Your Identity In Christ

Introduction

Welcome. A few weeks back we started a new series called True Christianity on the book of 1st John. The main premise of the first chapter and the beginning of the second chapter has been this - What does it look like to be a Christian?

The main topic The Apostle John tackles in our passage today is “who we are in Christ.”

In other words, when you became a Christian, there are some things that happened to you and in you that you need to know. Normally my sermons are high on application because I believe knowledge without application leads to death. Or as the apostle James puts it, faith without works is dead.

We must be a people who don’t just learn the Bible, but we apply it as well. Today though, is going to be a little bit different. Today I’m going to give you three things you need to know about yourself if you are a Christian. The application is simple - Go and live accordingly. So let’s get started.

Turn with me to 1 John 2. We are going to look at verses 12-14. I have notes loaded in your app and words will be on the screen.

Main Text

1 John 2:12–14 ESV

I am writing to you, little children, because your sins are forgiven for his name’s sake. I am writing to you, fathers, because you know him who is from the beginning. I am writing to you, young men, because you have overcome the evil one. I write to you, children, because you know the Father. I write to you, fathers, because you know him who is from the beginning. I write to you, young men, because you are strong, and the word of God abides in you, and you have overcome the evil one.

The Apostle John tells us six times why he is writing this letter. In your bible, you may notice this passage is set apart, like a song or a poem. It reads a little like that with the repetition built in.

When we see something like this in Scripture, we should start asking questions. Why is he repeating himself? What is with all of these statements that are very similar.

I believe John is repeating himself for emphasis. He spent the entire first part of this letter being hard on the reader. Are you truly walking in the light? Or are you living in darkness. Are you blinded by your dark deeds? Are you blinded by your hate?

John is now going to encourage the True Christians reading this letter. He knows he’s been a bit hard on both the reader and those who were teaching false doctrines in the church. So he takes a moment to encourage the true Christians reading this letter.

He repeats himself several times to draw attention to what he is doing. It’s as if he is saying, I know if you’ve read this far you might be a bit discouraged, but take heart! You are in Christ and that means something!

John is going to talk about…

Who We Are In Christ

He’s going to give us three different big statements about who we are in Christ. There’s repetition in these ideas, so we want to realize the reason he is repeating it is to emphasize it.

He wants us to truly grasp who we are in Christ, because it matters. Our identity in Christ is one of the main things that Satan attacks. He did it in the garden when he told Eve, if you eat this fruit you will be like God, knowing that we were already created in the image of God.

He did it with Jesus in the three temptations of Christ. He said, directly after God had said, “this my beloved son, in whom I am pleased,” Satan asks, “if you really are the son of God.”

Satan attacks identity. The Apostle John reaffirms our identity in this passage. Now, let’s talk about one thing that may trip you up in reading this, as it can be confusing.

Children, Fathers, Young Men

Some scholars believe John is addressing this to three different age groups within the church. I tend to agree with other scholars who say he is addressing three different groups of maturity in Christ - babes, young people and older more mature saints.

But overall, he is addressing all Christians, in my opinion. In multiple places he calls us all little children and he means that as a term of endearment. I think he adds in Fathers and young men to reassure the more seasoned saints know he is talking to them as well. This isn’t meant to divide us, but to unite us in Christ.

He puts these in a unique order, so that is what I’m going to follow as I teach through this. He starts with little children (those new in the faith and he proclaims them to be forgiven, which is one of the first things you receive as a babe in Christ), then proceeds to fathers (these are the ones with experience and knowledge and he affirms them in that) and then back to young men (these are those who are maturing and strong, full of life), but again, the truth he shares is applicable for all Christians for all times and these are three key aspects of your identity in Christ.

So let’s look at them…

You Are Forgiven

The first thing John wants us to know is that we are forgiven. If you are a Christian today, no matter what your past looks like. No matter the depth of the sin in your heart, no matter how dark the darkness you have walked in, know this…you are forgiven.

In Christ we have forgiveness for all of our sins. His blood cleanses us. He washes us clean from our guilt and shame. When we repent and put our trust in Him, our sins are forgiven.

Ephesians 1:7 NIV

In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, in accordance with the riches of God’s grace

Now listen, he addresses this to children. In other words, if you are a Christian, it doesn’t matter if you have been one for one day, one minute or one year, you are forgiven.

There is nothing you can do to earn it.

There is nothing you need to do to add to it.

There is nothing that can take it away from you.

Everything has been done for you on the Cross. Jesus saved you, forgave you and made you a new creation at the moment of salvation.

Now we also know this isn’t the end. The Christian walk isn’t about punching a ticket to ride on the train to heaven. The Christian walk is a journey. It’s not about the end goal, it’s about the process.

Which leads us to the next identity statement.

You Are In Relationship

John says in v.13 I’m writing to you Fathers, because you know him who is from the beginning. Now this is a statement on relationship.

You know him. And John could have just as easily said, and He knows you! You and God are in relationship. He calls us son, we call him Father. Everything God does is based in relationship.

Older saints tend to understand this better than younger ones, so John addresses it to the Fathers. But listen, all of us are in relationship with Him.

Now it may not be that great of a relationship. Relationships take two. Just like marriage. If I never talk to my wife, if I only see her once a week, if I don’t serve her, if I don’t listen to her, then guess what? It’s not a really good relationship.

Its the same thing with God. Some of us don’t show up on Sundays or only show up on Sundays, we don’t pray or we don’t listen, we don’t serve and we don’t care. You may technically be in relationship with God, but it’s not a healthy one.

Our relationship with God is an honor and a privilege. When sin entered the picture in the garden of Eden, the primary ramification of the fall was our relationship with God. Adam was kicked out of the garden, out of his presence.

With Jesus though, that relationship is restored. We now have relationship with the Father through the Son. Jesus has secured our rights to be able to enter into his presence and be with Him.

This is what we are designed for. The problem is some of us are trying to find relationship in the wrong places.

If we try to find lasting joy in any human relationship, it will end in vanity, something that passes like a morning cloud. The true joy of a man’s life is in his relationship to God.

Oswald Chambers

Some of you, the reason you are depressed, the reason you are joyless, is because you are putting your hope and trust in a relationship with a friend, spouse, family member and that is supposed to be in God and God alone. You are trying to get from a human what you are designed to receive from God!

He is our number one.

Finally, let’s hit this third identity statement given to us by John…

You Are Victorious

Now for those of us who grew up under a theology that only put you down and told you how awful you are, this may be a hard verse to read and understand.

John says in v.13, I’m writing to you young men, because you have overcome the evil one.” And again in verse 14, “I write to you young men, because you are strong, and the word of God abides in you, and you have overcome the evil one.”

Now, this is might be a tough pill to swallow for many of us.

This week in a class I’m taking, the lesson was on the discipline of humility. One of the quotes in the class that wrecked me was this. It said humility is not just the idea of not seeing yourself as above others, but also not seeing yourself as less important or less significant than you are.

Now, I’m guilty of that last part. I don’t typically struggle with thinking of others as more important or honoring them or anything like that. Where I struggle is in how I see myself.

Years of being beat down by others and by myself can do that to a person. So I had to do some repenting this week. So when I say I struggle to read this verse, I really struggle to see myself as strong or victorious. And I think most of us in this room, if we are honest, don’t feel strong or victorious.

Now, you may be asking why I keep saying victorious, when the passage doesn’t contain that word. If you look at the Greek word for “overcome” as in you have overcome the evil one, the word is Nike, which means conquered, victorious, triumphant.

So to the young men, the fighters, the warriors in the room, John says you are victors. You are conquerors, you are triumphant.

Now, I’m not the only one to see this, scholars and theologians for years have written about the victorious christian life. Some of them in good and helpful ways, but others in more or a prosperity gospel type of way which is unhelpful at best, unbiblical at worst.

So I want to tackle some of this today so we all have a proper understanding of what that is and what it looks like.

John ties two things into this idea of overcoming or being victorious. The first…

You Are Strong

In verse 14, as if to explain what he meant in verse 13, he adds two things to the text that I think are very, very important. He says first you are strong.

Now remember, this is all based on our identity in Christ. We are strong in Christ. We have to realize our strength is not our own, it’s not that God chose us because we are strong, it’s not that we ourselves beat up the devil.

And make no mistake, this is exactly who John is referring to when he says evil one. Throughout this letter, when he says enemy or evil one, he is talking about Satan.

But here’s the thing, none of us, on our own, have the strength to defeat Satan. Let’s be real. The only one who has put the devil in his place is Christ. So it’s not us, it’s Jesus that makes us strong.

Paul would encourage the Philippians that he could do all things through Christ he strengthened him (4:13). Now this verse has been taken out of context for years to mean I can be an awesome preacher or I can win the Super Bowl (guys paint it under the eyes) or I can beat up the devil myself type of thing.

But Paul’s actually talking about being content even when things are not going your way, even when you are hungry or being humbled.

So our idea of strength is a bit off to say the least.

In fact, I want to ask one simple question before moving on, how does one become strong in the Lord? Can we grow in strength? Charles Spurgeon believed you could. Listen to this…

The way to grow strong in Christ is to become weak in yourself.

Charles Spurgeon

John the Baptist would say it this way, he (as in Jesus) must increase, I must decrease. In other words, its not my strength that does anything, its me allowing his strength to prevail in me and in spite of me.

Paul says this type of strength, strength found in weakness, is the secret sauce. In fact, Paul would boast in his weaknesses. He was glad about them. Anywhere in his life where he struggled, that’s where Jesus could shine.

2 Corinthians 12:10 ESV

For the sake of Christ, then, I am content with weaknesses, insults, hardships, persecutions, and calamities. For when I am weak, then I am strong.

That’s real strength, embracing your weaknesses and putting all of your trust in Jesus.

The second thing we see in this passage is this…

The Word Abides In You

John says the Word of God abides in you. The message of Jesus is in your heart. It’s a part of who you are. It’s made it’s home in you. We’ve talked about that word abide. John will use it over and over again. It means to make your home in, to remain in.

The word of God has made its dwelling in you.

This means its imperative if you are new Christian to put God’s word inside of you. Study his word. Read his word. Meditate on his word.

It does not appear inside of you by happenstance. It’s not magic. It’s intentional. It doesn’t need to be January 1 to talk about this, but if you aren’t reading the bible daily, if you don’t have a bible reading plan, I will get you one, just ask.

I’m a big believer in doing the simple things to accomplish the big things. In other words, take time with the Lord, sit in silence and solitude and pray. Spend time reading your bible. Fast weekly. Be a giver. Practice sabbath rest. These are the simple Christian disciplines that people have practiced for 2000 years and they make a difference in your life.

In our microwave culture, we want results fast, but in the spiritual realm its slow and steady that wins the race.

And here’s the truth of this passage, the things John lists really aren’t about you, even when it comes to the Word. God will put his word in your heart. That’s a promise from Ezekiel.

It’s about Christ in you. It’s about what he has done for you.

In Christ, we have all that we need for victorious Christian living, but we must possess our inheritance by faith, a step at a time (Josh. 1:3), a day at a time.

Warren W. Wiersbe

In other words, what do we offer? We offer our faith. We believe these things that John says. That we are forgiven, that we know God, that we have overcome and we walk out our lives a victorious Christians by faith. Our faith is not in us and what we can do, but its all about Christ and what He has done.

John believe this and I think he has it in mind when he write this passage. Remember I told you when we started this series that John believes in repetition. So listen to what he says about the overcoming life later in this letter…

1 John 5:4 ESV

For everyone who has been born of God overcomes the world. And this is the victory that has overcome the world—our faith.

So how do we obtain the victory? By faith. Who has this victory? Every believer that is born again. If you are a Christian, he is describing you.

Conclusion

You may not feel like any of this is describing you. And perhaps it isn’t. There are people here that are not Christians. You have never publicly declared your faith.

Romans 10:9 “… if you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved.”

Some of you have never made that declaration. Don’t let another day go by without doing it. If that is you, when we start singing, I want you to come forward. It may be the hardest thing you’ve ever done, but faith in God isn’t easy. This life is hard. So you are going to have to make a public declaration of your faith.

If you haven’t been baptized, you need to be baptized, that is one of the ways that we publicly declare Jesus as Lord.

You Are Forgiven

You Are In Relationship

You Are Victorious