17 Identity in Christ Verses From the Bible That Will Encourage Your Soul
Identity is an important aspect of life. We all want to feel that our lives have meaning and purpose. But where do we turn to answer the questions: who am I, and why am I here? Fortunately, the Bible is full of guidance. In this article, we’ll explore identity in Christ verses and discover just how powerful God’s Word can be in helping us understand our true identities so that we can live confidently with joy, peace, and hope.
What Is an Identity?
Our identity encompasses all the ways in which we view ourselves and how we interact with the world around us. Per Dictionary.com, identity is defined as:
“condition or character as to who a person or what a thing is; the qualities, beliefs, etc., that distinguish or identify a person or thing.”
Dictionary.com
From Where Do We Get Our Identity?
Our first experiences in the world begin shaping our ideas of who we are, what we value, and what our purpose is. Our experiences, family life, and friendships — both good and bad — formulate the way we see and value ourselves.
The problem, though, is that the world is unsteady and broken. Before long, we experience hardship, betrayal, or injustice. And too often those experiences send a message that we are something we were never meant to be, that we are not valuable, and that our lives do not have a purpose.
We see our outer or physical reflection in a mirror. But what about the inside you? Where do you look to see that reflection? Do you determine who you are via the lens of social media? Possibly as the reflection of the wrongs that you have done or that have been done to you? Do you label yourself based on what you see in the latest trends, the newest theories, or the most debated concepts that have been created by possibly well-meaning, but nonetheless broken people?
The catchphrase today of “live your truth” leads us to trust others’ changing opinions as the guidepost to our truth. We don’t naturally discover truth within ourselves. We develop truth by utilizing outside sources. So, we must be careful who our outside sources are. The wrong sources could lead us to a life of disappointment and pain.
When we discover our identity and our truth from God, we are putting our trust in an unwavering, steady, incapable-of-lying, and forever-the-same Source.
God is the author and the finisher of life. He knows every minute detail on the inside and outside of our lives. He made us in His image and calls us wonderful. And yes, the God of Wonders promises a good plan for our lives … a plan with purpose.
Unfortunately, most of us spend a great majority of our time and energy trying to be like someone else. To be honest, sometimes we wish we were someone else.
We dress like other people, act like other people, and spend time and energy trying to be a replica of someone else. And yet God made us uniquely, and nobody else on the entire planet has the same DNA.
Chip Ingram of Living on the Edge
In Christ, we have an identity that is true. It is an identity that social media cannot alter. It is an identity that rises above every obstacle or pain-filled moment that we live.
Your identity in Christ gives you steady confidence to pursue your purpose and live with joy, peace, and HOPE!
Living Out Your Identity: Two Women from the Bible
Let’s look at the lives of two women from the Bible and use Scripture as our anchor. Let’s examine the power of having a biblical sense of identity and how it can inform our relationships, goals, and values.
1. Ruth: The Genealogy of Jesus
Ruth was Naomi’s daughter-in-law. During a famine, Naomi and her husband moved from the Israel nation of Judah to the land of Moab. While living in Moab, their two sons both married Moabite women. One of whom was Ruth. Sadly, Naomi’s husband and sons died and after learning that the land was once again bearing good crops, decided to move back to her home in Judah.
Along the journey, Naomi urged both her daughters-in-law to go back to their own people and lands. Orpah decided to return to her people, but Ruth insisted on staying with Naomi. She declared,
“Don’t ask me to leave you and turn back. Wherever you go, I will go; wherever you live, I will live. Your people will be my people, and your God will be my God. 17 Wherever you die, I will die, and there I will be buried. May the Lord punish me severely if I allow anything but death to separate us!”
Ruth 1:16-17
Ruth’s identity was that of a “child of God” and her knowledge of this guided her steps. It guided her purpose and gave her hope. When she lost her husband, she didn’t waver in her purpose. When life hurt and turned upside down, she moved forward in life with confidence knowing what her next steps would be.
That confidence led Ruth to a purpose greater than she could have imagined. She married a man named Boaz, and together they built a family. Jesus is a descendant of that union. Ruth wasn’t labeled by her grief or by her status as an outsider. Her identity in Christ guided her choices and her choices lead her to be part of God’s rescue plan for all of mankind. What an amazing purpose God had for her life!
2. Lydia: Christianity to Europe and Beyond
We learn about Lydia in the book of Acts in the New Testament. She may only hold a few paragraphs in the book, but her legacy was not small by any means.
Lydia was known as a wealthy European businesswoman who became the first Gentile convert to Christianity and the first believer to open her home as a worship center for European Christians.
Lydia’s identity was not her wealth or her business acumen. Her identity was in Christ. Her identity guided her choices and God used her for a purpose greater than anything her wealth could have brought her. Through her, God spread Christianity throughout Europe.
13 On the Sabbath we went a little way outside the city to a riverbank, where we thought people would be meeting for prayer, and we sat down to speak with some women who had gathered there. 14 One of them was Lydia from Thyatira, a merchant of expensive purple cloth, who worshiped God. As she listened to us, the Lord opened her heart, and she accepted what Paul was saying. 15 She and her household were baptized, and she asked us to be her guests. “If you agree that I am a true believer in the Lord,” she said, “come and stay at my home.” And she urged us until we agreed.
Acts 16:13-15
Our Identity in Christ Directs Our Purpose
Both Ruth and Lydia show us that when we follow God and live according to His ways, we discover our purpose in life. When who we are, what we believe, and the choices we make all reflect Christ, we live out our identity in Him and He leads us to our purpose. Our identity in Christ directs our purpose and equips us to live out that purpose with confidence!
17 Identity in Christ Verses from the Bible to Encourage You and Direct Your Purpose
Explore the Word of God in a creative way! Below are 17 of my favorite Identity in Christ verses from the Bible. Make a list and speak these verses over yourself multiple times a day. When negative thoughts begin to eat away at your resolve, replace them with the Truth found in God’s Word and the peace found in God’s love. Keep these Bible verses handy. Write or print them out. I’ve created a set of 10 of the 17 identity in Christ verses as coloring pages for you as a gift to my readers. See the sign-up form below!
1. 2 Corinthians 1:21-22
I have been established, anointed, and sealed by God!
2. John 15:1,5
I have been chosen and God desires me to bear fruit.
3. 1 John 5:4
I am victorious!
4. Philippians 4:7
I have a heart and mind that is protected by God’s peace.
5. Isaiah 44:22
I am forgiven and redeemed!
6. Romans 8:2; John 8:32
I am set free!
7. Ephesians 2:10
I am God’s workmanship!
8. Genesis 1:27
I am created in God’s image
9. Exodus 9:16
I have purpose!
10. Colossians 3:12
I am chosen and dearly loved!
11. Song of Solomon 4:7
I am altogether beautiful and flawless.
12. Psalm 23:5
My life overflows with blessings. God prepares a feast for me in the presence of my enemies. He honors me by anointing my head with oil.
13. 1 Peter 5:7
God cares for me and lovingly listens to all my anxieties.
14. Isaiah 58:9
The Lord is always with me when I cry out to Him.
15. Psalm 119:45
I will walk in freedom.
16. Exodus 14:14
I can stay calm because the LORD will fight for me.
17. Psalm 27:13
I am confident that I will see the LORD’s goodness in the land of the living.
Remind Yourself of Your Unique Purpose With These 10 Free Biblical Identity Statement Coloring Pages
I have created a free set of 10 original identity-in-Christ verses from the Bible coloring pages to help you stay grounded when your world is turning upside down. Friends, it’s easy to lose confidence, but with Christ and His Word, nothing is impossible. These fun coloring pages are free to all my subscribers. Just sign up below and you will receive an email with the link to download and print your pages.
Discovering My Identity in Christ Workbook!
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My favorite place to find and research Bible verses online is at BibleGateway!
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