Real believers have a new identity in Christ. Embrace your new identity, and don't be labeled by accusers

I am attaching a discussion guide to this discussion which gives the Scriptural support for my main points. I won't refer to those Scriptures for the most part, because they are included in the discussion guide.

I used this discussion guide in a parachurch ministry I was involved with. This parachurch ministry dealt with a lot of addicts who professed Christianity.

Here's the basic thesis:

1. Believers are new creations in Christ. They are one with Him, joined in a legal and vital (life-giving) manner. They are joined in a spiritual sense.
2. This union with Christ defines their spiritual identity. Their identity is not defined by their behavior. Ontology (objective being which is their union with Christ) defines economy (their behavior), and not vice versa.
3. Economy (their behavior) needs to come in line with ontology (their being in union with Christ), but their economy does not define them.
4. Paul exhibited this understanding, particularly in Romans 6 and I Corinthians 6, but throughout his epistles.
5. Believers are obligated to "put on" Christ by behaving according to this identity, but the underlying foundation is their identity in Christ.
6. Christians should encourage one another to behave according to their identity in Christ.
7. Christians should never discourage a weaker brother dealing with a sin issue by claiming that their identity in Christ is subject to being withdrawn.
8. Inducing self-condemnation in a real believer displays an incredible ignorance and is damaging to their potential fruitfulness.

I operated in an environment where some of my fellow "teachers" were legalists and charismatics who would be more likely to claim that sin is a result of demonic possession, and the addicts were in need of deliverance, not solid biblical understanding. As a result, I was forced to study this topic of union with Christ, and associated identity in Christ, so I could help the addicts in my ministry with their problems.

Individuals being helped by this ministry were coming back, over and over again, with the same problems so I knew something was wrong.

Luckily, the pastor of the church I was attending is a strong advocate of "gospel identity". Gospel identity focuses on who the believer is in Christ. The basic teaching is that the believer is united with Christ, and shares his spiritual and physical assets. Not only this, but the believers' identity is in Christ, after salvation. He is a new creature, and is defined by his union with Christ, and not his sinfulness, even if he continues to experience setbacks. He is not to define himself by his identity, but he is defined by Jesus and his union with him.

The world handles things a different way. The world identifies the person by their behavior. Such-and-such is a drunk, a drug addict, homosexual, etcetera. He will never change. And if he manages to deal with that problem, he is still defined by it and is always subject to falling back into it. Then, he becomes the same drunk or drug addict or homosexual.

In fact, one major organization requires the alcoholic to proclaim his identity prior to the meetings.

Now, I can see that there may be some value in saying something like, I am John, and I drink too much, at some point, due to a tendency to practice self-denial in regards to recognition of the behavior, but identifying one's self as an alcoholic (a label of identity) is not a good thing for a believer. The reality is that he is a new creation in Christ. I believe the Bible supports the distastefulness of this declaration of identity in the "new creation" scriptures, which would include 2 Cor 5:17, 1 Cor 6:9-11.

I suggest studying Romans 6:1-14 and I Corinthians 6. Notice how Paul approached believers. His major argument was: you, as a believer, are in Christ now. This is unchangeable. Now that you have this new identity, behave according to it. Put on Christ.

He didn't say, either start behaving like Christ, or God is going to leave you. He said, in essence, Jesus lived the perfectly righteous life and suffered and died on the cross for you. He has given you a new identity. This includes righteousness, sonship, and an inheritance. Now, start living according to this new identity. Put on Jesus Christ. He is your new identity. The old man, in Adam, needs to die. Put him to death. I won't give up on you in the meantime, but you need to live according to this new identity and produce fruit through union with Jesus.

That is what Paul was about. He wasn't some legalistic, self-righteous professed Christian looking to accuse others or to threaten them with loss of salvation. He had a healthy sense of fear of God, but it didn't involve the legalism of some professing Christians today. He was convinced that once a person understood God's grace, that would change his behavior over time.

And, there are plenty of legalists who would love to drag you into self-condemnation and unfruitfulness. Beware of them. They may appear to be holy, but if they are not broken up about their own spiritual condition at times, I wouldn't trust them.

Know why? If someone doesn't have a proper understanding of God's grace, there's two possible directions they can go.

One is self condemnation. They are honest and realize they don't measure up to God's standards. This person will go through a cycle of realizing his shortcomings, then working hard (in the flesh) to deal with them, and falling again, and then trying to perform again, and doing pretty good for a while (which generates self-confidence) and then falling again, and feeling self condemned again.

I would trust that guy, if he was honest about his failures, but I would encourage him to understand union with Christ and identity in Christ better.

The other is the self righteous guy. He drag's God's standards down to a level he can achieve. I am not athletic but I have seen real athletes jumping hurdles. The self righteous guy jumps over three inch hurdles and claims he is a star athlete. He believes that he meets God's standards. He is fixated on the external, and not the internal desires of the heart, as well. He never realizes that he falls short of God's standards, and thus shouts at others that keeping the law (or whatever standards) isn't so hard. Well, his understanding of God's standards is so infantile that he actually thinks he is meeting them. Therefore, he is a miserable comforter for anyone who would be unwise enough to seek counsel from him.

I would not trust that guy. He isn't honest about his spiritual condition and is suppressing the knowledge of his sinfulness. He is living in darkness. I think God needs to humble that man and show him the reality of his spiritual condition.

The real balance is a man who understands union and identity in Christ. That's where it's at. This believer understands that he isn't meeting God's standards, but he has been joined with Jesus. This union defines his identity. He is loved by God because God's beloved son is now spiritually joined with him, like a man is joined with his wife, and the two become one. Not only that, but he produces fruit over the long term because of this union. Like sap flows through the vine into the branches, so does Jesus' likeness permeate the believer due to this union (see John 15).

This man doesn't have to blame his sins on demons and seek out demon deliverance. Nor does he have to dwell in self-condemnation, because there is no condemnation for those in Jesus (Romans 8:1). However, he knows he needs to put on Christ, like he puts on his clothing in the morning. There is the identity aspect of union with Christ, but then there is also the fact that the union changes us over time (see 2 Cor 3, especially the last few verses). And, this happens through God's transforming power, not by the flesh.

Anyways, these are the most important lessons I learned through parachurch ministry. To be honest, I didn't understand a lot of things until I started trying to serve others in this way. I am glad God gave me something worthwhile to do for a while, because I believe in trying to serve others, you end up learning yourself.

I would recommend reading the books below in my signature for a better view of gospel identity. Jerry Bridges also has another book called Who Am I? Identity in Christ that I would recommend. It is very small and doesn't cover things as well as I would like, but it is a very good book for the beginner. You may want to read the book of Ephesians as well. A primary focus of Ephesians is identity in Christ.

I hope this is worthwhile to someone. Understanding these things has been important to me.

By the way, if someone doesn't agree with eternal security, I don't know that understanding these concepts will help you much because, in the end, I don't think an insecure person can really rest in their identity in Christ. To curb accusations from this crowd, realize that I said the believer needs to focus on putting on Christ, but that WILL happen if he is joined to Jesus. It may require a lot of parental discipline for God to deal with this person, but I trust in God's competency as a spiritual parent, not in some self-righteous guy's ability to browbeat the person into submission.

I have an idea, let's close this site down and leave this post as the home page LOL!
Okay, a bit extreme, but seriously, above all the squabbles of whatever we love to go on about on this site and even in the world, the church needs to believe this of themselves!

I would also cautiously recommend this book:

Who Do You think You Are? Finding Your True Identity in Christ, Mark Driscoll

The reason I recommend it is because it is more comprehensive than Jerry Bridges' book.

The reason I cautiously recommend it is that I don't like Mark Driscoll's attitude, especially toward coarse sexual references, but it doesn't really show up in this book. Additionally, Steven Furtick endorsed it and i don't like Steven Furtick because he tends too much toward a Health, Wealth, and Prosperity gospel.

If one can read it, though, and sift through any garbage that Driscoll might convey, it would be worthwhile. I personally think Driscoll's co-pastors wrote a lot of it anyways, so it is not truly Driscoll's work alone.

I don't want to get into a long discussion about Driscoll and his past, though.

Yes, yes, no, no. If they are a 'real believer' (baby believers not included) they won't fall for self condemnation brought on by others.

How can I know by your lifestyle that is worthy of serious consideration

Yeah..I don't think that long-term self condemnation will result with older believers, and it is mostly baby believers I'm concerned with. Maybe that's what Jesus was referring to, when he mentioned offending a little one..or at least part of it.

Matt 18:5 5“Whoever receives one such child in my name receives me, 6but whoever causes one of these little ones who believe in me to sin,a it would be better for him to have a great millstone fastened around his neck and to be drowned in the depth of the sea.

"receives" has to do with acceptance and not rejection.

You can't for sure. You don't know me personally.

And I don't mind if you reject the concept of union with Christ and identity in Him. It is sound teaching, though. Perhaps you will understand it at some point in your Christian walk, if you are a believer.

I am not trying to correct, but to share what I've learned. My remarks on the other thread related to competency to correct others. My point was that before a believer accepts correction from another, he should assess that person, and it is impossible to do this conclusively on a chat site.

Additionally, the person who considers himself the teacher needs to examine himself before he administers "correction" in a harsh manner.

I know that I challenge some individuals' understanding on various topics and they don't care much for it. I am Reformed, am not charismatic/Pentecostal, not KJV Only, not dispensationalist, believe totally in Jesus' deity and the Trinity, reject annihilationism, and that rocks some peoples' boats. In fact, I'd say most people don't like one or more of my convictions on something.

You might consider whether the reasoning is sound, and reflects the general teaching of Scripture. If you don't think it does, reject it. I think some will be compelled that my reasoning is sound on this topic.

And, my concern is mostly individuals who are dwelling in self-condemnation and need some encouragement, not fitting into some self-affirmation clique here. I know there are several of them, and those who believe differently sometime get harrassed. I'm a big boy, and I have my big boy pants on, so I can handle it

An alcoholic no doubt needs to recognize they are a alcoholic, teaching anything else then that is dangerous for the alcoholic, he needs to know it was all self induced.

There you go excusing me of reject the concept of union with Christ and identity in Him. My lord I hadn’t said anything on that, but no doubt you self induced it on me.

1 John 2:6, "He who says he abides in Him, is himself also obligated to walk as He walked."

1 John 3:24, “And the one guarding His commands stays in Him, and He in him. And by this we know that He stays in us, by the Spirit which He gave us.”

2 John 1:9-11, " 9 Everyone who goes on ahead and does not abide in the teaching of Christ, does not have God. Whoever abides in the teaching has both the Father and the Son. 10 If anyone comes to you and does not bring this teaching, do not receive him into your house or give him any greeting, 11 for whoever greets him takes part in his wicked works.

John 15:1-27, " 1 “I am the true vine, and my Father is the vinedresser. 2 Every branch in me that does not bear fruit he takes away, and every branch that does bear fruit he prunes, that it may bear more fruit. 3 Already you are clean because of the word that I have spoken to you. 4 Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit by itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in me. 5 I am the vine; you are the branches. Whoever abides in me and I in him, he it is that bears much fruit, for apart from me you can do nothing. 6 If anyone does not abide in me he is thrown away like a branch and withers; and the branches are gathered, thrown into the fire, and burned. 7 If you abide in me, and my words abide in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you. 8 By this my Father is glorified, that you bear much fruit and so prove to be my disciples. 9 As the Father has loved me, so have I loved you. Abide in my love. 10 If you keep my commandments, you will abide in my love, just as I have kept my Father's commandments and abide in his love. 11 These things I have spoken to you, that my joy may be in you, and that your joy may be full. 12 “This is my commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you. 13 Greater love has no one than this, that someone lay down his life for his friends. 14 You are my friends if you do what I command you. 15 No longer do I call you servants, for the servant does not know what his master is doing; but I have called you friends, for all that I have heard from my Father I have made known to you. 16 You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you that you should go and bear fruit and that your fruit should abide, so that whatever you ask the Father in my name, he may give it to you. 17 These things I command you, so that you will love one another. 18 “If the world hates you, know that it has hated me before it hated you. 19 If you were of the world, the world would love you as its own; but because you are not of the world, but I chose you out of the world, therefore the world hates you. 20 Remember the word that I said to you: ‘A servant is not greater than his master.’ If they persecuted me, they will also persecute you. If they kept my word, they will also keep yours. 21 But all these things they will do to you on account of my name, because they do not know him who sent me. 22 If I had not come and spoken to them, they would not have been guilty of sin, but now they have no excuse for their sin. 23 Whoever hates me hates my Father also. 24 If I had not done among them the works that no one else did, they would not be guilty of sin, but now they have seen and hated both me and my Father. 25 But the word that is written in their Law must be fulfilled: ‘They hated me without a cause.’ 26 “But when the Helper comes, whom I will send to you from the Father, the Spirit of truth, who proceeds from the Father, he will bear witness about me. 27 And you also will bear witness, because you have been with me from the beginning."

John 10:27-30, " 27 My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me. 28 I give them eternal life, and they will never perish, and no one will snatch them out of my hand. 29 My Father, who has given them to me, is greater than all, and no one is able to snatch them out of the Father's hand. 30 I and the Father are one.”

Indeed I just got excused which is a form of persecution.

Well the most important thing is we follow Jesus, everything else is ehh.

John 14:23-26, " 23 Jesus answered him, “If anyone loves me, he will keep my word, and my Father will love him, and we will come to him and make our home with him. 24 Whoever does not love me does not keep my words. And the word that you hear is not mine but the Father's who sent me. 25 “These things I have spoken to you while I am still with you. 26 But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, he will teach you all things and bring to your remembrance all that I have said to you.

John 6:63 It is the Spirit who gives life; the flesh is no help at all. The words that I have spoken to you are spirit and life.

Matt 24:35, “Heaven and earth may pass away, but My teachings will not pass away.”

John 12:25-26, “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless a grain of wheat falls into the ground and dies, it remains alone. But if it dies, it bears much fruit. He who loves his life shall lose it, and he who hates his life in this world shall preserve it for everlasting life." Whoever serves me must follow me; and where I am, my servant also will be. My Father will honor the one who serves me.”

Yes the grain is the fruit of wheat which there lies the seeds.

John 8:51 “Truly, truly, I say to you, if anyone guards My Word he shall never see death at all.”

Psalm 89:48
What man is he that liveth, and shall not see death? shall he deliver his soul from the hand of the grave?

If he's a believer, he's no longer identified by his sin.

Yes, he struggles with his sin but he is not identified with it.

Same principle was evidenced in I Cor 6 and Rom 6:1-14.

Paul teaches the believer that he is united with Christ, and no longer identified by his sin. He is a new creation.

He still continues to struggle with sin in his life, but he is not identified with it.

That is why it is wrong to label someone a drunkard, homosexual, drug addict, etcetera. Their identity is in Christ. They are no longer identified with their sin.

My position would be that others labeling them as a drunkard, homosexual, or drug addict is part of what causes them to live a life of failure rather than victory over the sin.

Family members and friends will continue to reinforce their old identity by labeling them. Even some Pharisee Christians do the same.

It seems like you were challenging what I posted, and attempting to discredit it. I think it's pretty plain teaching.

Like I said, though, you are free to believe what you want.

Sometimes God doesn’t take away/heal the physical addictions for reasons, alcohol and other type of drugs are physical addiction as well as mental, the Neurotransmitters of the Brain have altered for the rest of their lives.

Not saying some are healed of those damaged neurotransmitters, but some are not that’s doesn’t mean you can’t learned something from either.

I’m not challenging, it seems prideful and arrogant to say you can not learn from people who are not perfected as you are.