Calvary Community Church

Information may not be reliable

Today is a new day, as every day is! But today is an opportunity to live out of who God says I am. This new identity is who I am in Christ. It is a result of my union with Christ, of being in Him. This new identity is also referred to as my new standing before God. It is somewhat like the change of identity that comes when a woman marries a man in our culture. Even though she is the same person as before, her identity has changed. She is now Mrs. Smith because she has been joined in marriage to Mr. Smith. Now she has a new identity and she even has to notify government offices that her identity has changed. The name on her drivers license changed, the name on her bills changed, the name in the phone book changed. Her identity has changed. Now she begins to live out of this new identity. If she does not live out of this new identity she will begin to experience some serious problems in this new and primary relationship. She is no longer a single girl she is a married woman who is faithful to one man and that man is her husband by covenant.
If an old boyfriend meets her on the street and he begins to flirt with her, she may lift up her left hand and show him the wedding band (the sign of the covenant). She sends him the signal, No longer available. If she does not consciously live out of the new identity she will end up pretending she is the same person she used to be before she entered into the marriage covenant. She will end up playing a role instead of being who she really is. She must live out of who she really is, Mrs. Smith.
What has changed her identity? Relationship. This is why the Bible speaks about my relationship with Christ as my being in Him and Christ being in me. The most radical way of describing the life-transforming relationship that comes through our union with Christ. When I am living out of that new identity I will experience the joy that Peter speaks about in 1 Peter 1: joy inexpressible and full of glory. Joy comes through relationship.
But there is another side to this truth. It is what the prophet Ezekiel prophesied: we have been given a new heart. The extent of this change is massive. It touches every area of my life. The fallenness of man is described by the new testament writers as involving the intellect, emotions and will. The entire nature of man. The regenerating power of the Holy Spirit has also involved every part of man's human nature as well. We are born of the Spirit and it has impacted our intellect, emotions and will. We are thoroughly changed people as a result of the Spirit's work, We no longer think as we did before. Now we can think God's thoughts, we can have godly affections that fill the heart with joy and love and we can make decisions that are truly a reflection of Christ living in us. The new birth is a deep and profound transformation at the core of our being that results in an ongoing life of sanctification. We are different people and learning to live the Christian life is learning to live out of this new identity and nature. When we try living out of who we used to be we are conflicted and out of our element. We don't find peace until we return to our true identity and begin to live out of who we really are. When I turn away from who I am in response to the lusts of the flesh I experience internal conflict. I am conflicted in such a way that I do not feel whole, I feel at odds with myself. This is what walking according to the flesh is like and it is therefore described as death (Rom 8:13). But walking according to the Spirit is "life and peace" because it is being who I really am in Christ. I am right with God, right with myself and right with others. This is life and peace. It is a taste of the age to come when there will be peace (shalom) and things will be as they ought to be. No more internal conflict or external danger.

Urgent prayer request for October 15-17 and the remainder of October (and beyond): May the Lord triumph over the spiritual warfare in Mitu!