Chapter 3: Identity
Identity is something I have struggled with throughout my life, and I’m sure many of you can relate. We spend our childhood trying to fit in with the right friend groups. Then we graduate from high school and are suddenly thrust into the real world. Some of us go to college and are expected to decide what we want to do for the rest of our lives. Others jump straight into the workforce, changing jobs, or chasing promotions.
Somewhere along the way, it’s easy to let what we do become who we are. We begin to identify ourselves by our careers, accomplishments, bank accounts, relationships, personal style, social media followers, or even our failures. Before we know it, our identity becomes tied to things that can change in an instant.
In this chapter of The Titus Ten, the author reminds us that our identity is not something we create for ourselves; it is something we receive in Christ. He writes specifically to men, but the biblical truths about our identity apply to everyone.
See the list below of who Jesus says you are…..
- You are forgiven. Your past no longer defines you because Christ has paid your debt (Colossians 1:13–14).
- You are adopted. You are not a stranger trying to earn a place at the table; you are a son (or daughter) welcomed into God’s family (Romans 8:15).
- You are redeemed. You have been bought at a price and set free from the power of sin (1 Corinthians 6:20).
- You are a new creation. In Christ, the old life has passed away, and the new has come (2 Corinthians 5:17).
- You are chosen. God pursued you and called you His own (1 Peter 2:9).
- You are God’s workmanship. You were created with purpose, and good works prepared in advance for you (Ephesians 2:10).
- You are no longer condemned. There is no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus (Romans 8:1).
- You are more than a conqueror. Through Christ, you have victory over sin, fear, and death (Romans 8:37).
- You are loved. Nothing can separate you from the love of God in Christ Jesus (Romans 8:38–39).
- You are an ambassador for Christ. You have been given the mission of showing Jesus to the world (2 Corinthians 5:20).
So the next time you find yourself questioning your worth, being hard on yourself because of your mistakes, or wondering who you are, speak these truths over yourself.
For me, I tend to put my identity on a scoreboard. Everything feels attached to whether I’m winning or losing. If I’m succeeding at work, accomplishing my goals, or seeing results, I feel confident. But when I fall short, my confidence disappears. But that is the opposite of the gospel.
The gospel says that God’s love for us isn’t based on our performance. Jesus doesn’t love us because we’ve earned it. He loves us because of who we are. Our identity isn’t found in what we do for Christ, but in what Christ has already done for us. (Ephesians 2:8-9)
The Bigger Picture: Jesus redefines our identity.
The Bigger Picture 