Good day
I did a Google search on the meaning of the word "Christian" and it means someone who professes belief in the teachings of Jesus Christ.
I then searched the meaning of "Identity" and "Identify". Identity can be defined as the following: "Who a person is, or the qualities of a person or group that make them different from others."
Identify means to: "Recognize or be able to name someone or something, or to prove who or what someone or something is; to associate someone or something closely with; regard as having strong links with."
If we identify with being a Christian then it means we believe in the teachings of Jesus Christ and if I was to add to that - not only believe but also act on those teachings as well (see below verse).
Matthew 7:24-27
“Therefore everyone who hears these words of mine and puts them into practice is like a wise man who built his house on the rock. The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house; yet it did not fall, because it had its foundation on the rock. But everyone who hears these words of mine and does not put them into practice is like a foolish man who built his house on sand. The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house, and it fell with a great crash.”
The apostle Paul was someone who, as a Christian, based his identity on who He was in Christ and gave his life for it:
Galatians 2:20
I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I now live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.
Philippians 3:3-15
For we who worship by the Spirit of God are the ones who are truly circumcised. We rely on what Christ Jesus has done for us. We put no confidence in human effort, though I could have confidence in my own effort if anyone could. Indeed, if others have reason for confidence in their own efforts, I have even more! I was circumcised when I was eight days old. I am a pure-blooded citizen of Israel and a member of the tribe of Benjamin—a real Hebrew if there ever was one! I was a member of the Pharisees, who demand the strictest obedience to the Jewish law. I was so zealous that I harshly persecuted the church. And as for righteousness, I obeyed the law without fault. I once thought these things were valuable, but now I consider them worthless because of what Christ has done. Yes, everything else is worthless when compared with the infinite value of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. For his sake I have discarded everything else, counting it all as garbage, so that I could gain Christ and become one with him. I no longer count on my own righteousness through obeying the law; rather, I become righteous through faith in Christ. For God’s way of making us right with himself depends on faith. I want to know Christ and experience the mighty power that raised him from the dead. I want to suffer with him, sharing in his death, so that one way or another I will experience the resurrection from the dead!
I don’t mean to say that I have already achieved these things or that I have already reached perfection. But I press on to possess that perfection for which Christ Jesus first possessed me. No, dear brothers and sisters, I have not achieved it, but I focus on this one thing: Forgetting the past and looking forward to what lies ahead, I press on to reach the end of the race and receive the heavenly prize for which God, through Christ Jesus, is calling us. All of us, then, who are mature should take such a view of things.
Colossians 3:1-4
Therefore if you have been raised with Christ [to a new life, sharing in His resurrection from the dead], keep seeking the things that are above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. Set your mind and keep focused habitually on the things above [the heavenly things], not on things that are on the earth [which have only temporal value]. For you died [to this world], and your [new, real] life is hidden with Christ in God. When Christ, who is our life, appears, then you also will appear with Him in glory.
When we choose to identify with Christianity, just like the Apostle Paul did above, it means that our identity is rooted and founded in God (Christ):
Galatians 3:26-28
So in Christ Jesus you are all children of God through faith, for all of you who were baptized into Christ have clothed yourselves with 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.
When we accepted Jesus Christ into our lives we became Christians, we were born again (John 3:1-19, Ephesians 2:11-18, Colossians 1:19-23), we were created anew (2 Corinthians 5:17), members of the household of God (Ephesians 2:19), a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, His own special people, that we may proclaim the praises of Him who called us out of darkness into His marvelous light; who once were not a people but are now the people of God, who had not obtained mercy but now have obtained mercy! (1 Peter 2:8-10) ... This is who we are!
Therefore for the Christian - who we are, our value/worth, our source of fulfillment and measure for success in life all finds its source from our Creator and Heavenly Father. It means that we don't place too much weight on what others may say about us because our identity isn't based on their opinion or measure of success concerning us but rather on what God says about us! If what others say about us doesn’t line up with what God says about us – then it’s not the truth! Because God’s word is the ultimate truth and we can take Him at His word because we can trust in His heart of love towards us!
If God sees us as His beloved (valuable and precious); worthy enough to die for; important enough to entrust with an assignment to carry out for Him; willing to save, forgive, show mercy, have patience, heal, provide, help, teach, encourage, empower, enable - then how can anyone take that away from us? How can anyone's opinion of us matter more than what God has already declared concerning us and done for us!
So firstly - Choose this day to believe in God’s thoughts of love towards you because your identity is found in Him and in who He says you are!
Amen!
Secondly, and in the context of shining our light, we identify with Christianity when we take on the works of Jesus Christ (which I'll cover in the (B) part of this message)
Keep well and stay strong in the Grace and love of God my friend