It is vital as Christians that we know who we are and what we have in Christ.
To live the Christian life well, we need to understand two things clearly: who we are in Christ (our identity) and what we have in Christ (our inheritance). These two realities often overlap but both are essential. Together they describe the extraordinary blessings that God gives us through our union with Jesus.
Paul puts it this way when writing to Philemon:
…I am praying that you will put into action the generosity that comes from your faith as you understand and experience all the good things we have in Christ
(Philemon 1:6 NLT)
Notice the dynamic here:
Paul’s point is simple yet profound: the more we understand and experience all the good things we have in Christ, the more our faith grows strong. That faith, in turn, produces a generous spirit — an openness of heart that naturally overflows into good works, bold witness, and loving service.
Notice the movement:
- Our actions flow from our generosity
- Our generosity flows from our faith
- Our faith springs from understanding and experiencing the good things we have in Christ.
This is a far better motivation for sharing our faith or doing good than guilt, duty or obligation!
Understand and Experience
Note also that Paul doesn’t stop at ‘understand.‘ He prays that Philemon will also experience the good things in Christ. Both matter. Sometimes we don’t experience the good things because we have never really understood them. Other times, we might understand them with our heads but fail to experience and enjoy them in our hearts and lives. Like having gifts we never unwrap. They are ours in name but not yet in practice.
To move forward on your journey with Christ we must move from head knowledge to heart reality. There is no shortcut to doing this. It requires time, prayer, and intentionality. We need to meditate on these truths deeply, invite the Spirit to make them real to us, and then choose to live as if they are true—because they are.
The Good Things
So what are these “good things”? Paul gives us a breathtaking list in Ephesians 1:1-14 where he calls them ‘every spiritual blessing in the heavenly realms.’ Because they are spiritual and heavenly, they are not subject to our moods, our circumstances, or even our failures. They are steady and secure, grounded in God’s eternal purpose.
They include:
We are loved and chosen
We are adopted and accepted
We are redeemed and forgiven
We are recipients of an inheritance
We are sealed by God’s Spirit
These are not abstract ideas. They are treasures to be explored, embraced, and lived in the good of. The Christian life begins and grows here: in receiving, unwrapping, and walking in the good things that are already ours in Christ.
More From the Bible
All praise to God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly realms because we are united with Christ.
(Ephesians 1:3 NLT)
For reflection and discussion:
- Why is it important that we know who we are and what we have in Christ?
- How might understanding these truths affect how you live your life and how you act towards others?
- What stops us from understanding and experiencing these truths?
Remember This:
Our identity in Christ is one of those critical truths that, if grasped early in our Christian life, will avert all kinds of problems and issues later on. (Gary Millar)
Further Resources
Bible Verses for Our Identity in Christ
Become Who You Already Are by Gary Millar
In Christ, by Colin Urquhart
Sit, Walk, Stand, by Watchman Nee – an older book, that gives an excellent little introduction to Ephesians, starting with knowing and resting in our position in Christ.
Your Identity in Christ, by Neil Anderson
Note: if any readers can recommend newer books that have helped you to understand these truths, please let me know in the comments.
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