The power of a new identity

“Behold what manner of love the Father has bestowed on us, that we should be called children of God! Therefore the world does not know us, because it did not know Him.” 1 John 3,1 (NKJV)

The Apostle Paul wrote to 'the saints' who were in Ephesus, talking about Christ, saying: “In him you also, when you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation, and believed in him, were sealed with the promised Holy Spirit, who is the guarantee of our inheritance until we acquire possession of it, to the praise of his glory.” (Ephesians 1,13-14 ESV)

This portion of Scripture lets us know that, when we believed in the Lord Jesus Christ, we were sealed with the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit that has come to be on the inside of us when we believed is like a mark upon our lives. Upon receiving salvation, something changed. In fact, everything changed: we were born again.

“The Spirit Himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God, and if children, then heirs—heirs of God and joint heirs with Christ, if indeed we suffer with Him, that we may also be glorified together. For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us. For the earnest expectation of the creation eagerly waits for the revealing of the sons of God.” (Romans 8.17-19 NKJV)

"He who testifies to these things says, “Yes, I am coming soon.” Amen. Come, Lord Jesus." Revelation 22,20 (NIV)

When the Scriptures talks about the coming of the Lord or the day of judgment, I believed there are two dimensions to it: the coming of the Lord and the day of judgment at the end of times and the coming of the Lord and the day of judgment now on earth in regards to a specific situation.

The coming of the Lord refers to the fulfillment of the promise of God and the day of judgment is when God has judged a matter. Yes, God is patient and does not want men to perish, but there comes a day when He brings justice. God is a God of justice. Because there is no love without justice. It may seem long to come but when God says He fights for his own, for the oppressed and the needy, He is not lying. He really does act.

This is to say that our inheritance in Christ is to be lived in now on earth and in heaven (at the end).

When the Bible says that creation eagerly waits for the revealing of the sons of God, it definitely includes the earthly creation.

And here is the good news: the possession of our inheritance, meaning the fulfillment of God’s promises to us - the manifestation of what God has given to us, is guaranteed by the Holy Spirit.

First, it is the Holy Spirit who reveals those things which God has given to us; what this inheritance of God’s children is, prepared and arranged before time that we should walk in it. It is the Holy Spirit that teaches us and guides us, giving us the wisdom to build, the understanding to establish and the knowledge to beautify.

And as much as the Holy Spirit is gentle, the Holy Spirit is also powerful; powerful enough to have raised Jesus from the dead (Romans 8,11)

So really, God has done everything to make sure we succeed.

Our part is to believe what He has done. On His part, He will come, He will judge.

Our believing is translated into transformation: a renewing of the mind; a way of thinking that is aligned with God’s (the mind of Christ) which afterwards permeates into our actions (our obedience).

“Beloved, now we are children of God; and it has not yet been revealed what we shall be, but we know that when He is revealed, we shall be like Him, for we shall see Him as He is. And everyone who has this hope in Him purifies himself, just as He is pure.” 1 John 3,2-3 (NKJV)

A new dawn