loved it–feeling God near me, learning Bible verses, and embracing our faith community. I participated in children’s programs, attended camp, and was involved in Youth for Christ. I felt loved and secure in my identity in Christ. During this time, seeds of God’s love were planted, ready to take root and blossom. I placed a high value on my faith and thought I grasped what is identity in Christ.
At this stage of life, finding answers to the life-changing questions, “Who am I?” and “What is identity in Christ?” were not part of my thoughts or conversations. I never dreamed I would question my identity, purpose, or relationship with God.
What is Identity in Christ
As it does for most people, longing to understand who am I and what to do with my life began to develop after I became a teenager. I began to question what I believed, what is an identity in Christ, and how faith applied in life.
It should have been straightforward because the answers to my questions about identity in Christ were in front of me and modeled by many people in our church.
It is hard to pinpoint when or why, but I started feeling dissatisfied and felt something was missing. I started looking in the wrong places and listening to the wrong voices.
The assuring voice of God and His quiet whispers in my heart became background to the blaring sights and sounds begging for my attention.
Although I understood that I was born with a unique identity, a one-of-a-kind fingerprint, I searched for a deeper meaning to the lingering question who am I in Christ? I tried to sort the conflicting messages I was receiving about what is identity in Christ.
It was not one impulsive decision but a slow decay of convictions that led me to start favoring counterfeits over God.
Along the way, my true identity in Christ got foggy as I followed paths and people that looked promising but led to disappointment.
For 10 years, I sampled the world my way and found career success, good friends, a lot of fun, and also a lot of pain.
In my wanderings, the deep ache in my soul was always present.
My decisions led to confusion and hurt as the distractions around me fell flat. I started to feel like I was spinning around, searching everywhere for my identity and never feeling satisfied.
One day, I found myself empty and alone, searching for the God of my childhood to find relief. In my search for relevance, I had lost sight of my true identity in Christ and found the counterfeits lacking.
What Does the Bible Say About Identity in Christ
When I faced my identity crisis, I reached out to a friend whom I admired and knew had a strong faith. He invited me to a Bible Study that was held weekly in his home.
In my despair, despite feeling nervous and awkward, I walked into his house, and it changed my life.
What does the Bible say about Identity in Christ?
My friend answered this question and taught the life-giving message that Jesus loves us just as we are. There is no need to change a thing; just ask Jesus to be a part of your life.
Although I had heard of Jesus and his love for me, this message of complete acceptance grabbed hold of the longing and doubts and began to open my heart to the whispers of God.
I searched for the answers to who am I in Christ and what is identity in Christ with focus and determination and began to understand how God sees me.
I began to study the Bible with a renewed passion to learn what the Bible says about Identity in Christ.
What is Our Identity in Christ
Our identity is best defined when we fully accept who Jesus says we are.
Three inspiring answers to what is our identity in Christ are found when you realize how God sees you and what God says about you.
3 Answers to What is Our Identity in Christ
1 You are Forgiven
You are forgiven by God when you ask Him to change your heart, and you change directions. We are forgiven regardless of what we have done in our lives; all can soak in Christ’s forgiveness.
I tried to attach my identity to various things and people, with disappointing results. But God’s forgiveness and acceptance are all-encompassing with no restrictions.
You don’t have to evaluate your past mistakes and walk in shame. The price was already paid when Jesus died on an old wooden cross in Jerusalem.
Forgiveness is waiting for you to surrender and accept God’s love.
“For this is how God loved the world; He gave his one and only Son, so that everyone who believes in Him will not perish but have eternal life.” John 3:16 NLT
2 You are Loved
You are loved by God. It can be challenging to believe in God’s unconditional love compared to the conditional love that is frequently offered. But God is faithful.
God loves you, and His love is recorded throughout Scripture. I have seen the great love of God demonstrated.
Jesus loves you unconditionally and demonstrated it by laying down His life.
“Your unfailing love, O Lord, is as vast as the heavens; your faithfulness reaches beyond the clouds.” Psalm 36:5 NLT
3 You are Called
You are called by God. He will help you embrace your identity in Christ and walk in love, righteousness, and purpose.
The rewards of a life following Christ are unending; not the type of reward that brings temporary satisfaction, but deep soul satisfaction.
I am convinced of this because I have tried to find purpose in many ways and wanted to give up.
The disappointing results have cemented my assurance that walking in God’s purpose is far superior to walking alone.
What is Spiritual Identity, and How Do I Find It
Once I truly grasped Jesus’s sweet promises, the path to finding my identity in Christ became apparent.
One night in April 1993, in my bedroom, I decided to let Jesus be my boss. I realized what is spiritual identity and how I find it is linked to believing in Jesus, accepting His love, and deciding to trust Him completely.
At that moment, I acknowledged Jesus as king over my heart, mind, and soul and believed He embraced every part of me. I have never looked back.
After making that life-changing decision, the path to finding my identity in Christ became clear and illuminated. I began to study the Bible with renewed interest and desire.
I asked questions of people who exuded joy, love, humility, contentment, and peace. I found a church that would walk beside me and allow me to serve and grow.
My transformation began that long-ago night and has continued throughout my life. What God says about our Identity will become more important than any other voice trying to gain attention–Jesus came to deliver us from a confused identity and be the source in our search to find out who we are.
Resting in the confidence of my Identity in Christ has revealed who I am in Christ and why I was created.
What Does it Mean When My True Identity is in Christ
As we grow to understand what it means when my true identity is in Christ, the benefits are overwhelming. You find a new purpose, contentment, and the ability to love those around you.
I have learned to trust God in good times and in times of struggle, discouragement, and loss.
My true identity in Christ transformed my life and helped me learn to encourage those around me,
“This means that anyone who belongs to Christ has become a new person. The old life is gone; a new life has begun!” 2 Corinthians 5:17 NLT
As the scripture states, a new life began for me. Not in the physical sense, but in a new place of belonging that brought internal freedom I had never experienced before. When we are secure in our identity in Christ, we realize four important truths.
What Does it Mean When My Identity is in Christ? 4 Truths
Your Identity in Christ means you are part of God’s family.
Knowing you are part of a greater mission and walking beside a family of other transformed people brings great joy and comfort.
Your Identity in Christ means you call out to God in prayer.
God is always available to communicate with you in adoration, praise, or cries for help in your darkest hours.
“When you call on me, when you come and pray to me, I’ll listen.” Jeremiah 29:12 MSG
Your Identity in Christ means you are surrounded by a community of believers who provide love, support, and help you grow.
As humans, unconditional love toward others is almost impossible until you factor in your relationship with Christ and how His transformative power causes His love to shine through you.
Your Identity in Christ means you live in healthy relationships and experience different types and levels of relationships.
Relationships are life-giving and nourish your soul. They can also cause pain and conflict.
But knowing your identity in Christ gives you new tools to live peacefully with others and enjoy the benefits of healthy relationships.
Who in the Bible Struggled with Identity
The Bible is built on the narrative of people whose positive and negative contributions provide the foundation of the Christian faith. Just as we struggle to understand our identity in Christ, the journey and struggles with their identity are documented in scripture.
Who in the Bible struggled with identity? Many Biblical characters struggled with identity, including three heroes of the Bible, Moses, Paul, and Peter.
Understanding their human conflicts and how they were loved and used by God can provide the support and comfort you need for your questions and faltering faith.
What can we learn from Moses about our Identity in Christ
The life of the prophet Moses is familiar through scripture, movies, and books; he is responsible for the rescue of the Jewish people from slavery, leading them to the promised land, and delivering the Ten Commandments.
Moses’ mother saved this future ambassador and prophet by placing him in a basket in the Nile during a period in history when the Egyptian Pharaoh ordered all Hebrew babies killed.
Moses is raised as the Pharaoh’s grandson, which helps him acquire needed life skills to prepare him for his future calling. I imagine he was a confident, perhaps cocky child who was given much power and control.
But he questioned his identity before he could use the wisdom and strength acquired in the Pharaoh’s family and become the leader he is destined to be.
One day, he stands up for injustice against the Hebrews, but in his anger kills an Egyptian. When questioned by a fellow Egyptian, “Who do you think you are, telling us what to do?” He panics and flees Egypt.
Maybe he acted out of impulse or frustration; perhaps Moses always struggled with feeling like a fraud.
His identity took a detour for many years after he fled his home until God approached him to get back on track: he had a job to do despite his setbacks and flaws.
He once again questions his identity when God calls him to return to Egypt to rescue the enslaved Hebrews,
“But why me? What makes you think that I could ever go to Pharaoh and lead the children of Israel out of Egypt? Exodus 3:11
When you wonder who in the Bible struggled with their identity, Moses gives us examples where he questions who he is and what he is being asked to do, but proceeds anyway.
What can you learn from Moses? Despite his recorded struggles with his identity, he finally embraces it and impacts many in his imperfect human way.
What Can We Learn From Paul About Our Identity in Christ
Paul the Apostle, another well-known Biblical character who struggled with his identity, is considered by many scholars to be one of the most influential leaders in the early Christian church.
He was a well-documented missionary who spread the gospel of Jesus to Jews and Gentiles alike and wrote half of the New Testament.
He was the son of a Jewish Pharisee and was given the name Saul at birth. He began his work as a dynamic, zealous crusader against Christians.
Paul’s identity struggles probably began at a young age, and he continued for years to raise dangerous havoc for believers.
He probably walked around with emboldened confidence as a representative of the Jewish high priests, causing pain, destruction, and death to followers of Christ.
Among the many atrocities attributed to Saul and his followers was the instigation and approval of the stoning of Stephen, considered the first Christian martyr.
But his identification with cruelty and hate was soon challenged when He was called to become a leader, writer, and speaker of the truth. Paul, who wore many masks as a defiant, came face to face with God who questioned him about his identity.
One day God called to him on the road to Damascus, “Saul, Saul why are you persecuting me?”At that moment Saul asked, “Lord what do you want me to do?” Acts 9:4-6
What can we learn from Paul? From the moment of that encounter, Saul changed direction, was transformed, and began to embrace his true identity with a new name, Paul. Instead of being defined by evil, he began to be defined by God.
His work and writings now classify him as a true Biblical hero with an identity firmly planted in Jesus who went on to lead the growth of Christianity.
What Can We Learn From Peter About Our Identity in Christ
Peter was an uneducated fisherman when he encountered Jesus and was called to follow Him.
After he became a disciple of Christ, his identity as a fisherman was not changed but redefined as a catcher of souls instead of fish.
The gospels record many instances of a growing relationship between Jesus and Peter, including Peter’s witnessing the transfiguration, where Jesus’ true divinity is revealed, and his walking on water to go meet Jesus.
What can we learn from Peter? He is strong in his convictions and identity and leads the other apostles during the ministry of Christ and after his death.
He is a strong influencer in the spread of Christianity and is called to be the rock of the church.
But the most memorable story where we learn from Peter is when he struggles the most with his identity. He loses sight of his greatest calling when he, as predicted, rebukes and denies Jesus 3 times.
“Peter swore, “A curse on me if I’m lying. I don’t know the man!” And immediately the rooster crowed.
Suddenly, Jesus’ words flashed through Peter’s mind: “Before the rooster crows, you will deny three times that you even know me.” And he went away, weeping bitterly.” Matthew 26:74-75 NLT
Peter’s identity is shaken many times throughout scripture, but his commitment to his calling and its impact on Christianity and the early church stand strong. He also authored two books in the New Testament, 1-2 Peter, which were instrumental in the growth of the early church.
When we reflect on who struggled with their identity in the Bible, it is interesting that the list includes Moses, Paul, and Peter.
God continued to use them for incredible feats— just as He uses you after weaknesses are revealed in your ability to stay true to your identity in Christ.
Bible Verses About Our Identity in Christ
Bible verses about our identity in Christ help us understand and stay rooted in our faith.
Psalm 139 is a beautiful passage that reveals the beauty of human creation:
“You made all the delicate, inner parts of my body
and knit me together in my mother’s womb.
Thank you for making me so wonderfully complex!”
Psalm 139:13-14 NLT
Ephesians 2 speaks of the beauty of our new identity in Christ:
“For we are God’s masterpiece. He has created us anew in Christ Jesus, so we can do the good things he planned for us long ago.” Ephesians 2:10 NLT
Romans 6 tells us we walk in the newness of life when we turn to Christ:
“We have therefore been buried with Him through baptism into death, so that just as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory and power of the Father, we too might walk habitually in newness of life [abandoning our old ways].” Romans 6:4 AMP
Bible Verses About Who Am I in Christ
There are many Bible verses to study about our identity in Christ and how understanding that one important reality gives us the confidence to live boldly and freely.
Here are some of my favorite bible verses about Who am I in Christ:
1 John 3:1
Song of Songs 2:4
1 Chronicles 16:34
Psalm 36
2 Timothy 2:8-10
Romans 8:28
Philippians 1:6
1 Corinthians 1:26-29
Philippians 4:6
Psalm 102:17
James 5:16
What is My Identity in Jesus Christ
Just as Bible characters struggled with their identity, I walk out my identity day by day. I have doubts, failures, and disappointments, but I never waver in being defined as a child of God and understanding my identity in Jesus Christ.
When I feel disillusioned, I turn to what Jesus said as He walked through the trials of His life. He faced pain to the point of death, but never changed His purpose and His love for others.
This knowledge empowers, encourages, and affirms my identity in Christ because I know I am defined by God and not my circumstances. I find contentment, confidence, freedom, and peace leaning not on my understanding but on the promises of God.
The most miraculous thing is– Jesus still uses me to impact others despite my shortcomings.
Bible Studies and Books About Our Identity in Christ
If you would like to dig deeper into studying your identity in Christ, many Bible studies and books explore our identity in Christ. I have listed some books that have influenced my journey. The last study is one I wrote in 2019.
5 Bible Studies and Books About Our Identity in Christ
“Defined Who God says You are” by Stephen and Alex Kendrick
“At this very moment, what you believe about your own purpose and value affects almost every area of your life”” including how you think and feel, the way you react to circumstances, and how you approach God and your relationships. But what is guiding your core beliefs? Are they healthy and founded upon solid truth? Or are they constantly shifting with the opinions of others or your own emotions?”
“Defined Teen Girls’ Bible Study” by Priscilla Shirer
“You are a miracle. And that’s exactly what this Bible study for teen girls is about””your true identity in Christ. Who you really are. The culture will try to define you, your past may try to label you, the enemy will seek to deceive you, but no one has the authority to give you your name””your identity””except your Father. And He says that your uniqueness is an expression of His creative genius and is designed to reflect His glory.”
“Mere Christianity” by C.S. Lewis
“The book brings together C. S. Lewis’s legendary broadcast talks of the war years, talks in which he set out simply to explain and defend the belief that has been common to nearly all Christians at all times. Rejecting the boundaries that divide Christianity’s many denominations, Lewis provides an unequaled opportunity for believers and nonbelievers alike to hear a powerful, rational case for the Christian faith.”
“Who do you think you are?” by Mark Driscoll
“Pastor Mark Driscoll knows that underlying our struggles in life is the issue of our identity. “The fundamental problem we have in this world,” he says, “is that we don’t understand who we truly are””children of God made in his image””and define ourselves by any number of things other than Jesus.”
“Identity: Understanding and Accepting who I am in Christ” by Mary Rooney Armand
“In the midst of life’s struggles, our soul craves a reminder that we are God’s chosen, His beloved, with a specific purpose. This Bible Study explores our identity in Christ, which helps us thrive in our relationships and discover our specific mission.”
This is an updated edition of a post originally published on Butterfly Living
Featured Image by Darius Bashar on Unsplash
