Identity in Christ: Dignity, Depravity, and Redemption

 

Summary

In today's reflection, we explored the profound truth of our identity as human beings created in the image of God. This foundational belief carries significant implications for how we view ourselves and others. We are not only created but also fallen, a reality that underscores our need for redemption. Our identity is marked by two poles: dignity and depravity. Dignity comes from being made in God's image, while depravity is a result of our fallen nature. This duality calls us to treat every person with inherent dignity, not based on their achievements or status, but because they bear God's image.

We also delved into the concept of redemption through Christ. To be redeemed is to be in Christ, which is our true identity. This redemption is beautifully illustrated in Dietrich Bonhoeffer's poem "Who Am I?" which concludes with the powerful affirmation, "I am thine." This speaks to the assurance and security found in our union with Christ. In Him, we find completeness and fulfillment, as He is the final destination of our journey.

Furthermore, we are reminded that our transformation is ongoing. Being united with Christ means we are continually being renewed and transformed by the Spirit and within the community of believers. This transformation is facilitated through the ordinary means of grace: the preaching of the Word, the Lord's Supper, and the fellowship of the saints.

Finally, we are eternal beings with an eternal destiny. This realization should shape how we interact with others, recognizing that every person we encounter is on a journey toward an eternal destination. Our role is to help others realize their identity in Christ and the hope of eternal life with Him.

Key Takeaways:

1. Created in God's Image: Every human being is created in the image of God, which bestows inherent dignity and worth. This truth challenges us to view others not through the lens of societal status or achievements but through the theological lens of being God's creation. We owe each person dignity because they reflect God's image. [31:18]

2. The Reality of Our Fallenness: Our fallen nature means we are inherently sinful, not because of our actions, but because of our identity in Adam. This understanding calls us to humility and dependence on God's grace, recognizing our need for redemption and transformation. [29:58]

3. Redemption in Christ: To be redeemed is to be in Christ, which is our true identity. This union with Christ provides us with completeness and fulfillment, as He is the final destination of our journey. In Him, we possess all we will ever need. [42:10]

4. Ongoing Transformation: Our journey in Christ involves continuous transformation through the Spirit and the community of believers. The ordinary means of grace—preaching, sacraments, and fellowship—are vital for our spiritual growth and renewal. [44:06]

5. Eternal Perspective: Recognizing our eternal nature should influence how we interact with others, understanding that every person is on a journey toward an eternal destiny. Our mission is to help others realize their identity in Christ and the hope of eternal life. [46:56]

Youtube Chapters:

- [00:00] - Welcome
- [28:25] - Created in God's Image
- [29:17] - The Fall and Our Sinful Nature
- [30:34] - Dignity and Depravity
- [32:38] - Redemption in Christ
- [33:08] - Dietrich Bonhoeffer's Reflection
- [36:14] - Assurance of Being in Christ
- [37:37] - Union with Christ
- [39:12] - The Fullness of Deity in Christ
- [40:22] - The Work of Christ
- [41:19] - Completeness in Christ
- [43:24] - Transformation and Community
- [44:25] - Our Eternal Nature
- [46:15] - The Weight of Glory
- [47:15] - Closing Prayer

Study Guide

Bible Study Discussion Guide

Bible Reading:
1. Psalm 8
2. Psalm 139
3. Colossians 2:9-10

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Observation Questions:

1. According to the sermon, what are the two poles that define our identity as human beings? How do these poles affect our view of ourselves and others? [30:18]

2. What does the sermon say about the significance of being created in the image of God? How does this influence our interactions with others? [31:18]

3. How does Dietrich Bonhoeffer's poem "Who Am I?" illustrate the concept of redemption in Christ? What is the significance of the final line, "I am thine"? [36:14]

4. What are the "ordinary means of grace" mentioned in the sermon, and how do they contribute to our ongoing transformation in Christ? [44:06]

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Interpretation Questions:

1. How does the understanding of being created in God's image challenge societal norms about dignity and worth? In what ways does this perspective differ from societal views? [31:18]

2. The sermon discusses our fallen nature and the need for redemption. How does this understanding shape our dependence on God's grace and our humility? [29:58]

3. In Colossians 2:9-10, what does it mean to be "complete in Christ"? How does this completeness affect our sense of identity and fulfillment? [41:19]

4. The sermon emphasizes the eternal nature of human beings. How should this realization influence our daily interactions and relationships with others? [46:56]

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Application Questions:

1. Reflect on a recent interaction where you may have judged someone based on societal status or achievements. How can you shift your perspective to see them as created in the image of God? [31:18]

2. In what areas of your life do you struggle with acknowledging your fallen nature? How can you actively seek God's grace and redemption in those areas? [29:58]

3. Consider your current spiritual practices. How can you incorporate the "ordinary means of grace" more intentionally into your routine to facilitate ongoing transformation? [44:06]

4. Think of a person in your life who may not realize their identity in Christ. What steps can you take to help them understand their inherent dignity and the hope of eternal life? [46:56]

5. How does the assurance of being "complete in Christ" impact your self-worth and the way you pursue fulfillment in life? Are there areas where you seek completeness outside of Christ? [41:19]

6. Reflect on the eternal perspective discussed in the sermon. How can this perspective change the way you approach conflicts or disagreements with others? [46:56]

7. Identify a specific way you can demonstrate the dignity of others in your community this week. What practical steps will you take to show that they are valued as God's creation? [31:18]

Devotional

Day 1: The Divine Image Within Us
Every human being is created in the image of God, which bestows inherent dignity and worth. This truth challenges us to view others not through the lens of societal status or achievements but through the theological lens of being God's creation. We owe each person dignity because they reflect God's image. This understanding calls us to a higher standard of love and respect for all people, recognizing that our interactions should be marked by the acknowledgment of this divine imprint. [31:18]

"So God created man in his own image, in the image of God he created him; male and female he created them." (Genesis 1:27, ESV)

Reflection: Think of someone you encounter regularly whom you find difficult to respect. How can you intentionally acknowledge and honor the image of God in them today?


Day 2: Embracing Our Need for Redemption
Our fallen nature means we are inherently sinful, not because of our actions, but because of our identity in Adam. This understanding calls us to humility and dependence on God's grace, recognizing our need for redemption and transformation. It is a reminder that our worth is not based on our perfection but on God's grace. This perspective should lead us to a posture of humility, acknowledging our need for God's mercy and the transformative power of His grace in our lives. [29:58]

"For as in Adam all die, so also in Christ shall all be made alive." (1 Corinthians 15:22, ESV)

Reflection: Identify an area in your life where you struggle with sin. How can you invite God's grace into this area and rely on His strength for transformation?


Day 3: Our True Identity in Christ
To be redeemed is to be in Christ, which is our true identity. This union with Christ provides us with completeness and fulfillment, as He is the final destination of our journey. In Him, we possess all we will ever need. This profound truth offers us assurance and security, knowing that our identity is not based on our achievements or failures but on our relationship with Christ. It is a call to rest in the sufficiency of Christ and to find our ultimate purpose and meaning in Him. [42:10]

"Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come." (2 Corinthians 5:17, ESV)

Reflection: Reflect on how you define your identity. Are there aspects of your life where you seek fulfillment outside of Christ? How can you realign your identity with your union in Him today?


Day 4: The Journey of Transformation
Our journey in Christ involves continuous transformation through the Spirit and the community of believers. The ordinary means of grace—preaching, sacraments, and fellowship—are vital for our spiritual growth and renewal. This ongoing transformation is a testament to the work of the Holy Spirit in our lives, shaping us more into the likeness of Christ. It is a reminder that we are not alone in this journey, but are supported by the community of faith and the means of grace that God has provided. [44:06]

"And we all, with unveiled face, beholding the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from one degree of glory to another. For this comes from the Lord who is the Spirit." (2 Corinthians 3:18, ESV)

Reflection: Consider your current spiritual practices. How can you engage more deeply with the means of grace to foster your transformation in Christ?


Day 5: Living with an Eternal Perspective
Recognizing our eternal nature should influence how we interact with others, understanding that every person is on a journey toward an eternal destiny. Our mission is to help others realize their identity in Christ and the hope of eternal life. This eternal perspective calls us to live with purpose and intentionality, knowing that our actions and relationships have eternal significance. It is an invitation to invest in the lives of others, pointing them toward the hope and promise of eternity with Christ. [46:56]

"So we do not lose heart. Though our outer self is wasting away, our inner self is being renewed day by day. For this light momentary affliction is preparing for us an eternal weight of glory beyond all comparison." (2 Corinthians 4:16-17, ESV)

Reflection: Think of someone in your life who may not know Christ. How can you share the hope of eternal life with them in a meaningful way this week?

Quotes

We owe every single human being we meet we owe them dignity not because of anything they've accomplished uh not because uh they've amassed wealth or they're am I getting this right their Tik Tock account has a lot of followers did I did I get that right we don't know them dignity because of any of those things we owe them dignity because they're created in the image of God and that's true for you that's true for you you are a person of dignity a value because you're created in the image of God. [00:31:07]

We owe every single human being we meet we owe them dignity not because of anything they've accomplished uh not because uh they've amassed wealth or they're am I getting this right their Tik Tock account has a lot of followers did I did I get that right we don't know them dignity because of any of those things we owe them dignity because they're created in the image of God and that's true for you that's true for you you are a person of dignity a value because you're created in the image of God. [00:31:07]

To be redeemed is to be in Christ that's your identity I found this or thought of this poem it was one I had read a long time ago it was from dietr bonifer I don't know if you anything about diet bonifer he was Lutheran Theologian he was imprisoned by the Nazis he spent most of World War II in a 6x9 prison cell in tle towards the end of the war he was taken to a prison in in Berlin the the basement prison of the gestapo and then just before the war came to a conclusion he was hanged at flossenburg concentration camp bonifer wrote a poem called Who Am I. [00:32:48]

Who am I they often tell me I would step for my C's confinement calmly cheerfully firmly like a squire from his country house who am I they also tell me I would bear the days of misfortune equably smilingly proudly like one accustomed to win am I then really all that which other men tell of or am I only what I know of myself Restless longing sick like a bird in a cage struggling for breath as though hands were compressing my throat yearning for colors for flowers for the voices of birds thirsting for words of kindness for a little neighborliness trembling with anger at despotisms and Petty humiliations tossing in expectations of great events powerlessly trembling for friends at an infinite distance weary empty tired tired of praying tired of thinking tired of making faint ready to say farewell to it all who am I this or the other am I one person today and tomorrow another am I both at once a hypocrite before others and before myself a contemptibly wo begone weakling or something within me like a beaten Army fleeing in disorder from Victory already achieved who am I they mock me these lonely questions of mine. [00:33:08]

Who am I whoever I am thou knowest oh God I am thine what it means to be redeemed it means that Jesus is a friend for Sinners and he is mine uh turn with me to Colossians chapter 2 Colossians chapter 2: 9 and 10 want you to see something here coloss iians 2 9 and 10 have these words of of bonifer e Echo who whoever I am I'm thine I'm thine I'm thine that was 1944 6x9 prison cell Nazis were not stopped at that point end of the war was over a year away was an infinite distance away I am thine uh take a look at Colossians 2:9 and10 this is a wonderful text about who Christ is the the phrase in him that is in Christ occurs spills over the pages of this chapter it it references a doctrine of Paul's that we call Union with Christ. [00:36:14]

Salvation means Union with Christ and it's summed up in these wonderful two words this prepositional phrase in him we know that Christ is able to Bear all of this in our relationship with him because of who he is so that's what we need to see in verse 9 who is this Jesus that we you're in well in him the whole fullness of deity dwells bodily uh Paul tends to give theology in paragraphs and sometimes they're hard to follow one of my favorite verses in the Bible is when Peter says that there is hard stuff to understand in Paul I'm like thank you yes I had that same feeling Paul speaks in paragraphs here he speaks in a phrase this is the most succinct statement of the identity of Jesus Christ you will find in the Bible all the fullness of deity in the Incarnation in bodily form God man one person Jesus Christ and when we say all the fullness of deity what we are talking about is the supernatural infinite Eternal Transcendent holy perfect being that's who Jesus is he is the god man and Paul uses this expression of fullness so that you capture The Wonder of what this is so that you are all struck by what this is all of this is in Our Redeemer all of this is in the one who took on flesh it was Charles Haden Spurgeon who said the infinite becomes an infant at the Incarnation and if we read after verse 10 we find not only the person of Christ but we find the work of Christ you know what does he takes our certificate of debt this he takes our certificate of debt and he Nails it to the Cross uh there's an image for you no there's a reality for you guilt shame sin all those things that we wish we didn't do that were done to us certificate of guilt nailed to the cross so we have the person and work of Christ now verse 10 and you have been filled in him if you have a new American this is the ESV if you have a New American Standard Version it reads this way and you are complete in Christ uh Jesus is the final destination of the journey try this destination you try this destination none of them satisfy or fulfill Jesus is the final destination Jesus is all you will ever need let me put it this way if if you are possessed by Christ you possess all you will ever need you don't remember anything I said just remember that sentence if you are possessed by Christ you possess all you will ever need for your identity you want to know who you are you're Christ you are his this is this is bonifer he was a professor at the University of Bin his he grew up his family had a a driver and they had a summer home and they had a conservatory in their house and then and when he was like a 14-year-old kid he wrote an opera for his dad like this was a smart guy and all that was stripped away and he's just left in a prison cell with a tiny little window that he I am thine he learned he had everything he needed in Jesus Christ if CH if you are possessed by Christ you possess all you will ever need well not only are we redeemed I told you there'd be five points not only are we redeemed we are being transformed when we are united to Christ we now are in the spirit and we are in community the body of Christ we don't go it Al alone but we have the spirit and we have the church and God has given to the church what we call the ordinary means of Grace the preaching of the word the Lord's Supper Fellowship of the Saints and all of that means we are to be being transformed be being renewed and then finally we are Eternal you know every human being is number one 2 and five every single human being is created fallen and eternal uh those who are in Christ are all five I'm stuck on the 1940s I'm sorry I'm going to go back to a quote from CS Lewis June 8th 1941 the load or weight or burden of my neighbor's Glory should be laid on my back a load so heavy that only humility can carry it and the backs of The Proud will be broken remember the dullest and most uninteresting person you can talk to May one day be a creature which if you saw it now you'd be strongly tempted to worship or else a horror and a corruption such as now if you meet at all you meet in a nightmare all day long we are in some degree helping each other to one or other of these destinations it is in the light of these overwhelming possibilities it is with the awe and circumspection proper to them that we should conduct all our de dealings with one another all friendships all loves all play all politics There Are No Ordinary People you have never talked to a mortal being this is from his essay the weight of glory and the weight of Glory is the realization that we are Eternal beings and there is an eternal Destiny Heaven Union with the Triune God hell separation from God it's been said a couple times now what you can do for your friends and those that you're around the most important thing you can do for them is help them realize who they are that they are created that they are fallen and that they are Eternal and that there is a friend for Sinners and his name is Jesus Christ. [00:42:10]

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Transcript
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