Ephesians 1:3 (NKJV) Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places in Christ.
All born-again Christians have a new identity in Christ. God has chosen to see us in this “new man” by blessing us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places in Christ.
2 Corinthians 5:17 (NKJV) Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new
The first spiritual blessing is the new creation. We are made up of spirit, soul and body. The spirit being is born again when we accept Christ into our lives, though our mind, which is in the realm of the soul, will need to be renewed with the Word of God. We need to identify ourselves with the spirit being, and live our lives based on it by feeding it with the Word of God.
Ephesians: 4:23-24 (NKJV) And be renewed in the spirit of your mind, and that you put on the new man which was created according to God, in true righteousness and holiness.
The Apostle Paul encourages us to live out the new life in Christ. Our spirit man is seen to be righteous and holy in God’s sight. To be renewed in the spirit of our mind means we need to see ourselves as how God sees us though we may be imperfect.
Secondly, our past is under the blood. The devil will use our past sins to condemn and accuse us, making us feel unworthy to come into God’s presence, but we must remember that these were committed under the “old man” with its old identity.
Colossians 1:14 (NKJV) in whom we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins.
God has chosen to wipe away our past sinful records with the blood of Jesus. Because Jesus’ blood has satisfied God’s wrath towards sinners, He does not need to punish us for our sins, but has chosen to forgive us through Jesus’ redemptive work on the cross. Therefore, there is no condemnation for those in Christ.
John 3:5 (NKJV) Jesus answered, “Most assuredly, I say to you, unless one is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God.
Thirdly, we belong to the Kingdom of God as His children, and His kingdom is within us because the Holy Spirit lives in us and God reigns in our hearts. We are to submit to the Lordship of Christ and yield to the prompting of the Holy Spirit in our lives.
Romans 8:2 (NKJV) For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus has made me free from the law of sin and death.
The fourth blessing is we are slaves of righteousness. Once we walked in foolishness, with darkened understanding and lived in deceitful lusts, but once we have believed and obeyed in our hearts, we can walk in victory through the new creation and empowerment of the Holy Spirit.
Sermon Series: Living out the New Identity
我们在基督里的属灵祝福
以弗所书1:3 愿颂赞归与我们主耶稣基督的父神，祂在基督里，曾赐给我们天上各样属灵的福气。
所有重生的基督徒在基督里都有了新的身份。神已经选择在这个“新人”里看我们，在基督里赐给我们天上各样属灵的福气。
哥林多后书5:17 若有人在基督里，他就是新造的人;旧事已过，都变成新的了。
第一个属灵祝福是成为新造的人。我们是由灵、魂、体组成的。当我们接受基督进入我们的生命时，灵人就重生了，虽然我们在灵魂领域的思想还需要被神的话语更新。我们需要认同圣灵，并以神的话语喂养它来活出我们的生命。
以弗所书4:23-24 又要将你们的心志改换一新。并且穿上新人。这新人是照着神的形像造的，有真理的仁义和圣洁。
使徒保罗鼓励我们活出基督里的生命。我们的灵人在神面前是公义圣洁的。心灵的更新意味着我们需要以神看我们的方式来看待自己，尽管我们可能并不完美。
其次，我们的过往是在宝血的遮盖之下。魔鬼会利用我们过去的罪来谴责和控告我们，使我们觉得不配来到神的面前，但我们必须记住，那些罪都是在“老我”的旧身份下犯下的。
歌罗西书1:14 我们在爱子里得蒙救赎，罪过得以赦免。
神选择用耶稣的宝血彻底抹去我们过往的罪恶记录。因为耶稣的宝血平息了神对罪人的忿怒，祂不再为我们的罪而责罚我们，而是选择藉着耶稣在十字架上的救赎之工来赦免我们。所以那些在基督里的，都不被定罪了。
约翰福音3:5 耶稣回答说:“我实实在在地告诉你，人若不是从水和圣灵生的，就不能进神的国。
第三，作为神的儿女，我们属于神的国，祂的国就在我们里面，因为圣灵住在我们里面，神在我们心里作王。我们要顺服基督的主权，顺服圣灵在我们生命中的感动。
罗马书8:2因为赐生命圣灵的律，在基督耶稣里释放了我，使我脱离罪和死的律了。
第四个祝福是我们是义的奴仆。我们从前行事愚昧、心地昏昧，并活在私欲的迷惑中;然而，一旦我们在心里相信并顺服，我们就能够通过那新造之人和圣灵的赋能行在得胜之中。
讲章系列: 活出新的身份
Image Source: pixabay.com