Who Are You?

Romans 1:1 “Paul, a bond-servant of Christ Jesus, called as an apostle, set apart for the gospel of God,”

If I asked you the question, “Who are you?” what would be your reply? How would you identify yourself? Usually, when asked about ourselves we tend to talk about what we have done, what we are doing, and what we intend to do, instead of who we are. Why? (Because in this world, what we do defines who we are.) If I asked you to tell me about yourself you would probably tell me about your job, your accomplishments, your family, your goals, your interests, etc… How many of us would start out with saying, “I am a Christian, I have been given the Spiritual gift of encouragement, and I pray daily for situations in which to use my Spiritual gift. I devote everyday that I live to serving the King of Kings and Lord of Lords. Let me tell you about my Savior, Jesus Christ because it is He that defines me.” Let me just go ahead and say, NONE OF US!!! (I may only be speaking to myself, but you are going to have to prove me wrong.)

We are truly defined by who we are in Christ and not who we are in the world. This is our Spiritual identity. It is who we are as new creatures in Christ that defines us. (2 Corinthians 5:17 “Therefore if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creature; the old things passed away; behold, new things have come.”) Paul understood that his identity was not defined by who he is and what he had done, but by who Christ is and what Christ had done.

In the first seven verses of the first chapter of Romans, Paul is explaining whom he is because he writes to a place where he had never been, and for the most part, to people that he had never met. In Paul’s introduction he gives his name; everything that follows points to Jesus Christ. Paul understands that apart from Christ, he is nothing. Apart from Christ, he has no credibility. Apart from Christ, he has no authority. Apart from Christ, he is just Paul…nobody. Paul could not explain who he was without explaining whom Christ was and what Christ had done. Paul’s identity rested solely in the person and work of Jesus Christ. He did not try to promote himself or use his accomplishments to influence, intrigue, or induce others. Paul knew his position in Christ, his place in the Lord’s service, and his purpose in life…do we?

Who are you? What is your position in Christ? What is your place in the Lord’s service? What is your purpose in this life that God has given you? That is your true identity!!! Apart from Jesus Christ, we are nothing. Who we are and what we do is of no value unless who we are and what we do is identified with who He is and what He has done. “For if anyone thinks he is something when he is nothing, he deceives himself.” Galatians 6:3

We do not issue and direct our purpose in life, God does. What He calls us to do and what He calls us to be is far more important than what man thinks we should become, or even what we think we should become. Apart from Spiritual identity (defining who you are by what God thinks) you will become miserable trying to live a life that you can never live. Knowing who you are in Christ allows you to relax and enjoy life. Paul knew exactly who he was, do we?

Col 3:1-5 “Since, then, you have been raised with Christ, set your hearts on things above, where Christ is seated at the right hand of God. Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things. For you died, and your life is now hidden with Christ in God. When Christ, who is your life, appears, then you also will appear with him in glory. Put to death, therefore, whatever belongs to your earthly nature:”