YOUR IDENTITY IN CHRIST

YOUR IDENTITY IN CHRIST

John 1:12,13

3RD ACM General Youth Conference, October 31-November 3, 2013, Mt. Moriah Camp, Pal-ing, Malaybalay, BukidnonFranco G. TevesLets start from the very beginning

So God created man in His own image, in the image of God he created him; male and female he created them.

Genesis 1:27Why is this important?Because the Creator naturally owns His creationBecause the created man bears Gods imageBecause God created man as male and femaleWhat happens to a person who does not believe in Genesis 1:27?A person who does not believe in the truth in Genesis 1:27 does not know where he came from and where he is going. He feels he is the master of his life, the captain of his soul. He believes he is an accident of nature, a product of evolution. He is confused of his gender.3By the way, God created man with the ability to make decisionsTo believe God, or to doubt God?To obey God, or to disobey God?To do good, or to do bad?Faith in God is counted as _______.Obedience to God brings _______.Adam and Eve chose to _______.Adam and Eve were our first parents. We inherited there genes. When Adam first sinned, immediately he lost his immortality, just as the Lord says, you will die. We inherited death and the propensity to sin. 4For all of us have sinned and have fallen short of Gods glory

Therefore, just as sin entered through one man, and death through sin, and in this way death came to all men, because all sinned.

Romans 5:12Science now concedes that there was a first Adam and first Eve. Also, that 99.9% of our DNA is the same. All men differ by only 0.1%. We are all related. We inherited the genes from Adam. We also inherited death and the propensity to sin. Man did not inherit sin but death. Sin is a wilful, conscious, voluntary disobedience of Gods Word. All of us will die physically sooner or later, except when we are still alive during the Rapture.5Satan wanted to spoil Gods plan, but God provided a way for mans redemption

The thief comes only to steal, kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full.

John 10:10The whole Bible talks about Gods plan of redemption through Jesus Christ from Genesis 3 to Revelations 22The beginning of sacrifices to GodNoahs ark and the great floodThe calling of AbrahamThe story of Joseph in EgyptThe Passover and Israels freedom from slavery in EgyptMoses and the Covenant with God in Mt. SinaiEven in these events, there were choices to make, faith versus unbelief, obedience versus rebellion.7But who is Jesus Christ and what did He do for mankind?Jesus is the Son of God, Gods only begotten Son (John 1:1; Mark 1:1; Romans 1:4; John 3:16). He is God the Son in the Triune God.If Jesus is God, why must He come to earth as the Son of Man and die on the cross? (John 3:16; Galatians 4:4,5; Romans 3:23-25; John 1:12; Romans 1:17)

The Son of God had to be fully Man in order to: 1) communicate Gods love to man; 2) redeem man from the bondage of sin; 3) fulfil all of Gods righteous requirements to restore mans original relationship with God; 4) for men to become truly children of God; and 5) to obtain Gods righteousness by faith in Christ, in His death and His resurrection.8What can faith in Jesus Christ do? (Romans 3:24,25)Justified declared to be a righteous personGrace unmerited favourRedemption buy back by paying a pricePropitiation/Atonement satisfy the just demands of a righteous GodRemission to send away, remove fromJustification is far beyond the verdict of not guilty, or just-as-if-Id never sinned. It is a declaration for one who believes in Jesus, to be wholly and absolutely righteous as righteous as His own Son, Jesus Christ.

9The first great decisionIs to ______ and ______ the Lord Jesus.From the first great decision, aside from son-ship (John 1:12), eternal life + no condemnation + has passed from death to life (John 5:24), we also:Died with ChristWere buried with Christ All in Resurrect with Christ Romans 6We live with ChristBecame slaves to righteousnessOur identity in Christ includes identifying with Him in His death on the cross, having been buried with Him, having resurrected with Him, living with Him today, and becoming slaves of righteousness.10But there is a second great decision to makeRomans 12:1,2 is all about the ______ decision.The first decision brings us into the _______ of God. The second decision opens for us a new adventure to walk in _______ with the Living Lord.The first decision is compulsory for ______ the wrath of God.To receive Jesus as Saviour leads to salvation. To receive Jesus as Lord leads to a life of adventure in the service of the Living Lord (discipleship).11The second decision is voluntary in ________ for all the wonderful things we have received by His grace.We may also call the second great decision which is voluntary as the discipleship decision.The discipleship decision as outlined in Romans 12:1,2Surrender my whole life to GodSeparate myself from the sins of the worldSystematically build up my life in the faith through regular Bible study and prayerThere are only two kinds of people on earthChildren of God, children of lightChildren of the devil, children of darknessThere are two kinds of Christians in the Body of ChristChild of God - marked by the Spirit if God (Ephesians 1:13,14), the seal of ownership (2 Corinthians 1:21,22)

Disciple of Christ marked by the Spirit of God (and therefore a child of God) and the cross of Jesus (Luke 9:23)ChallengeWhich identity do you have right now?If you still dont have the identity of a child of God, make a decision right now to receive Jesus as your Saviour. This is compulsory for salvation.If you still dont have the identity of a disciple, do you want to have it? This is voluntary.Then you know what to do. (Luke 9:23; Rom.12:1,2) I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself for me.

Galatians 2:20