“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

“For we are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.” Ephesians 2:10 NIV

When I am tempted to doubt or forget my worth, this awesome Scripture, which the Holy Spirit inspired, reminds me that:

1. I belong to God – “For we are God’s”
2. I am God’s masterpiece– “For we are God’s masterpiece.”
3. God created me – “For we are God’s masterpiece. He has created us..”
4. God (the Creator of the whole universe) not only created me, BUT it’s even better – He created me brand new in Christ Jesus– “For we are God’s masterpiece. He has created us anew in Christ Jesus,”
5. God created me for a purpose – “For we are God’s masterpiece. He has created us anew in Christ Jesus, so we can do the good things.”
6. I am not running my life; God is– “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

We are God’s Masterpiece

Dictionary.com defines a masterpiece as “a person’s greatest piece of work,” in other words, something of great value and worth. God’s perspective is that we are of great price and value to Him because of who we are in Christ. If God, the Creator of the whole universe, says so, then so it is!

As born-again children of God, our old sinful nature was crucified on the cross with Jesus Christ. We are now new creatures in Christ Jesus (Romans 6:6; 2 Corinthians 5:17).

What are Good Works?

Doing good works means that we yield ourselves completely to Jesus Christ, die to our selfishness, and allow God to direct our lives and use us for His purpose.

God created us in Christ for good works. Not works that attempt to produce salvation (we are saved by His grace alone Ephesians 2:8) but works that result from our relationship with God through Christ Jesus. Good works that bring glory to God as we reflect the nature of Christ to our world by expressing the love of God, bearing the fruit of the Spirit, and walking in the power and goodness of God.

We are one-of-a-kind masterpieces on special assignments that reflect our specific gifts, talents, and skills. We are God’s workers. Every believer has a spiritual gift with which they are to serve. The Holy Spirit directs and empowers us as we use our gifts. God designed it that way so that we can shine in a unique and authentic manner as we serve Him and meet one another’s needs.

At the end of the day, we will all have to stand before God and give an account of how we lived our lives by allowing the light of Christ to shine through us since becoming saved (1 Corinthians 3:12-15).

So, I encourage you to see yourself as someone with infinite value, a masterpiece created anew in Christ Jesus to bring glory to God. Then, step out in faith to do the works that God has placed in your heart to accomplish through the power of the Holy Spirit who indwells you.

You are blessed.

Photo by Aleesha Wood on Unsplash

© 2021. Chizobam Idahosa @Beautiful in Jesus.

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Identity in Christ 

Who am I?

At the core of my existence, what do I base my identity on? What drives my sense of value? Do I measure my worth based on my family, education, race, looks, finances, career, social status, zip code, dress code etc.?

Does my security hinge on how people treat me? Am I dependent on the approval and validation of others? Does my mental and emotional stability depend on my circumstances, and am I high one day and dreadfully low the next?

These are all questions I’ve personally reflected on innumerable times in my life. There were seasons in my past when I based my identity on my environment, circumstances and people. Needless to say, those were not seasons of freedom and victory.

In order to live a purpose-driven life and fulfill the call that God has placed on our lives, we MUST know who God is and what He has freely provided to us in Christ Jesus. It is only then that we can stand our ground and walk in the victory that we already have in Christ.

Thankfully, as children of God our true identity is sealed, secure and unshakable in Christ. This is the absolute truth. However, unless you know the Word and renew your mind with truth regarding your identity, you will keep falling apart at the slightest hint of adversity.

The Epistles (the letters written to the church and to you as a believer) are full of Scriptures that tell us who we are and what we have in Christ. These identity in Christ Scriptures typically have the phrases “in Christ,” “in Him,” “in whom” and “through Christ.”  I strongly encourage you to find these Scriptures yourself and commit them to your heart.

Ephesians chapter 1 is one of my favorites in the Bible because it overflows with Scriptures regarding our identity in Christ. I wrote a series of posts in the past based on Ephesians 1:1-14, which you can find HERE. Today’s post is specifically aimed at sharing some declarations based on Scriptures from Ephesians 1:1-14.

My prayer for you is that as you continually meditate on these Scriptures and declarations, the light of the Word of God will shine in your heart and eliminate all darkness. I also pray that through the power of the Holy Spirit, you will step out in victory into the calling God has placed on your life in Christ Jesus. Amen!!

Download your FREE PDF by clicking on any of the 2 images at the bottom of this post.

You are blessed!

Identity in Christ Declarations: Ephesians 1:1-14

Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus by the will of God, Ephesians 1:1

To God’s holy people in Ephesus, the faithful in Christ Jesus: Ephesians 1:1

To the saints which are at Ephesus, and to the faithful in Christ Jesus: Ephesians 1:1 KJV

Grace and peace to you from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. Ephesians 1:2

Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in the heavenly realms with every spiritual blessing in Christ. Ephesians 1:3

For he chose us in him before the creation of the world to be holy and blameless in his sight. In love…Ephesians 1:4

In love  he predestined us for adoption to sonship through Jesus Christ, in accordance with his pleasure and will-  Ephesians 1:4b-5

..to the praise of his glorious grace, which he has freely given us in the One he loves. Ephesians 1:6

In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, in accordance with the riches of God’s grace… Ephesians 1:7

…in accordance with the riches of God’s grace that he lavished on us. Ephesians 1:7b-8a

With all wisdom and understanding, he made known to us the mystery of his will according to his good pleasure, which he purposed in Christ, to be put into effect when the times reach their fulfillment- to bring unity to all things in heaven and on earth under Christ. Ephesians 1:8b-10

In him we were also chosen, having been predestined according to the plan of him who works out everything in conformity with the purpose of his will, Ephesians 1:11

 ^…in order that we, who were the first to put our hope in Christ, might be for the praise of his glory. Ephesians 1:12

And you also were included in Christ when you heard the message of truth, the gospel of your salvation. Ephesians 1:13a

When you believed, you were marked in him with a seal, the promised Holy Spirit, Ephesians 1:13b

…who is a deposit guaranteeing our inheritance until the redemption of those who are God’s possession-to the praise of his glory. Ephesians 1:14

 

List of Declarations

1. I am who I am by the will of God. (Verse 1)
2. I am a saint, set apart and designated by God as holy. I have been made holy through my faith in Jesus Christ. (Verse 1)
3. I am covered by God’s grace (unmerited favor, divine empowerment) and peace through Jesus Christ. (Verse 2)
4. I am BLESSED. God has blessed me (past, present and future) with everything I need for my spirit, soul and body. His overflowing blessings abound to me in Christ. (Verse 3)
5. God chose me. I did not choose myself. He made His choice before He created the world. Therefore, He based it on His love, not on my performance or attributes. (Verse 4)
6. Because of Jesus Christ, I am holy (set apart) and blameless (without accusation) in God’s sight. (Verse 4)
7. Because God loves me and because it pleased Him, He adopted me into His family through Christ. (Verse 5)
8. I have full rights as a member of God’s family. (Verse 5)
9. I am a product of the grace of God in Christ Jesus. (Verse 6)
10. My sins are PAID IN FULL and forgiven by the blood of Jesus Christ. (Verse 7)
11. God’s grace abounds towards me. (Verses 7-8)
12. I am a recipient of God’s wisdom and understanding. He speaks to me and I hear His voice. (Verses 8-9)
13. God chose me in Christ. Therefore, I am confident that my life will conform and work out according to His plans and purposes for me. (Verse 11)
14. I give thanks and praise to God and I live my life to bring Him glory. (Verse 12)
15. I am in Christ and my identity is found only in Him. (Verse 13)
16. I am marked and sealed with the Holy Spirit. (Verse 13)
17. I am certain of a glorious future and an eternal inheritance with God in heaven. “An inheritance that can never perish, spoil or fade.” 1 Peter 1:4. (Verse 14)
18. I will live to praise and glorify God for blessing me exceedingly and abundantly in Christ. (Verse 14)

Click on any of the two images BELOW  to download your FREE PDF.

Except indicated, all Scriptures are taken from the New International Version (NIV).

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This is the seventh and final post (for now) in my series on discovering our identity in Christ based on the first chapter of the book of Ephesians.

For my discussion on the meaning of the phrase ‘in Christ,’ click here.

I recommend catching up on the older posts before reading this one. To do so, click here.

This series has been centered around this confession of faith taken from Ephesians 1:

“I am a blessed, chosen, loved, adopted, redeemed, forgiven and accepted saint in Christ Jesus. I am marked and sealed with The Holy Spirit. That is how God sees me. That is who I am.”

Blessed Saints: Ephesians 1:3

You are blessed to be a blessing.

It is God’s desire to prosper you spiritually, emotionally and physically so that you can impact your world for His glory out of the abundance He has provided to you. Being a blessing includes financial provision to the needy and food to the hungry as well as impacting others emotionally and spiritually with the Word of God.

 And God is able to bless you abundantly, so that in all things at all times, having all that you need, you will abound in every good work. 2 Corinthians 9:8 (NIV)

Chosen Saints: Ephesians 1:4,11

You are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, God’s special possession, that you may declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light. 1 Peter 2:9 (NIV

You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you so that you might go and bear fruit–fruit that will last–and so that whatever you ask in my name the Father will give you. John 15:16 (NIV)

Dear friends, since God so loved us, we also ought to love one another. 1 John 4:11 (NIV)

We are therefore Christ’s ambassadors, as though God were making his appeal through us. 2 Corinthians 5:20 (NIV)

Redeemed Saints: Ephesians 1:7

Jesus Christ redeemed you out of darkness into His light that you may live your life fully for Him and walk in his way of light.

And he died for all, that those who live should no longer live for themselves but for him who died for them and was raised again. 2 Corinthians 5:15 (NIV)

Forgiven Saints: Ephesians 1:7

You are a forgiven saint because Jesus Christ shed his blood and died for you on the cross. Jesus paid the price for your sins. Therefore, in light of who you are as a forgiven saint and in response to God’s forgiveness you should,

 Bear with each other and forgive one another if you have a grievance against someone. Forgive as the Lord forgave you. Colossians 3:13 (NIV)

Accepted Saints: Ephesians 1:13

You are a child of The Most High God, accepted in Christ The Beloved. In response to God’s total acceptance of you in Christ, you should offer the same unconditional love and acceptance to your fellow brothers and sisters in Christ.

There is neither Jew nor Gentile, neither slave nor free, nor is there male and female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus. Galatians 3:28 (NIV)

Marked and Sealed with The Holy Spirit: Ephesians 1:13

But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. Galatians 5:22-23 (NIV)

But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.” Acts 1:8 (NIV)

I have given you authority to trample on snakes and scorpions and to overcome all the power of the enemy; nothing will harm you. Luke 10:19 (NIV)

​Conclusion

From the spiritual standpoint, God has given you everything you need to live a godly life through the power of The Holy Spirit (2 Peter 1:3 NIV).

My prayer for you is that as you meditate on who you are in Christ based on the truth of God’s Word, and as you renew your mind with the Scriptures, you will live a life that truly reflects your identity through the mighty power of The Holy Spirit who lives and dwells in you.

Amen!!

Except indicated, all Scriptures are from the New International Version (NIV).

Connect with me on Facebook or Pinterest.

© 2021. Beautiful in Jesus.

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This is the sixth post in my mini-series on discovering our identity in Christ based on the first chapter of the book of Ephesians.

For my discussion on the meaning of the phrase ‘in Christ,’ click here.

I recommend catching up on the older posts before reading this one. To do so, click here.

My last post ended on this confession of faith:

“I am a blessed, chosen, loved, adopted, redeemed, forgiven and accepted saint in Christ Jesus. I am marked and sealed with The Holy Spirit. That is how God sees me. That is who I am.”

 

Today’s post will focus on walking worthy of our call and living our lives in a manner that reflects our identity in Christ. My prayer is that you will be blessed by the Word.

I, therefore, the prisoner of the Lord, beseech you to walk worthy of the calling with which you were called. Ephesians 4:1 (NKJV)

 

We receive God’s Kingdom benefits by grace through faith not by our works or by our merit (Ephesians 2:8). We do not receive salvation and become followers of Christ based on how good we are and we do not maintain our relationship with God on account of how much work we do for him.

Again, it is all by His grace; His unmerited favor.

However, having received all these eternal benefits, what next? Should we just fold our arms and do nothing? Or worse than that, should we go on sinning so that God’s grace towards us will increase? By no means! (Romans 6:1-2)

God is God and we are His children. We must maintain our fear and reverence for Him by obeying His Word. The Scriptures are full of blessings as well as commands. We cannot pick and choose what to accept and what to ignore. Jesus himself said “If you love me, keep my commands” (John 14:15) and in the words of Apostle John, “this is love for God: to keep his commands. And his commands are not burdensome.” (1 John 5:3 NIV)

The more we meditate on God’s love for us, the more we should be motivated to obey Him. This flows out of our relationship with Him and not out of compulsion.

Therefore, as recipients of God’s grace and mercy and in response to His love and His extravagant blessings to us, we should walk in a manner worthy of our call in Christ.

He made us blessed, chosen, loved, adopted, redeemed, forgiven and accepted saints in Christ Jesus and He marked and sealed us with The Holy Spirit so that we will glorify and honor Him with our lives.

Whatever happens, conduct yourselves in a manner worthy of the gospel of Christ. Philippians 1:27 (NIV)

We continually ask God to fill you with the knowledge of his will through all the wisdom and understanding that the Spirit gives, so that you may live a life worthy of the Lord and please him in every way: bearing fruit in every good work. Colossians 1:9–10 (NIV)

For you know that we dealt with each of you as a father deals with his own children, encouraging, comforting and urging you to live lives worthy of God, who calls you into his kingdom and glory. 1 Thessalonians 2:11–12 (NIV)

 Conclusion

 In conclusion,  although we do not get saved by works; having received Christ, we are expected to walk worthy of his call. This we do by living holy lives that honor him and by doing good works that glorify him.

Good works that result from our salvation through faith in Christ NOT works that attempt to bring about salvation or maintain a relationship with God. For as Apostle Paul wrote:

“It is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God— not by works, so that no one can boast. For we are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do. Ephesians 2:8-10 (NIV)

For God is working in you, giving you the desire and the power to do what pleases him. Philippians 2:13 (NLT)

In my next post we will expound on living our lives in the light of each of the blessings discussed in this series.

My prayer for you is that as you read and meditate on these Scriptures, God will ignite in you a wholehearted love for Him. And I pray that this love will overflow into a willingness to do life His way; thinking, speaking and responding to life’s situations according to His Word and truly walking worthy of your calling.

AMEN!!

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This is my fifth post in my mini-series  on discovering our identity in Christ based on the first chapter of Paul’s letter to the church at Ephesus.

For my discussion on the meaning of the phrase ‘in Christ,’ click here.

I recommend catching up on the first four posts before reading this one. To be directed to the older posts, click here.

In my last post, we discussed God’s forgiveness and His total acceptance of those who belong to Christ Jesus, which is based solely on His extravagant grace and unconditional love. We ended on the confession that we are blessed, chosen, loved, adopted, redeemed, forgiven and accepted saints in Christ Jesus.

Today’s study will focus on Ephesians 1:13b-14. Grab your bibles and study with me.

Sealed with The Holy Spirit

“When you believed, you were marked in him with a seal, the promised Holy Spirit, who is a deposit guaranteeing our inheritance until the redemption of those who are God’s possession—to the praise of his glory.” Ephesians 1:13b-14 NIV

Letters were stamped and secured with seals in ancient times. Molten wax was dropped onto scrolls and a signet ring belonging to a king or person in high authority was pressed into the wax, resulting in an impression of the signet ring on the scroll. (See Esther 3:10-12.) Therefore, a seal is a sign of :

• ownership
• authority
• authenticity
• and it also indicates that a deal has been closed.

 In the verse above, Apostle Paul stated that believers in Christ have been marked and sealed with The Holy Spirit.

So the question is; what does it mean to be sealed with The Holy Spirit and what impact does this have in the life of a believer?

Ownership

The Holy Spirit is God’s Spirit. God seals us with His Spirit demonstrating that we are His priced possession. We belong to Him, we are owned by Him and we are His children. Therefore, we can face life with faith and confidence knowing that our lives belong to The Almighty God who will lovingly watch over us and take care of us.

Authority

It’s a sign of Gods authority. It shows that we bear the emblem of the King of Kings and Lord of Lords. Therefore, we can speak with divine authority and walk with power as children of The Most High God. 

Authenticity

An unbroken seal on a king’s edict was a sign that the enclosed message was authentic and genuine. In other words, it had not been manipulated or tampered with. As children of God who are sealed with the Holy Spirit, we are not fakes! We are authentic children of the All Powerful, All Knowing Creator of the universe. All principalities and powers in the spiritual realm can see and identify us as genuinely belonging to God. Therefore, we should live daily with confidence in the truth that “we are from God and have overcome them” (1 John 4:4).

Proof of a signed contract

It indicates that a contract has been signed and completed.

Just like a down-payment is made by a buyer purchasing a house or piece of property assuring the seller that the rest of the money will be received, The Holy Spirit is a guaranteed pledge of our future inheritance in heaven with God.

He is “our deposit guaranteeing our inheritance.” Therefore, we are certain of a glorious future and eternal inheritance with God in heaven. “An inheritance that can never perish, spoil or fade” 1 Peter 1:4.

“He anointed us, set his seal of ownership on us, and put his Spirit in our hearts as a deposit, guaranteeing what is to come.” 2 Corinthians 1:21-22 NIV

What an awesome God! What a privilege! HE HAS MARKED AND SEALED US WITH THE HOLY SPIRIT!!

Say out loud: I am a blessed, chosen, loved, adopted, redeemed, forgiven and accepted saint in Christ Jesus. I am marked and sealed with The Holy Spirit. That is how God sees me. That is who I am.

I encourage you to continue renewing your mind with the Word and confessing the truth of God’s Word over yourself daily and I pray that God will open the eyes of your understanding that you may know Him and know who you are in Him.

AMEN!

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Forgiven and accepted saints

This is the fourth post in a mini-series I have been writing on discovering our identity in Christ and living our lives to reflect who we are in him.

For my discussion on the meaning of the phrase ‘in Christ’ click here.

In my last post, we discussed the reality of our redemption in Christ Jesus and we ended on the confession that we are blessed, chosen, loved, adopted and redeemed saints in Christ Jesus.

Today’s study will pick up in Ephesians 1:7. Grab your bibles and study with me.

You are forgiven

In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, in accordance with the riches of God’s grace that he lavished on us. Ephesians 1:7-8a

As a result of our redemption in Christ Jesus, we are forgiven saints.

Irrespective of the height, breadth and depth of your sins before coming to Christ; once in Christ, you are forgiven. Though your sins were red like scarlet, by his blood they are washed away and you become white as snow (Isaiah 1:18).

The bible states that “the wages of sin is death” (Romans 6:23) and “without the shedding of blood, there is no forgiveness of sins” (Hebrews 9:22). Jesus paid the price so that you no longer owe God a debt. God forgives you completely on the basis of Christ’s death on the cross setting you free from eternal death.

God’s forgiveness towards us is totally unmerited. An extreme and extravagant act of favor, which He freely lavishes on us out of His super-abundant love. Therefore, as long as you are in Christ, there is no reason to hold onto your past sins. God loves you and will not hold them against you any longer.

Stop tormenting yourself with your past sins and do not allow anyone to define you by them. Like Apostle Paul, forget what is behind and strain forward to what lies ahead (Philippians 3:13).

GOD HAS LAVISHED HIS FORGIVENESS ON YOU AS AN ACT OF GRACE. RECEIVE IT!!

Forgiveness after salvation

His love and forgiveness towards us extends way beyond the point of salvation and is available to us daily as believers. It is comforting to know that at any time I sin, He is faithful and just and will forgive my sin and purify me from all unrighteousness as long as I acknowledge my transgression and confess it to Him (1 John 1:9).

Therefore, it extremely important for us to renew our minds and change our thinking from seeing ourselves as down-trodden sinners to seeing ourselves as forgiven saints in Christ Jesus.

Say out loud: I am a blessed, chosen, loved, adopted, redeemed and forgiven saint in Christ Jesus.

You are accepted

To the praise of the glory of his grace, wherein he hath made us accepted in the beloved. Ephesians 1:6 KJV

And you also were included in Christ when you heard the message of truth, the gospel of your salvation. Ephesians 1:13

There is no accolade, position or social status in this world that trumps being included in Christ.

Inclusion in Christ means that you are TOTALLY accepted by God. He accepts you on the basis of His unconditional love and not on the basis of your conduct or merit. (For “it is by grace you have been saved.” Ephesians 2:8)

His acceptance of you is not a yo-yo acceptance!!! He doesn’t accept you today, then hold off His love and acceptance if you make a mistake tomorrow.

His total acceptance of you, (if you have made Jesus your Lord and Savior) means there is NO exclusion criteria. (Except Jesus is not your Lord.)

Therefore, He will not exclude you on the basis of your:

• race/ tribe/culture/ color of  skin
• looks
• education
• accent
• zip code
• dress code or whatever else people go by when they pick and chose who they will accept into their manmade cliques.

You do not need anyone but Christ to determine your worth. Stop giving people permission to determine how you see yourself. Let your self-esteem be based fully on the truth of God’s word that you are loved and totally accepted in Christ.

YOU ARE A CHILD OF THE MOST HIGH GOD, ACCEPTED IN CHRIST THE BELOVED!!

Say out loud:  I am a blessed, chosen, loved, adopted, redeemed, forgiven and accepted saint in Christ Jesus.

See yourself as such!

I strongly encourage you to confess these truths over yourself until they become deeply and firmly rooted in your heart.

You are blessed!

Except indicated, all Scriptures are from the New International Version (NIV).

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This is the third post in a mini-series on knowing and walking in the reality of who we are in Christ based on the first chapter of the book of Ephesians.

In order to live and fulfill God’s call and plan for our lives, it is extremely important that we plug into His perspective of who we are in Him. Our thoughts about ourselves should align with who God says we are according to the Scriptures and not our feelings.

When we renew our minds with the reality of who we are in Christ, we will have victory in this life. Then, we  can step out in boldness to live a holy life, do the work of the Lord, and stand our ground against the schemes of the devil. We stop seeking unnecessary approval and affirmation from people because we know that we are special to God.

We ended the first post in this series, (Ephesians 1: Your Identity in Christ-Part 1) on the confession that we are blessed and chosen saints in Christ Jesus. The second post, (Ephesians 1: Your identity in Christ-Part 2) concluded with the truth of God’s word that we are blessed, chosen, loved and adopted saints in Christ Jesus. Today’s study will focus on one word in Ephesians 1:7. Grab your bibles and study with me.

You are redeemed

In him we have redemption through his blood… Ephesians 1:7a

Apostle Paul echoes the same words in the book of Colossians.

In whom we have redemption… Colossians 1: 14a

Redemption means “to buy back,” which implies freedom through the payment of a ransom. In other words, it means to pay the price necessary to set a captive free from bondage.

As a result of Adam’s sin against God in the Garden of Eden, we are all born into this world as sinners, under condemnation, spiritually dead and legally captive under Satan’s dominion and control. (See Romans 5:12-19, Ephesians 2:1-2, 1 Corinthians 15:22, Romans 3:23-25 and Romans 6:17.)

BUT God so loved you that He sent His only begotten Son to die on the cross for your redemption.

There cannot be any redemption without the shedding of blood and only Christ’s blood was sufficient to cleanse away man’s sin. “No man can redeem the life of another or give to God a ransom for them” (Psalm 49:7).

Jesus paid the ransom for us by dying on the cross and by the shedding of his blood.  The result is that through Christ, we are justified before God, saved from God’s wrath and reconciled to Him (Romans 5:9-10, 1 Peter 1:18-19).

Because of your redemption in Christ, you are a new creation. No longer under God’s condemnation or Satan’s dominion, but free to exercise your rights and privileges as a child of God. (See Colossians 1:22, Romans 8:1-2, Galatians 3:13.) God declares you ‘not guilty’ of offending Him if you trust in Jesus Christ.

Why did He redeem you?

He didn’t redeem you so that He could check it off his to-do list. He didn’t even redeem you so that He could prove His power to the devil. (God’s power is unquestionable.) He redeemed you because He loves you and He wants to fellowship with you and commune directly with you. When you love someone, you want to spend quality, intimate time with him or her. Sin prevented us from having fellowship with God, but the blood of Jesus shed on the cross for us, reconciled us to God.

Never lose sight of the truth that you are of TREMENDOUS worth to God. Your value is based on nothing else but on God’s estimate of your worth.  He loves you so much that He sacrificed His Son on the cross for your redemption!

This post does not address all the intricacies of our redemption in Christ Jesus. However, the main point I want to get across to you is that:

YOU ARE OF GREAT WORTH AND VALUE TO GOD!!

Say out loud: I am a blessed, chosen, loved, adopted and redeemed saint in Christ Jesus.

Conclusion

“For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life” (John 3:16). Christ died on the cross and offered redemption to the whole world but the whole world did not receive him. But to all who receive him, believe in his name and believe in his death upon the cross as the only way to be redeemed, he gives the right to become children of God” (John 1:12).

If you happen to be reading this post and you haven’t taken advantage of this great provision for reconciliation, I believe it is not a coincidence. God is calling YOU! He desires to be reconciled to you through Jesus. Do it now. Do not postpone it. Let today be your day of salvation.

If you believe in your heart that Christ died on the cross for your sins and confess it with your mouth, you will saved. Do it now, so you will be counted as one who is truly a blessed, chosen, loved, adopted and redeemed saint in Christ Jesus.

This study will be continued in my next post. Stay tuned!

Except indicated, all Scriptures are from the New International Version (NIV).

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In my last post titled Ephesians 1: Your Identity in Christ-Part 1, I started a mini-series on knowing and walking in the reality of who we are in Christ and I stated that it is extremely vital for Christians to understand the phrase ‘in Christ.’

The word of God will not make a difference in your life until you study and meditate on it long enough for it to change your thinking. By studying and meditating on scriptures on this subject, I have learnt to base my identity on who I am in Christ; i.e. on my personal, intimate relationship with him.

When I take my eyes off Jesus, I lose my identity. But when I fix my gaze on him, I find myself.

It is ONLY in Christ that I find myself.

I ended last post by encouraging you to meditate on the truth of God’s word that you are a blessed and chosen saint in Christ Jesus. We will pick up today’s study by looking at two profound words from Ephesians 1: 4b. Grab your bibles and study with me.

God loves you

In love…. Ephesians 1:4b

It is because of God’s love that He lavishes His grace, favor and kindness on us. It is because of His love that He gave His Son and blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places. All the privileges bestowed on us by God because of Jesus are ours simply because of His love and not by our merit. His love for us is based fully on His character and not on our conduct or whether we are deserving or not. It is an unconditional love. 

GOD LOVES YOU!!

His love for you runs much deeper than the fact that He loves the whole world. He does love the whole world but He didn’t misplace or forget you. He is with you at every moment, He knows you by name and He even numbered the hairs on your head (think about that).

The love of God is much too high and wide and long and deep for me to possibly condense into a brief paragraph (Ephesians 3:18).

I will strongly encourage you to renew your minds with scriptures regarding His love (see 1 John 4:10, Romans 5:8, Psalm 63:3, Lamentations 3:22 etc etc) so that next time you are tempted to despair because you feel alone and unloved you will rejoice instead and speak life to yourself.

Say out loud: I am a blessed, chosen and loved saint in Christ Jesus.

You have been adopted by God

In love, He predestined us for adoption to sonship through Jesus Christ, in accordance with His pleasure and will. Ephesians 1:5

Motivated by His love for us and because it pleased Him to do so, God determined to adopt us as His sons. Again, we see that His choice was not based on us or our conduct but simply on His love. An act of grace, which becomes a reality in our lives through our faith in Christ Jesus.

What does it mean to be adopted by God?

Before we believed in Christ, we were in Adam, spiritually dead because of sin (read Romans 5: 12-19 and 1 Corinthians 15:22). By adopting us, God took us out of Adam and put us in Christ Jesus. He secured our eternal future, made us His sons and daughters and co-heirs with Christ Jesus of everything He owns (Romans 8:17, Galatians 3:29).

YOU ARE A JOINT-HEIR WITH CHRIST JESUS!

He gave us full rights to be called His children through faith in Christ Jesus (Galatians 3:26). Therefore, we can freely exercise our rights as His children by having an intimate relationship with Him and calling Him Abba Father (Romans 8:15). What a privilege!

THE CREATOR OF THE UNIVERSE IS YOUR FATHER!!

In the natural realm, imagine a baby born into a very poor family who is subsequently abandoned and left to die. Now imagine that the baby gets rescued and is adopted into a rich royal family. The baby will bear the same last name as the natural born children in the royal family. When he grows up, he will be a joint-heir with them of his father’s rich estate. That is what God has done for us and so much more.

Confession: I am a blessed, chosen, loved and adopted saint in Christ Jesus.

Conclusion

It is imperative that we see ourselves the way God sees us and that our thoughts and attitudes line up with who God says we are according to the scriptures. Failing to do so will impede our spiritual growth and hamper us from living the life God planned for us.

My prayer for you is that you begin to walk daily in the knowledge that you have been blessed, chosen, loved and adopted in Christ, knowing that your circumstances whether good or difficult do not change these truths. I pray that you will instead rise up in difficult situations, having a genuine understanding of who you are in Christ, to overcome and be victorious! AMEN.

NOTE:

These blessings belong to all Christians. Those who are in Christ Jesus. If you are not a Christian, it is so simple to become one. Make a decision and a commitment for Christ. Invite him into your heart to become the Lord of your life. Declare with your mouth that “Jesus is Lord” and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead and you will be saved (Romans 10:9). Feel free to contact me with any questions. God bless you.

This Ephesians chapter 1 study will be continued in my next blog post. Stay tuned.

Except indicated, all Scriptures are from the New International Version (NIV).

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As followers of Christ, it is extremely vital that we know and understand our identity in Christ.

We may know all about God and be keenly aware of how we are expected to walk by faith and live holy lives as Christians. But if we are shaky and tossed by the waves with regards to our identity, it will be an uphill task. Knowing who we are in Christ gives us the boldnessto face life’s issues, stand our ground against the wiles of the devil and live holy lives worthy of our calling. This happens through renewing our minds with Scriptures regarding our identity and what God has done for us in Christ.

As a teenager and young adult, I struggled with low self-esteem and I will admit that even now, there are times when I over-crave approval, acceptance, affirmation and acknowledgement. (Yes, all four ‘A’s.) The difference between my past and present is that I now know who I am. When I am denied the affirmation I crave and I am tempted to “lose it,” I meditate on Scriptures regarding my identity and we all know the Word of God works. I have learned to base my identity on nothing else but my personal relationship with Jesus Christ.

To discover who we are as children of God, we need to understand the phrase ‘in Christ.’  For an explanation of this phrase, click here to be directed to my post titled “Included in Christ.”

Although the Epistles are full of Scriptures that teach us about our identity in Christ, I will limit my discussion to Ephesians chapter 1. It’s my favorite because it’s power-packed with the truth of God’s Word regarding our identity. This is not an exhaustive study on Ephesians 1. It is a concise study focused on the verses that highlight who we are in Christ.

Grab your Bibles and study with me!!

You are a Saint

Paul, an apostle of Jesus Christ by the will of God, to the saints which are at Ephesus, and to the faithful in Christ Jesus. Ephesians 1:1 KJV

Paul described the Ephesian believers as God’s holy people (NIV) or as saints (NKJV or KJV). If you are a believer in Christ Jesus, you are a saint. (Period.) The Greek word ‘hagios‘ translated as saint means “set apart and dedicated as holy unto the LORD.” That is what we are as Christians (see 1 Peter 2:9,10).

Therefore, the word saint does not refer only to deceased super-Christians who did many acts of kindness for the poor. A saint is anyone who is in Christ. What makes you a saint is the fact that God has set you apart as His child in Christ Jesus. He separates us unto Himself at the new birth and makes us holy in His sight.

So rejoice in the truth that you are a saint in Christ Jesus.

You are Blessed

Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in the heavenly realms with every spiritual blessing in Christ. Ephesians 1:3

We have been blessed with EVERY spiritual blessing in Christ. Every means ALL, which means without exceptions. The best part is that the “blessed” is in past tense meaning that it is a done deal. This is not something that’s yet to happen. Instead, God has blessed us with all these blessings that Apostle Paul goes one to enumerate in this chapter and so much more! If you belong to Christ, these blessings are yours.

Next time you are tempted to despair, remind yourself that you are a blessed saint in Christ Jesus.

You were Chosen by God

For he chose us in him before the creation of the world to be holy and blameless in his sight. Ephesians 1:4

We were made “chosen saints” in Christ Jesus before the creation of the world. Obviously, if God chose us in Christ before the creation of the world it must mean that we had absolutely nothing to do with this act of God’s infinite grace since we were not alive when the world was created. He did not chose us because we were good, nice, kind, well behaved, sweet, cute or smart. He did not choose us because He looked at us and realized we would be pillars of faith.

His choice had absolutely nothing to do with our good works but absolutely everything to do with his GRACE. His unmerited favor!!!

He chose us to be holy and blameless before the foundations of the world. Our holiness is because we are in Christ. Apart from Him, we can do nothing. We are not holy because we are good. We are made holy at the new birth when we accept Jesus Christ and become believers (“For it is by grace we have been saved.” Ephesians 2:8). Because God sees us in Christ, we are made positionally holy by His grace and made the righteousness of God in Christ (2 Corinthians 5:21).

However, having been justified and made holy, we are to walk and abide in Him by living a sanctified life through the help of the Holy Spirit as we abide in Christ. Living a sanctified life is also not possible without the grace of God.

Selah! Stop and Ponder!!

Say out loud: I am a blessed and chosen saint in Christ Jesus.

Conclusion

I will pause my discussion here and will continue this study in my next post. In the meantime, I’ll strongly encourage you to study Ephesians 1 till the Scriptures are etched in your spirit.

My prayer for you is that through the power of the Holy Spirit, the eyes of your heart will be opened to the reality of who you are so that you will stand your ground in faith against the schemes of the devil and live a holy life worthy of your calling in Christ Jesus.

Amen!!

To read the whole series on Identity in Christ, click here

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And you also were included in Christ when you heard the message of truth, the gospel of your salvation. Ephesians 1:13a

Being included feels good. It boosts our fragile self ego. We can clamor for inclusion into a club, honor society, a particular circle of friends, or even a ministry in church. Striving for inclusion can wear you out very quickly (trust me, I’ve been there).

However, no matter what you have ever desired to be included in, STOP!, take a deep breath and rest in the assurance that if you are a believer, you have been included in Christ.

Nothing compares to being included in the Kingdom of God through Christ. The requirement is acceptance of God’s open invitation in John 3:16. Those who receive Christ and believe in His name are given the right to become children of God (John 1:12).

So now that you know how to get included in Christ, what exactly does it mean to be in Christ?

What does it mean to be included in Christ?

To discover who we are as  children of God, we need to understand the phrase ‘in Christ.’ These two powerful words appear multiple times in the Epistles (the letters written to the church and to you as a believer). Sometimes, the expression ‘in Christ’ is used. At other times, similar expressions with the same meaning such as ‘in Him,’ ‘in whom,’ ‘through whom’ ‘through Christ’ etc are used.

Below are six biblical implications of our earthly and eternal realties ‘in Christ.’

1. ‘In Christ’ explains our relationship with God through Christ

Christianity is based on a personal relationship with Christ.  Before we were in Christ, we were in sin, separated and alienated from God (Ephesians 2:1-2). However, God loved us so much that he devised a plan to take away this nature of sin in us and give us His nature of righteousness through faith in the finished work of Christ upon the cross. The result is that we become His children and enjoy fellowship with Him.

In love he predestined us for adoption to sonship through Jesus Christ. Ephesians 1:5

God made him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God. 2 Corinthians 5:21

2.’In Christ’ explains our identity as children of God

All that we are and all that we have is based on the truth that we are ‘in Christ.’ Our self-esteem should never be based on our outward appearance, level of education, financial status, children, spouses, etc. Our self-esteem and self-expression instead, should be based on our position as children of God through Christ Jesus.

So in Christ Jesus, you are all children of God through faith. Galatians 3:26

For in Him we live and move and have our being (Acts 17:28).

3.’In Christ’ means that because of Jesus, we are victorious

God has empowered us through Christ to fulfill our calling in life. No plan of the enemy over us will ever stand.

I can do all things through Christ who gives me strength. Philippians 4:13

No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loves us. Romans 8:37

4.’In Christ’ points to Jesus as the key to the abundant blessings and resources which God has provided to us as His children

He has provided everything we will ever need (both spiritual as well as physical needs) and deposited them into our accounts. The key to the reservoir of our blessings is found in Christ.

Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in the heavenly realms with every spiritual blessing in Christ. Ephesians 1:3 ‘

Who has blessed us.’ Is past tense. Meaning that he has already done it!

And my God will meet all your needs according to the riches of his glory in Christ Jesus. Philippians 4:19

For no matter how many promises God has made, they are “Yes” in Christ. 2 Corinthians 1:20

5.’In Christ’ also implies that we are vitally connected to Christ and through the power of the Holy Spirit, our lives reflect the life and nature of Christ

On our own, we can do nothing but because we are ‘in Christ,’ the Holy Spirit who lives and dwells in us enables us to walk in the fruit of the Spirit (Galatians 5:22-23).

I am the vine; you are the branches. If you remain in me and I in you, you will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing. John 15:5

Therefore, if anyone is in Christ Jesus, he is a new creation: old things have passed away: behold, all things have become new. 2 Corinthians 5:17

Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus, because through Christ Jesus the law of the Spirit who gives life has set you free from the law of sin and death. Romans 8:1-2

6. Because we are ‘in Christ,’ we have eternal life

For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord. Romans 6:23

To read more on eternal life, click HERE.

Conclusion

Our identity, self-esteem, self-expression, self-worth/the value we place on ourselves should never be based on anything else but solely on who we are, what we have, and what we can do ‘in Christ Jesus.’

This article is only the tip of the iceberg and obviously does not address all ‘in Christ’ scriptures. I strongly encourage you to start a personal study by reading through the Epistles and outlining all the relevant verses you find.

My prayer for us is that as we discover each treasure, we will accept and believe God’s Word so that through the power of the Holy Spirit, we will consistently think, talk and act like those who have been included ‘in Christ Jesus.’

Amen.

Except where indicated, Scriptures are taken from the New International Version (NIV).

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