John 3:16 (NKJV) For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.
Many people identify themselves in their “doing”, measuring their significance based on their achievements, but sadly, it is an insecure foundation because it is established on our “doing”. As believers, we shouldn’t depend on man to be our cheerleader in building our identity. Instead, God should be our greatest and most esteemed cheerleader. Our new identity in Christ was given to us purely by the grace of God. It is established on our “being”—being in Christ. We don’t need to perform but rest on the complete work of Jesus. It is an unshakeable foundation because it has to do with what God has done for us, and not what we do; by our own efforts, we will never be able to achieve the status given to us. The highest approval that we can have and the only one that will help us to be settled in our hearts is from God alone.
This Scripture shows us that we are priceless in the sight of God. God showed His love for us despite our spiritual bankruptcy by sending His only Son to die for us. Our self-worth should be established on these truths.
When we were unbelievers, we developed our identity and self-worth based on our achievements in order to gain acceptance and praise from man. Not only is it tiring, but also short-term because most people operate on Phileo love—a conditional love. They will only love, praise and accept us as long as we perform or there is something in it for them.
It is liberating when we realise that we are priceless in the sight of God when God sent Jesus Christ to die for us on the cross of Calvary—that’s Agape love which is unconditional. Jesus would still have come to die for you even if you were the only person on earth, because He is the Good Shepherd who will leave the 99 to look for the one lost sheep. His love for us has nothing to do with our worth but His grace. All we need to do is to accept what Jesus has done for us on the cross.
John 1:12 (NKJV) But as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God, to those who believe in His name:
God gave us the right to become His children. We are the children of the most high God. Therefore, let us add on our identity in Christ. We are His children and we are loved by Him.
Sermon Series: He Came to Give You a New Identity
你是无价之宝
约翰福音3:16神爱世人，甚至将祂的独生子赐给他们，叫一切信祂的，不至灭亡，反得永生。
许多人按照自己的“行为”来定义自己，以他们的成就来衡量他们的重要性，但可悲的是，这是一个不稳定的根基，因为它是建立在我们的“行为”上的。作为信徒，我们不将自己的身份建立在人的认可上。相反，神才应该是我们最伟大和最受尊敬的啦啦队长。我们得以拥有基督里的新身份纯粹是出于神的恩典。它建立在我们的“存在”——在基督里。我们不需要刻意表现，只需要在耶稣已经完成的救恩工作上安息。这是一个坚不可摧的基础，因为这关乎神为我们所成之事，而与我们的作为无关;靠我们自己的努力，我们将永远无法达到我们被赋予的地位。我们所能得到的最高的认可，以及那唯一能帮助我们在心中安定下来的安全感是来自于神，单单来自于祂。
这段经文告诉我们，我们在神眼中是无价的。尽管我们的灵性破产，神却舍弃祂唯一的儿子为我们而死，祂对我们的爱就此显明。我们的自我价值应该建立在这些真理之上。
在我们还未信之时，我们的身份和自我价值的发展是基于我们的成就，以获得人的接纳和赞美。这不仅累人，而且无法长久，因为大多数人是在Phelio友爱——一种有条件的爱上运作的。他们只会在我们表现好，或者对他们有好处的时候才会爱我们，赞美和接纳我们。
当神差遣耶稣基督为我们死在髑髅地的十字架上时，我们才明白自己在神眼中是无价的，这是一种解放——这是无条件的Agape爱。即使你是世上唯一的人，耶稣仍然会为你而来并为你而死，因为祂是好牧人，祂会撇下99只羊去寻找那只丢失的一只。祂对我们的爱不关乎我们的价值，而关乎祂的恩典。我们所要做的就是接受耶稣在十字架上为我们所做的一切。
约翰福音1:12凡接待祂的，就是信祂名的人，祂就赐他们权柄，作神的儿女。
神赐给我们作祂儿女的权柄。我们是至高神的儿女。因此，让我们将我们的身份建立在基督里。我们是蒙祂所爱的孩子。
讲章系列: 祂来给你一个新身份
Image Source: pixabay.com