Guiding Questions 4: What Is My Identity in Christ?
- RD Montgomery
- Sep 26
- 10 min read
Updated: Sep 28
When people are poking fun at Christianity, one of the questions they like to ask is, why are there about 45,000 different Christian denominations? The obvious answer is that different denominations have different beliefs. Some denominations intend to exploit people for money, and others want to minimize, exclude, or add to Scripture to bend it to their worldview instead of the other way round. However, some very well-meaning church leaders, scholars, and individuals are being influenced by their biases, and one of the biggest biases we have is identity.
Who you think you are to God can have a powerful influence on your beliefs, just like it does in any relationship. If you believe your boss doesn't like you, you may make errors because of the stress of never being secure in your job. If you believe your boss is lucky to have you, you may make mistakes because you are not open to correction.
The importance of getting identity right
As in the above example, it is important for you and your boss, spouse, teacher, family member, coach, friend, etc. to know where you stand with each other and to know it is true. When it is true and you accept it, your relationship is healthier. If it is not true or you cannot accept it, your relationship gets weaker or dysfunctional because everything you believe is filtered through that bias.
God tells us how He feels about His reborn children (Christ-followers) in the Bible in words, actions, and examples. Yet some people assume they are more or less in His eyes than He says.
When you believe your identity is less than God says
While none of us has ever earned or deserved God's amazing grace, this takes it a step further. This isn't humility anymore; it is a rejection of biblical truths. This can lead to several challenges in your relationship with God such as:
You may struggle to accept God's grace and forgiveness. If you believe you are too broken, too sinful, or hard to love, you might find it hard to truly accept that God's love is unconditional. You may feel you have to earn it or that you can never be forgiven for past mistakes. This can create a relationship built on fear and guilt, not on love and trust.
You might rely on your own actions instead of on faith. To prove your worthiness, you might focus heavily on religious rules, rituals, or good deeds. This can become a form of legalism, where your spiritual life is about "what you do" rather than "who you are" in your relationship with God.
You may feel distant from God. When you reject how He feels about you, then you might be hesitant to pray, read the Bible, or connect with a faith community. This can lead to a sense of spiritual isolation and loneliness.
You may feel unworthy to be used by God. It's the belief that you are simply not fit to be a tool for God's work. You might think your past is too messy, your talents are too small, or that you're just not spiritual enough. This can prevent you from using your gifts to help others. You may overlook obvious biblical examples of God's strength working in human weakness.
Feeling as if your identity is more than God says
The other extreme is allowing your pride to puff you up. You might believe you are better or smarter than most other Christ followers. Let's look at how this might impact your life:
You may expect blessings. You might believe that because you've done the "right" things, God owes you. When challenges arise, you might become resentful, questioning why a just God would allow you to suffer. You might also assume that if you have struggled, God owes you something in return.
You might have a transactional view of faith. In this view, your relationship with God is not about love but about a system of rewards and punishments. You do good things to get good things in return. This can make your faith conditional rather than an enduring source of strength and comfort.
You may think you are "good enough" and fail to practice repentance and seek to live a holier life. You might think you have all the answers and don't require guidance or correction from your faith community. This self-righteousness can also lead you to believe you don't need other believers to challenge you.
You may indulge in vain glory. When you share your history with others, you tend to steal the glory from God so you can prove that you are a step above other people. This puts you in competition with God (James 4:6-10).
You may believe you can handle situations that are better suited for someone else in your faith family. This stems from a sense of spiritual superiority. You might take on roles or responsibilities that require specific training or a different spiritual gifting, dismissing the unique contributions of others (1 Corinthians 3:6 & 1 Corinthians 12).
Your pride makes it hard or impossible for God to lead and teach. A person like this will always assume that God approves of their way of doing things. They will look for evidence that supports what they want to do, forgetting that God can change our errors into wins (Genesis 50:20). Humility keeps us in a teachable position (Psalm 25:9).
Who are we to God
Created by Overflowing Love
The amazing truth is that you were created because God's love is so abundant it overflowed. It wasn't because He was lonely or needed anything from you; it was purely from a desire to share His goodness. In fact, He didn't just create humanity—He also created an entire world specifically for our benefit. Think about it: a world filled with breathtaking sunrises, majestic mountains, and vibrant oceans. He designed this incredible planet, with its complex ecosystems and beautiful landscapes, as a home just for us. This is the heart behind Psalm 8, where the psalmist is in awe, exclaiming, "When I look at your heavens, the work of your fingers... what is man that you are mindful of him, and the son of man that you care for him?" (Psalm8:3−4). This is the ultimate proof that you are not just a random accident but a cherished creation.
Designed in God's Image
A key part of our identity is that we were created in God's image, or imago Dei (Genesis 1:26−27). This means you are unique from all other creation. You were given special qualities that reflect parts of who God is—like the ability to reason, feel emotions, have relationships, and be creative. Your worth and dignity come from this fact alone; you are a masterpiece designed by God (Psalm 139:14).
The Great Divide of Sin
Our once perfect relationship was broken when sin entered the world (Genesis 3:6). This was an act of choosing our own way instead of God's. It created a deep and painful divide, separating humanity from God's presence (Isaiah 59:2). Sin isn't just a list of bad things we do; it's a condition that affects all of us (Romans 3:23), making it impossible to be in a right relationship with a holy God on our own.
God's Unstoppable Love
Given how we responded to His love, God would have been completely justified in giving up on us. We proved just how low we could sink, with wickedness so great that God had to restart the world with the flood (Genesis 6:5). The people He chose and promised to bless with abundance—the Israelites—repeatedly turned their backs on Him (Jeremiah 2:13). Yet, despite our constant rejection, God did not abandon us. Instead, He sent His Son, Jesus, to live among us, to teach us, and ultimately to die for us. This act shows the depth of His persistent and unwavering love (John 3:16). The cross is the ultimate evidence that nothing you have ever done or will ever do could make Him stop loving you.
How God sees an unbeliever
God's love for everyone is still present, and He desires that all would come to know Him (2 Peter 3:9). However, for those who have not yet trusted in Jesus, God also sees them as separated from Him. The Bible describes this as being "dead in their trespasses and sins" (Ephesians2:1−3), which means their relationship with God is broken. God lovingly calls everyone to choose Him, to turn away from a life apart from Him and be made whole. However, if a person rejects God's love and grace, they are ultimately choosing His wrath and judgment (John 3:36). While there is no one so broken that God cannot redeem (Isaiah1:18), He also respects a person's choice to remain in darkness rather than turn to His light (John 3:19).
Who I am to God as a Believer
The moment you are born again, a powerful change happens. God now sees you not through the lens of your sin, but through the perfect righteousness of His Son (2 Corinthians 5:21). This is not just a change in status; it is a new reality with many beautiful facets:
A New Creation: The old way of life is gone, and a new one has begun. God sees you as a new person with a new purpose.
Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come: The old has gone, the new is here! (2 Corinthians 5:17)
Because you are a new creation in Christ, you are no longer defined by your past. Your mistakes, failures, and regrets do not have the final say. Instead, your identity is rooted in who you are becoming in Christ—a masterpiece being restored and renewed day by day. This shift in perspective is crucial, as it keeps you from living under the weight of past sins and allows you to walk forward in the freedom of your new identity.
Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus. (Philippians 3:13−14)
Justified and Righteous: God no longer sees a person's sins as a barrier between them. Instead, He sees the righteousness of Jesus Christ credited to their account. They are declared righteous in His sight.
God made him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God. (2 Corinthians 5:21)
Adopted as His Children: A new birth brings a person into God's family. He is no longer just their Creator, but also their loving Father. This brings with it a sense of belonging and a secure relationship.
See what great love the Father has lavished on us, that we should be called children of God! And that is what we are! (1 John 3:1)
A Saint and a Citizen of Heaven: The Bible refers to believers as "saints," which means they are set apart for a holy purpose. They are no longer seen as belonging to the world, but as citizens of God's heavenly kingdom.
But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, God's special possession, that you may declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light. (1 Peter 2:9)
But our citizenship is in heaven. And we eagerly await a Savior from there, the Lord Jesus Christ. (Philippians 3:20)
Indwelt by the Holy Spirit: The Holy Spirit comes to live inside of a person who is born again. God sees them as His temple and home.
Do you not know that your bodies are temples of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from God? (1 Corinthians 6:19)
Heirs to Eternal Life and Blessings: Being adopted into God's family means a person is now an heir with Christ, inheriting eternal life and all the spiritual blessings that come from being a part of His kingdom.
Now if we are children, then we are heirs—heirs of God and co-heirs with Christ, if indeed we share in his sufferings in order that we may also share in his glory. (Romans 8:17)
His Handiwork, Created for Good Works: God sees born-again people as His special masterpiece, created to do good works that He has prepared for them to do.
For we are God's handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do. (Ephesians 2:10)
A Friend of God: While God is our Father and King, He also invites us into a close relationship where we can share our hearts with Him, and He with us.
I no longer call you servants... Instead, I have called you friends... (John 15:15)
A Living Stone: We are not just isolated individuals; we are vital parts of a larger spiritual building, being built together into a spiritual house, a place where God dwells and works.
As you come to him, the living Stone... you also, like living stones, are being built into a spiritual house... (1 Peter 2:4−5)
The Bride of Christ: This is one of the most intimate metaphors, symbolizing the deep, inseparable union and covenant relationship between Christ and the church (the body of believers).
For this reason a man will leave his father and mother and be united to his wife, and the two will become one flesh." "This is a profound mystery—but I am talking about Christ and the church. (Ephesians 5:31−32)
Let us rejoice and be glad and give him glory! For the wedding of the Lamb has come, and his bride has made herself ready. (Revelation19:7)
Please don't stop with this blog post
I considered or used over 60 biblical references for this post, but there are so many more I could have used. Believing you are who God says you are is one of the most important things you can study and believe. It diminishes religion and encourages relationship; it allows you to read the Bible with (less) bias. It strengthens your faith and allows you to believe God's promises. I beg you to study the Bible on this topic. You are unique and treasured by God!
Scripture used or considered in the writing of "Guiding Questions 4: What Is My Identity in Christ?" by RD Montgomery. All Scripture quoted is in ESV format unless otherwise specified.
Genesis 1:26–28
Genesis 3:6
Genesis 6:5
Genesis 50:20
Psalm 8:3–4
Psalm 25:9
Psalm 95:7
Psalm 139:13–16
Proverbs 16:4
Proverbs 16:18
Proverbs 27:2
Proverbs 29:23
Isaiah 1:18
Isaiah 59:2
Jeremiah 2:13
John 1:12-13
John 3:16–19
John 3:36
John 9:1-7
John 15:15
John 20:31
Romans 3:23
Romans 6:11
Romans 8:1
Romans 8:17
Romans 8:30
Romans 12:16
1 Corinthians 3:6
1 Corinthians 3:16
1 Corinthians 4:7
1 Corinthians 6:19
1 Corinthians 12
2 Corinthians 3:18
2 Corinthians 5:17
2 Corinthians 5:21
2 Corinthians 10:17-18
Galatians 3:26
Galatians 6:3
Ephesians 1:3-14
Ephesians 2:1–3
Ephesians 2:10
Ephesians 2:13
Ephesians 3:18–19
Ephesians 5:31–32
Philippians 1:1
Philippians 2:3
Philippians 3:13–14
Philippians 3:20
Colossians 3:1-3
Colossians 3:12
Hebrews 8:12
James 4:6–10
1 Peter 2:4–5
1 Peter 2:9
1 Peter 2:11
1 Peter 5:5
1 Peter 5:14
2 Peter 3:9
1 John 3:1
Revelation 4:11
Revelation 19:7
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