Born Identity (Part 3)

This is the third part of our study on this thing called "Born Identity". Who am I in Christ? What does the "New Birth" or being "Born again" provide?

Just as our natural birth provided us with our natural identity, our Spiritual birth provided us with our Spiritual identity. The problem that seems to be very evident with "Christianity" of today is that so few Christians seem to understand who they are after their Spiritual birth.

 Let's get right back where we left off last Saturday.
 

The flesh sounds like it is always referring to bad things. We associate the "The flesh" with all kinds of lustful desires and sins. The flesh is not the desire in itself, but it is the reason or motive behind the desire. Living my life out of my own sufficiency. Living my life from and for myself. When we look at flesh through this lens, the flesh can be applied to good things as well.

The flesh walk has certain characteristics.

A)Reputation. How do I look to other people

B)Accomplishments. What can I do. Performance based.

C)A good self image. How do I look to myself?

 

We can also see very quickly in the book of Genesis the consequences of man's actions.

Genesis chapter 4 opens and we find life starting for Adam and Eve outside the garden. The first two sons mentioned that are born to Adam and Eve. 
They are named Cain and Abel.
 Cain "Gave God his best and hoped God would do the rest", but our best is not what God is after. He wants from us exactly what he asks for and Cain's offering of his "Best" was rejected by the Lord. He kills Abel and runs for his life, and another son is born to Adam and Eve who they name Seth.

"And Cain went out from the presence of the LORD, and dwelt in the land of Nod, on the east of Eden.  And Cain knew his wife; and she conceived, and bare Enoch: and he builded a city, and called the name of the city, after the name of his son, Enoch.  And unto Enoch was born Irad: and Irad begat Mehujael: and Mehujael begat Methusael: and Methusael begat Lamech.  And Lamech took unto him two wives: the name of the one was Adah, and the name of the other Zillah. And Adah bare Jabal: he was the father of such as dwell in tents, and of such as have cattle. And his brother's name was Jubal: he was the father of all such as handle the harp and organ. And Zillah, she also bare Tubalcain, an instructer of every artificer in brass and iron:" ~Genesis 4:16-22

Did Cain live dependent or independent of God?

What was mentioned about Cain and his descendants?  The answer to this is that they are referred to by what they did.

"And Adam knew his wife again; and she bare a son, and called his name Seth: For God, said she, hath appointed me another seed instead of Abel, whom Cain slew. And to Seth, to him also there was born a son; and he called his name Enos: then began men to call upon the name of the LORD." ~Genesis 4:25-26

"And Seth lived an hundred and five years, and begat Enos: And Seth lived after he begat Enos eight hundred and seven years, and begat sons and daughters: And all the days of Seth were nine hundred and twelve years: and he died. And Enos lived ninety years, and begat Cainan: And Enos lived after he begat Cainan eight hundred and fifteen years, and begat sons and daughters: And all the days of Enos were nine hundred and five years: and he died. And Cainan lived seventy years, and begat Mahalaleel: And Cainan lived after he begat Mahalaleel eight hundred and forty years, and begat sons and daughters:" ~Genesis 5:6-13

Did Seth live dependant or Independent of God? Dependent?

What was not mentioned about Seth and his descendants? What they did.

Why? It did not matter.

It’s amazing how your identity and value in this world is based on what you do. What is the very first point of conversation that comes up when you are introduced to another person?  What do you do for a living? 

We should call ourselves human doings instead of human beings.

 

We need to allow God to determine our value not man or even ourselves.

We can even fall into the trap of mistaking what makes us valuable. In the world's system, our value is determined by our contribution. Notice the word WORLD has been underscored. This was NEVER the attitude and position that God intended for His church or His people to take.

Does God value us because of what we can contribute? 

Does God really need us?

Here is a great test for us to try. Take a blank sheet of paper and write down what you think you have that God needs and bring it to Him.

Notice what Paul said on Mars Hill.

"God that made the world and all things therein, seeing that he is Lord of heaven and earth, dwelleth not in temples made with hands; Neither is worshipped with men's hands, as though he needed any thing, seeing he giveth to all life, and breath, and all things;" ~Acts 17:24-25

"If I were hungry, I would not tell thee: for the world is mine, and the fulness thereof." ~Psalms 50:12

The ego damaging fact is this:God does not need us, but He wants us.

This coming July my wife and I will be celebrating 12 years of marriage. That is too wild for me to even comprehend. Can you imagine how well she would take it if I presented her with a list of all the things I need of her and explained to her that I love her and married her because I needed her to "Do" for me? The fact is, it would wound her spirit if she were to be told that my relationship and love for her was dependent on my needs. The fact is, I can wash my own cloths and cook my own meals (Please don't tell her this)
I did not marry her because I need her, I married her because I want her! I love my wife because I want her!

The idea of God needing me is my flesh walk, but God wanting and loving me as His bride is the very key to the Grace walk. Entering His rest and enjoying the abundant life that Christ described in John 10:10.

How did Christ describe living life abiding?

Can you imagine Jesus waking up each morning and asking the question, "What can I do today to make the Father happy with me? I know, I will preach a sermon! That will make Him pleased with me. And then I will heal a lame man, and cast out a few demons. This will indeed make my Father happy with me today!"

Jesus relationship to the Father. Jesus did not do things for the Father but the with the Father.
John 5:30, 7:16, 8:28, 8:42, 12:49, 14:24,

What was the source of Jesus life? God

"Ye men of Israel, hear these words; Jesus of Nazareth, a man approved of God among you by miracles and wonders and signs, which God did by him in the midst of you, as ye yourselves also know:" ~Acts 2:22

The word "BY" here means:  the channel of an act; through

How are we to relate to Jesus?

"Then said Jesus to them again, Peace be unto you: as my Father hath sent me, even so send I you."  ~ John 20:21

"I am the vine, ye are the branches: He that abideth in me, and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit: for without me ye can do nothing." ~ John 15:5



How many miracles could Christ have done if he acted independently from God? None

Christ was all God and all man, but while he was on earth he did not choose to live out of his deity, but his humanity.

He always referred to himself as the son of man, never the son of God.

"Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus: Who, being in the form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal with God: But made himself of no reputation, and took upon him the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men. And being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross." Phillipians 2:5-8

Christ lived His life as a man completely dependent on God while he was here on this earth. Christ said it Himself.

"Then answered Jesus and said unto them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, The Son can do nothing of himself, but what he seeth the Father do: for what things soever he doeth, these also doeth the Son likewise." John 5:19

This is exactly the way we should live in comparison to the life of Christ. This is abiding.

How you function in your Christian life, will determine which tree you are eating from.

This was my testimony! I spent a majority of my life eating from the law tree. This was what I was introduced to, and this is what I saw as an example around me. I would "do" in place of "be" because at least if I was faithful to do what others expected of me, I would find acceptance. Acceptance is cheap compared to fulfillment. Was this the abundant life that Jesus referred to in John 10?

I was in a vicious cycle of Motivation, condemnation, and then after a sermon on giving my all, self dedication. I am being completely transparent here. The cycle would continue over and over again.

I was determined to "Live the Christian life", when in fact God never intended for us to live the Christian life.
There was only one person who could ever do that, and He was Jesus Christ (Hence the term Christian life). I could however live my life In Him and Through Him. Living dependent upon Him every single day! Before I found my identity in what I did for God. Now, my identity is planted in my relationship with Him.

I realize that this mindset is not very well accepted, and I take comfort in knowing that it was not looked on well by the "Religious" crowd in Jesus day either. Being a Child of God is absolutely AMAZING!

We have a Father who longs for us to know Him!

 

Your choice of trees speaks volumes of what your identity is. Tree of law or tree of grace? Both are on the menu, and both can be chosen.

Climbing with you,
~Dan