Colossians 3:11 (NKJV) where there is neither Greek nor Jew, circumcised nor uncircumcised, barbarian, Scythian, slave nor free, but Christ is all and in all.
The Apostle Paul was encouraging the believers in the church of Colossae to identify themselves in the new man regardless of whether they were Greeks, Jews, circumcised or uncircumcised, male, or female, slaves or free. The church of Colossae was located on a major trade route, and it was a challenge for these people of different backgrounds to meet as a church. There were many adjustments for them to make after their salvation, and the same applies to us today.
The Apostle Paul had to teach them to see one another in Christ in order to eliminate biases, segregation, and division. All of us are equal before God because everyone of us is hidden in Christ. When we see each other in Christ, there will neither be male nor female, circumcised, or uncircumcised, Greek nor Jew, slave or free. There is a new position where God sees all of us in Christ. Likewise, we ought to treat each other equally without prejudice based on ethnicity, gender no social standing. We should be able to treat and love each other equally and have the confidence that we are worthy to receive our new identity in Him.
Scripture says we are priceless in the sight of God. We are loved by Him (John 3:16), we are His children (Ephesians 1:5-6), and we have peace with God (Romans 5:1-2). Your self-worth should be established on these truths.
This is the kind of confidence that comes with the new identity in Christ where we have direct access to the King of kings at His throne of grace to find help and mercy in time of need. We know that we have peace with God and are accepted by Him. There is no need to constantly be on the performance treadmill to get His acceptance, because He accepts us based on what Jesus has achieved for us and who we are in Christ. We are seen as righteous, blameless, and holy because we are hidden in Christ. We can have faith that He hears our prayer when we utter it in Jesus’ name.
This is indeed the best identity to have because it will hold us up in good and bad times. Once we have our identity in Jesus Christ, it will help us to weather through any kinds of storms in life. We will be emotionally stable because we are secure in Jesus Christ, and are no longer seeking applaud from men, or trying to measure our self-worth based on the positions that we had. All of us will retire one day, and as we leave our corporate positions, all the praises and admiration from men will stop too. If we have faith in God and live our lives based on the new identity, it will be easier for us to rebuild our lives when that happens.
Sermon Series: A New Identity after His Resurrection
最好的身份
歌罗西书3:11从此，不再分希腊人和犹太人，受割礼的和未受割礼的，野蛮人和未开化的人，奴隶和自由人，唯有基督是一切，并在一切之内。
使徒保罗鼓励歌罗西教会的信徒认同这个新的身份，无论他们是希腊人还是犹太人、受割礼的还是未受割礼的、男性还是女性、奴隶还是自由人。歌罗西教会位于一条主要的贸易路线上，让这些来自不同背景的人作为一个教会而聚在一起是不容易的。他们在得救之后需要做出很多的调整，这同样适用于今天的我们。
为了消除偏见、隔离和分裂，使徒保罗不得不教导信徒们在基督里看待彼此。我们在上帝面前都是平等的，因为我们每个人都隐藏在基督里。当我们在基督里看待彼此时，就无分男女，无分是否受过割礼，无分希腊人还是犹太人，奴隶还是自由人。那是一个新的地位，上帝在基督里看我们所有人。同样，我们应该平等对待彼此，不存在基于种族、性别或社会地位的偏见。我们应该能够平等地对待并爱护彼此，并有信心我们配得领受那基督里的新身份。
经上说，我们是神眼中的珍宝。祂爱我们（约翰福音3:16），我们是祂的孩子（以弗所书1:5-6）,我们与神和好（罗马书5:1-2）.你的自我价值应该建立在这些真理之上.
这是那种伴随着在基督里的新身份而来的信心，在那里我们可以直接来到万王之王的施恩宝座前，在需要的时候找到帮助和怜悯。我们知道我们已经与神和好，并且被神所接纳。我们不需要为了得到祂的接纳而一再表现自己，因为祂接受我们是基于耶稣为我们所成就的以及我们在基督里的身份。我们被视为公义、无可指摘、圣洁，因为我们隐藏在基督里。当我们奉耶稣的名喃喃祈祷时，我们可以相信祂都听见了！
这确实是最好的身份，因为无论顺境逆境，它都会支撑着我们。一旦我们在耶稣基督里有了自己的身份，它将帮助我们度过生命中的任何风暴。我们将镇定自若，因为我们在耶稣基督里是安全的，我们不再寻求人的赞美和认可，也不再试图根据自己的职位来衡量自我的价值。我们都会有退休的一天，当我们离开业界岗位时，所有来自人的赞扬和欣赏也会停止。如果我们相信上帝，并在新身份的基础上生活，当这种情况发生时，我们将更容易重建自己的生活。
祂复活后给你的新身份