Identity Based Christianity

February 8, 2016

Devotions:

        Our natural human path to Christianity, is to make it a works based religion and not a faith based relationship.  All the other religions of the world are works based. But in Christianity we are to believe what God has done for us.  Our approval before God the Father is based on Jesus not our performance.  Our faith is in God's love for us and that He has made us new creations in Christ.  So we are to believe in our new identity, Christ in us. When we looks to our works to make us approved unto God then we are trying to establish our own righteousness and disregard the righteousness of God. Our focus then should be on our identity in Christ and discovering the reality of that identity and not on our works.

        When we focus on our identity in Christ, our good works flow from the identity not to obtain a standing before God as acceptable but because we are accepted by Him in Christ Jesus.  So our identity dictates our actions not our actions dictate our identity.  When we miss it and sin we are still the righteousness of God in Christ.  Our actions do not change our nature nor our standing before the Father. 

        “And He, when He comes, will convict the world concerning sin and righteousness and judgment; concerning sin, because they do not believe in Me; and concerning righteousness, because I go to the Father and you no longer see Me; and concerning judgment, because the ruler of this world has been judged.”  ‭John‬ ‭16:8-11‬ ‭NASB‬‬

        The Holy Spirit convicts the world of not knowing Jesus, no other sin.  In Jesus we are new creations and in relationship with our Father.  He is our righteousness.