Our Identity

Introduction

Glad to be here

Would like to share who we are in Christ

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Let’s break this down

New Creation

Christians are brand-new people.

Christians are brand-new people. The Holy Spirit gives them new life, and they are not the same anymore. Christians are not reformed, rehabilitated, or reeducated—they are recreated (a new creation), living in vital union with Christ (). At conversion, believers are not merely turning over a new leaf; they are beginning a new life under a new Master.

The Holy Spirit gives them new life, and they are not the same anymore.

Christians are not reformed, rehabilitated, or reeducated—they are recreated (a new creation), living in vital union with Christ ().

At conversion, believers are not merely turning over a new leaf; they are beginning a new life under a new Master

In addition to recreating individual Christians, Jesus is incorporating them into an entirely new order. This new creation that Christ has begun constructing through his work on the cross includes the community of faith and all of creation (see ; ). This recreation of all the earth was something the prophet Isaiah had predicted (see ). An important aspect of this completely new creation is how people are reconciled to their Creator and even to other people. The distinction between Jew and Gentile is abolished. In its place is the new creation (see ). Everything old has passed away. The old order of sin and death has gone; the selfish, sinful human nature has been dealt a death blow (see , ). Old ways of thinking, old distinctions, have been abolished for those who are in Christ. In its place, the new has come. To draw attention to the coming of this new order, Paul announced it with the word “see.”

In addition to recreating individual Christians, Jesus is incorporating them into an entirely new order.

This new creation that Christ has begun constructing through his work on the cross includes the community of faith and all of creation.

The old order of sin and death has gone; the selfish, sinful human nature has been dealt a death blow (see , ).

Old ways of thinking, old distinctions, have been abolished for those who are in Christ. In its place, the new has come.

This new creation is not of any human doing.

God himself has begun the work.

This new creation is not of any human doing. God himself has begun the work. Only God can allow people to approach him. Only God can satisfy his own righteous demands. Only God can save. God is the Author and Finisher of salvation (see ). God brought his people to himself—in other words, reconciled us—by blotting out our sins (see also ) and making us righteous. When they trust in Christ, believers are no longer God’s enemies. Through Christ’s self-sacrificial work on the cross, God has made believers part of his family. Jesus died in our place so that we might enjoy fellowship with God ().

Only God can satisfy his own righteous demands. Only God can save.

God brought his people to himself—in other words, reconciled us—by blotting out our sins (see also ) and making us righteous.

When they trust in Christ, believers are no longer God’s enemies.

Through Christ’s self-sacrificial work on the cross, God has made believers part of his family.

Jesus died in our place so that we might enjoy fellowship with God ().

Ambassadors

Because believers have been reconciled to God, we have the privilege of encouraging others to accept God’s free gift, to become reconciled as well. This is called the ministry of reconciliation. Since Paul experienced reconciliation through Christ, it became his mission to preach that message: “For if, when we were God’s enemies, we were reconciled to him through the death of his Son, how much more, having been reconciled, shall we be saved through his life!” ( NIV). Today, the church owes it to the world to keep on spreading the message.

Because believers have been reconciled to God, we have the privilege of encouraging others to accept God’s free gift, to become reconciled as well.

This is called the ministry of reconciliation.

Today, the church owes it to the world to keep on spreading the message.

Barton, B. B., & Osborne, G. R. (1999). 1 & 2 Corinthians (pp. 355–356). Wheaton, IL: Tyndale House.

Ambassadors are official representatives of one country to another.

In the first century, an ambassador was an elderly man of high rank who would travel to another country with messages from the monarch of his country.

Ambassadors are official representatives of one country to another. In the first century, an ambassador was an elderly man of high rank who would travel to another country with messages from the monarch of his country. These messages might be simply congratulations at appropriate occasions, or it could be an official censure. Paul described himself and his coworkers as Christ’s ambassadors, representatives of Christ to the world (5:19).

Barton, B. B., & Osborne, G. R. (1999). 1 & 2 Corinthians (p. 356). Wheaton, IL: Tyndale House.

These messages might be simply congratulations at appropriate occasions, or it could be an official censure.

Paul described himself and his coworkers as Christ’s ambassadors, representatives of Christ to the world (5:19).

Paul was a spokesmen for God. The message he preached was, in fact, God’s appeal to the world. Paul obtained his authority to preach from God himself. God had not given this authority to Paul because he was an especially gifted speaker or had the right credentials. God simply had chosen Paul to deliver God’s appeal. If Paul ever deviated from God’s message, he would lose his authority to speak (see ).

What was Paul’s message that he had to deliver on Christ’s behalf?

The message he preached was, in fact, God’s appeal to the world.

Paul obtained his authority to preach from God himself. God had not given this authority to Paul because he was an especially gifted speaker or had the right credentials. God simply had chosen Paul to deliver God’s appeal. If Paul ever deviated from God’s message, he would lose his authority to speak (see ).

What was Paul’s message that he had to deliver on Christ’s behalf? It was to be reconciled to God. Paul phrased this command in the passive tense. He wasn’t commanding people to reconcile themselves; they were incapable of doing that. Instead, Paul was announcing that they could be reconciled to God and that they should accept God’s free gift of reconciliation. Paul did not announce this message halfheartedly. He implored—even urged and pleaded—everyone who would listen to him to accept God’s free gift of salvation. It was extremely urgent, for it would change their eternal destiny.

It was to be reconciled to God.

He wasn’t commanding people to reconcile themselves; they were incapable of doing that.

He wasn’t commanding people to reconcile themselves; they were incapable of doing that.

Instead, Paul was announcing that they could be reconciled to God and that they should accept God’s free gift of reconciliation.

Paul did not announce this message halfheartedly.

He implored—even urged and pleaded—everyone who would listen to him to accept God’s free gift of salvation.

It was extremely urgent, for it would change their eternal destiny.

Conclusion

You cannot separate the two.

You cannot become new without being an ambassador of Jesus and you cannot be an ambassador of Jesus without being made new.

Pray

Barton, B. B., & Osborne, G. R. (1999). 1 & 2 Corinthians (p. 357). Wheaton, IL: Tyndale House.