One of the greatest surprises many Christians are discovering is just how stunning God’s opinion is of them. In our discipleship counseling, we’ve seen thousands of people’s lives completely transformed by this simple but often misunderstood truth.
Unfortunately, many other believers in Jesus base their self-image on the opinions of people, their performance, appearance, position, or past. The good news is that Jesus wants us to live with a biblical self-image rather than a poor self-image or a narcissistic one. Here are just a few examples of God’s opinion about you. Enjoy!
My Identity in Christ
Because I am in Christ…
I Am Loved
I am a child of God—John 1:12
I am beloved—Romans 9:25
I am chosen—Colossians 3:12
I am loved by God as much as Jesus is—John 17:23, 26
I am Jesus’s friend—John 15:15
I am inseparable from God’s love—Romans 8:37–39
I Am Accepted
I am accepted by God—Romans 15:7
I am righteous—2 Corinthians 5:21
I am a saint—1 Corinthians 1:2; Ephesians 1:1 (NASB)
I am not condemned—Romans 8:1
I am completely forgiven—Colossians 2:13
I am holy and blameless—Ephesians 1:4
I Am Valuable
I am God’s masterpiece—Ephesians 2:10 (NLT)
I am adopted—Ephesians 1:5
I am God’s treasure—Matthew 13:44
I am God’s pearl—Matthew 13:45–46
I am a new creation—2 Corinthians 5:17
I am designed by God—Psalm 139:13–16
I Am Secure
I am more than a conqueror—Romans 8:37
I am complete in Christ—Colossians 2:10
I am safe in Christ—Colossians 3:3–4
I am seated in the heavenly realms—Ephesians 2:6
I am eternally in Christ—John 10:28
I am united with Christ—1 Corinthians 6:17
You may ask, “But what about Bible verses that make us sound as though we’re evil and sinful?” For example, some Christians get stuck on Jeremiah 17:9. “The human heart is the most deceitful of all things, and desperately wicked. Who really knows how bad it is?” (NLT).
How do we reconcile this verse with all the others I just listed? Here’s the answer: Jeremiah 17:9, and the description of an evil heart was true before you received Christ as your Savior. But once you did, God removed that wicked heart and gave you a new one! This new heart He gave you isn’t wicked but good because it’s from God. Isn’t that a big relief?
I urge you to spend time this week defeating those other voices in your head by saying at least one of the above truths out loud each day. As you do, don’t be surprised if you are gradually transformed.
Mark Maulding, President and Founder & Bestselling Author
God’s Best-Kept Secret: Christianity Is Easier Than You Think
