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UnionWithChrist
ANewIden2ty—WhoAmI?
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What,Exactly,IsUnionwithChrist?
1.YouareinChrist.
2.Christisinyou.
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UnionwithChristGRACE&DEMAND
• TheWayofExtravagantGraceBelievetheGospelMore–YouareInChrist!
• TheWayofRadicalDiscipleshipObeyJesusMore–ChristisInYou!
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UnionwithChrist:WherediditComeFrom(asaDoctrine?)
• TheBible• Churchhistory
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Col3:1-4• Whatisa“mindset”?• Whatdoesthisversesayaboutourmindset?• HowdoesourUnionwithChristcomeintoplay?
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TwoCompe2ngMindsets• Youarewhatyoumakeofyourself
• Youriden2tyisbasedonwhoyouareandwhatyoudo
• Youcannotbeself-made
• Youriden2tyisbasedonyourrela2onshipwithChrist
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Iden2ty• Whatismeantby“iden2ty”?• Whatmoviesorbookscanyouthinkofthathavethethemeofsomeonefindingtheiriden2ty
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ExamplesofFindingIden2ty• Pinocchio• BeautyandtheBeast• Frozen• LukeSkywalkerinStarWars• Rocky(“AllIwannadoisgothedistance…[soI’llknowI’m]notjustanotherbumfromtheneighborhood”)
• SpiderMan,Superman,etc.• JeanValjeaninLesMiserables• Justaboutany“comingofage”story
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Iden2ty• Whatismeantby“iden2ty”?• Whatmoviesorbookscanyouthinkofthathavethethemeofsomeonefindingtheiriden2ty?
• Somehavesaidthatthe“searchforiden2ty”isTHEAmericantheme.Whymightthisbe?
• Themeofthischapter:ouriden2tyisfoundoutsideofourselvesinChrist
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Society’sPrevailingCulture:“ChooseYourOwnIden2ty”
• Autonomy.Authen2city.Individuality.Freedom.
• Theme:Weallhaveatrue,authen2cselfhiddenwithinusandthepathtohumanflourishinginvolvesdiscoveringandexpressingthat“trueself”– Wemustbefreefromexternalauthorityorexpecta2onsthatconstrainwhoweare
• Examples?
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CommonStatementsfromour“ChooseYourOwnIden2ty”Culture…
• NoonecantellmewhatIcanandcan’tdo• I’mthemasterofmyownfate• Ipulledmyselfupbymybootstraps• Aself-mademan/woman• Ineedtomakesurepeoplerespectme(beingrespectedisparamount)
• I’mnotdefinedbywhatothersthinkaboutme• Others?
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Problemswith“ChooseYourOwnIden?ty”Approach:1. Accentonunlimitedfreedom
oeenleadstoparalysis2. Leadstoanxiety3. Havingmorechoicesmakes
usdiscontent4. Thefreedomenthroning
narra2veof“ChooseYourOwnIden2ty”endsuprobbingusoftheveryfreedomitpromises
5. Thismindsetnega2velyaffectshowweviewGod
• Havingallop2onsopencanmakedecisionmakingdifficult
• It’snormallyhelpfultohaveatleastsomelimita2ons
• Simpleexample:PastaSauce
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Problemswith“ChooseYourOwnIden?ty”Approach:1. Accentonunlimitedfreedom
oeenleadstoparalysis2. Leadstoanxiety3. Havingmorechoicesmakes
usdiscontent4. Thefreedomenthroning
narra2veof“ChooseYourOwnIden2ty”endsuprobbingusoftheveryfreedomitpromises
5. Thismindsetnega2velyaffectshowweviewGod
Contrast:UnionwithChrist1. UnionwithChristgivesus
permissiontorest– Thereisonechoicemore
importantthantherest:Thywillormywillbedone?
– AslongasourwillissetonfollowingChrist,wecanrestinthechoiceswemake.
– Yourlifeisnolongerinyourhands—youcansurrenderyourplanstoChrist,whohasjoinedhislifetoours
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Problemswith“ChooseYourOwnIden?ty”Approach:1. Accentonunlimitedfreedom
oeenleadstoparalysis2. Leadstoanxiety3. Havingmorechoicesmakes
usdiscontent4. Thefreedomenthroning
narra2veof“ChooseYourOwnIden2ty”endsuprobbingusoftheveryfreedomitpromises
5. Thismindsetnega2velyaffectshowweviewGod
• Depression/anxietyhasbecomemorecommon
• Onereasonisafeelingofinadequacyarisingfromacontextinwhichsuccessisalributedtoandexpectedoftheautonomousindividual
• Example:pressureofsocialmedia
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Problemswith“ChooseYourOwnIden?ty”Approach:1. Accentonunlimitedfreedom
oeenleadstoparalysis2. Leadstoanxiety3. Havingmorechoicesmakes
usdiscontent4. Thefreedomenthroning
narra2veof“ChooseYourOwnIden2ty”endsuprobbingusoftheveryfreedomitpromises
5. Thismindsetnega2velyaffectshowweviewGod
Contrast:UnionwithChrist2. Removesprimarysourcesof
anxiety– Theoldway:tryingtojus2fyour
existencebyourwork– Thenewway:ourlifeishidden
withChrist
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RootSourcesofAnxiety• MyIden2ty/Status
– AmIsignificant?– HaveIdoneenough?– AmIsecure?– AmIaccepted?
• MySitua2on– WhatdoIwanttosee
happen?Gal2:20IhavebeencrucifiedwithChrist.ItisnolongerIwholive,butChristwholivesinme.AndthelifeInowliveinthefleshIlivebyfaithintheSonofGod,wholovedmeandgavehimselfforme.
Col3:3Foryouhavedied,andyourlifeishiddenwithChristinGod
Yes,becauseofChrist
Hedidenough!
AssecureasJesusis!
Yes,becauseofChrist
God’swill,notmine(andItrustHimasbeingcompletelygoodandcompletelypowerful)
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Problemswith“ChooseYourOwnIden?ty”Approach:1. Accentonunlimitedfreedom
oeenleadstoparalysis2. Leadstoanxiety3. Havingmorechoicesmakes
usdiscontent4. Thefreedomenthroning
narra2veof“ChooseYourOwnIden2ty”endsuprobbingusoftheveryfreedomitpromises
5. Thismindsetnega2velyaffectshowweviewGod
Contrast:UnionwithChrist2. Removesprimarysourcesof
anxiety– Theoldway:tryingtojus2fyour
existencebyourwork– Thenewway:ourlifeishidden
withChrist– OurunionwithChristaddresses
therootcausesofouranxiety– Result:Welongerworkfor
approval,butfromapproval• Analogy:AmericanIdolContest
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Problemswith“ChooseYourOwnIden?ty”Approach:1. Accentonunlimitedfreedom
oeenleadstoparalysis2. Leadstoanxiety3. Havingmorechoicesmakes
usdiscontent4. Thefreedomenthroning
narra2veof“ChooseYourOwnIden2ty”endsuprobbingusoftheveryfreedomitpromises
5. Thismindsetnega2velyaffectshowweviewGod
• Increasedchoicescanleadtoincreasedexpecta2onsofhowgoodachoiceshouldbe
• Thisleadstoincreasingdissa2sfac2onwithwhateverchoiceyouendupmaking
• Example:Smartphones
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Problemswith“ChooseYourOwnIden?ty”Approach:1. Accentonunlimitedfreedom
oeenleadstoparalysis2. Leadstoanxiety3. Havingmorechoicesmakes
usdiscontent4. Thefreedomenthroning
narra2veof“ChooseYourOwnIden2ty”endsuprobbingusoftheveryfreedomitpromises
5. Thismindsetnega2velyaffectshowweviewGod
Contrast:UnionwithChrist3. Weareenabledtobecontent
inallcircumstances– Phil4:11-13– UnionwithChrististhean2dote
toourdiscontentment
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Problemswith“ChooseYourOwnIden?ty”Approach:1. Accentonunlimitedfreedom
oeenleadstoparalysis2. Leadstoanxiety3. Havingmorechoicesmakes
usdiscontent4. Thefreedomenthroning
narra2veof“ChooseYourOwnIden2ty”oeenendsuprobbingusoftheveryfreedomitpromises
5. Thismindsetnega2velyaffectshowweviewGod
• Wecaneasilybecomeenslavedtotheiden2tythatwehavechosen
• Example1:pornography• Example2:Demandsof
“climbingthecorporateladder”
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Problemswith“ChooseYourOwnIden?ty”Approach:1. Accentonunlimitedfreedom
oeenleadstoparalysis2. Leadstoanxiety3. Havingmorechoicesmakes
usdiscontent4. Thefreedomenthroning
narra2veof“ChooseYourOwnIden2ty”endsuprobbingusoftheveryfreedomitpromises
5. Thismindsetnega2velyaffectshowweviewGod
Contrast:UnionwithChrist4. Wearemostfreewhenwehave
therightboundaries– Example:fishinafishbowl– JesusistheCENTERofauthen2c
humanexistence• Wecan’tunderstandourselves
withoutunderstandingwhoheisandwhathe’sdoneforus
– JesusistheCIRCUMFERENCEofauthen2chumanexistence• Hesetstheboundariesof
whatitmeanstobehuman– Rom8:15—weareadopted
intoGod’sfamily(withboundaries)
– AlsoJesussetsusfreefromsin(John8:36)
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Problemswith“ChooseYourOwnIden?ty”Approach:1. Accentonunlimitedfreedom
oeenleadstoparalysis2. Leadstoanxiety3. Havingmorechoicesmakes
usdiscontent4. Thefreedomenthroning
narra2veof“ChooseYourOwnIden2ty”endsuprobbingusoftheveryfreedomitpromises
5. Thismindsetnega2velyaffectshowweviewGod
• WemaybringGodintoblessourplans,butwedon’twanthimplanningforus.
• WeseeGodasanauthorityfigurewhowillimpedeourfreedom
• Godbecomesastagehandtotheplaywearewri2ngandstarringin
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Problemswith“ChooseYourOwnIden?ty”Approach:1. Accentonunlimitedfreedom
oeenleadstoparalysis2. Leadstoanxiety3. Havingmorechoicesmakes
usdiscontent4. Thefreedomenthroning
narra2veof“ChooseYourOwnIden2ty”endsuprobbingusoftheveryfreedomitpromises
5. Thismindsetnega2velyaffectshowweviewGod
Contrast:UnionwithChrist5. Godiscloserandmore
in2matethanweeverimagined– YouareinvitedintoGod’sstory– Youdon’thavetodiscoveror
createyourowniden2ty– Youriden2tyisfoundoutside
ofyourself(inChrist)– Thisgivesusanaccurateview
ofGod(andaheartofgra2tudeandpraise!)
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Problemswith“ChooseYourOwnIden?ty”Approach:1. Accentonunlimitedfreedom
oeenleadstoparalysis2. Leadstoanxiety3. Havingmorechoicesmakes
usdiscontent4. Thefreedomenthroning
narra2veof“ChooseYourOwnIden2ty”endsuprobbingusoftheveryfreedomitpromises
5. Thismindsetnega2velyaffectshowweviewGod
Contrast:UnionwithChrist1. UnionwithChristgivesus
permissiontorest2. Weareenabledtotrulybe
contentinallcircumstances3. Weareenabledtobecontent
inallcircumstances4. Wearemostfreewhenwe
havetherightboundaries5. Godiscloserandmore
in2matethanweeverimagined
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Let’sGetPrac2cal…• WhoamIinChrist?
– Iamloved(1John4:10)– Iamfree(Gal5:1)– IamachildofGod(John1:12)– Iamanewcrea2on(2Cor5:17)– Etc.
• Whydowehavetroublegerngtheseconceptstos2ck?• Howdowekeep“serngourminds”onChrist?• Bible’smetaphors:adop2onandmarriage
– Bothhavealegalandrela2onalaspecttothem– Wecangrowintherela2onalaspect
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TwoTestsandOneExercise• Test1:IsUnionwithChristRadicallyThreateningtome?
– UnionwithChristgivesusanewiden2ty,butwemustleavebehindthelifewehavealwaysknown
– Jesusmustbeinthecenter,andwearedisplaced• Test2:IsUnionwithChristRadicallyComfor2ng?
– AreyoucomfortedbybeingunitedwithChrist?– AreyouexperiencingthefreedomandconfidencethatunionwithChristbrings?
• Exercise:Thinkintermsof“we”,not“I”– Not“WhatdoIwanttodohere”,but“Whatshouldwedo?”or“WhatareYoutryingtoteachme?”
– Changesourmindset—reframesourinternalconversa2on