Who you are now
In Christ you are forgiven, adopted, and made new. Your past no longer gets the last word.
A new creation
When you trusted Christ, the old you was crucified with Him and a new life began. That doesn't mean you'll never struggle, but your deepest identity is no longer your sin, your failures, or your reputation.
What God says about you
Forgiven: your sins are removed as far as east is from west.
Adopted: you are a child of God with full access to the Father.
Accepted: there is no condemnation for those in Christ Jesus.
Purposeful: you were created for good works God prepared beforehand.
Living from it, not for it
You don't obey to become God's child. You obey because you already are. When guilt or shame speaks, answer it with what God has said.
From Scripture
Therefore if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away. Behold, the new has come!
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 up for me.
For you did not receive a spirit of slavery that returns you to fear, but you received the Spirit of adoption to sonship, by whom we cry, “Abba! Father!” The Spirit Himself testifies with our spirit that we are God’s children.
As far as the east is from the west, so far has He removed our transgressions from us.
Put it into practice
- Write down one lie you often believe about yourself and the verse that answers it.
- Memorize 2 Corinthians 5:17 from the memory verse deck.
These notes are pastoral commentary. Scripture quotations are from the Berean Standard Bible.