# The identity of a believer

God sees Christians differently.

- We are accepted, and Jesus isn't ashamed to call us His siblings and friends ([Romans 15:7](https://biblehub.com/romans/15-7.htm), [John 15:15](https://biblehub.com/john/15-15.htm), [Hebrews 2:11](https://biblehub.com/hebrews/2-11.htm)).
- God intends to see you as perfect ([Hebrews 12:2](https://biblehub.com/hebrews/12-2.htm)).
- He sees us as His chosen priesthood and a holy nation ([1 Peter 2:9](https://biblehub.com/1_peter/2-9.htm)).
- We receive the [right](people-boundaries.md) to become children of God through faith. ([John 1:12](https://biblehub.com/john/1-12.htm), [Galatians 3:26](https://biblehub.com/galatians/3-26.htm)).
- God gives us a new heart and newly reborn [spirit](humanity-christian.md) ([Ezekiel 36:26](https://biblehub.com/ezekiel/36-26.htm)).

As new [creations](creations.md) in Christ, Christians have a new [identity](identity.md) ([2 Corinthians 5:17](https://biblehub.com/2_corinthians/5-17.htm)).

- We have been set free from [moral slavery](morality-sins.md) ([Galatians 5:1](https://biblehub.com/galatians/5-1.htm)).
- We are holy and dearly loved ([Colossians 3:12](https://biblehub.com/colossians/3-12.htm)).
- We've been blessed with the Holy Spirit and can now communicate with God ([John 14:15-18](https://biblehub.com/bsb/john/14.htm)).
- The Holy Spirit will transform and renew our mind as far as we permit Him ([Romans 12:2](https://biblehub.com/romans/12-2.htm)).

As part of the Church, we are becoming the Bride of Christ for an eternal union with Him ([Revelation 19:6-9](https://biblehub.com/bsb/revelation/19.htm)).

- This union makes us one in spirit with Him ([1 Corinthians 6:17](https://biblehub.com/1_corinthians/6-17.htm)).
- When [Jesus comes back](jesus-returns.md), we will appear with Him in glory ([Colossians 3:4](https://biblehub.com/colossians/3-4.htm)).
- We will share in Jesus' inheritance ([Romans 8:17](https://biblehub.com/romans/8-17.htm)).

## This new state will change us

Your body has died and is buried with Christ by baptism, and are now made alive again to live new lives ([Romans 6:4](https://biblehub.com/romans/6-4.htm)).

We're supposed to let God renew our minds and put on a new self ([Ephesians 4:21-24](https://biblehub.com/ephesians/4.htm)).

- Most of this is in accepting our complete inadequacy, then submitting to Him being everything we need ([2 Corinthians 3:5](https://biblehub.com/2_corinthians/3-5.htm)).
- Our mind, in particular, is a present reality ([1 Corinthians 2:16](https://biblehub.com/1_corinthians/2-16.htm)).
- We are made complete in Christ ([Colossians 2:10](https://biblehub.com/colossians/2-10.htm)).

We will slowly bear more [spiritual fruits](morality.md) over time ([Galatians 5:22-23](https://biblehub.com/bsb/galatians/5.htm)).

- More [loving](people-love.md), kinder, gentler, humbler and more patient ([Colossians 3:12](https://biblehub.com/colossians/3-12.htm)).
- More [joyful](mind-feelings-happiness.md) and good.
- More [faithful](understanding-certainty.md).
- More self-controlled, [disciplined](results.md), and at peace.
- An increased [state of humility](https://theologos.site/devotion-chaos/) ([Philippians 2:3](https://biblehub.com/philippians/2-3.htm)).
- More forgiving ([Colossians 3:13](https://biblehub.com/colossians/3-13.htm)).

God will heal *all* your [past trauma](hardship-ptsd.md) ([Matthew 11:28](https://biblehub.com/matthew/11-28.htm), [James 5:13-16](https://biblehub.com/james/5.htm)), but your improvements will rarely be instant.

- Many of your physical problems can serve a spiritual benefit for you or others, so God doesn't always heal them.
- A Christian doesn't instantly become Christlike, but slowly changes to it ([Titus 3:5](https://biblehub.com/titus/3-5.htm)).
- We change as fast as we're willing to give up ourselves and our past ([Romans 12:2](https://biblehub.com/romans/12-2.htm)).

Our spirit will be bold, loving, and self-disciplined ([2 Timothy 1:7](https://biblehub.com/2_timothy/1-7.htm)).

- We will be *more* than conquerors through Him ([Romans 8:37](https://biblehub.com/romans/8-37.htm)).
- This will come through having a long-term hope and trust in Him ([Psalm 71:5](https://biblehub.com/psalms/71-5.htm), [Psalm 139:14](https://biblehub.com/psalms/139-14.htm)).
- We will partake of God's nature ([2 Peter 1:4](https://biblehub.com/2_peter/1-4.htm)).

We have a new home in heaven ([John 14:2](https://biblehub.com/john/14-2.htm)) where we'll receive a new, more [powerful](power.md) body ([Philippians 3:20-21](https://biblehub.com/philippians/3.htm)).

- By implication, all aspects of our current living situation are merely transitional.

## Our new identity won't mix with our old life

The world won't like this "new you" ([John 15:18-19](https://biblehub.com/bsb/john/15.htm)).

- In fact, you *can't* be [friends](people-4_friends.md) with the world ([James 4:4](https://biblehub.com/james/4-4.htm)).

The sacrifice is worth it, but you *will* endure [hardship](hardship.md) ([2 Corinthians 6:3-5](https://biblehub.com/bsb/2_corinthians/6.htm), [2 Timothy 4:5](https://biblehub.com/2_timothy/4-5.htm)).

Our [social support network](groups-large.md) will be in [the Body of Christ](church.md).

God will typically frame our [hardships](hardship.md) to confront the defects of our [personalities](personality.md):

- High openness to experience: He will give a monotonous life for a season.
- Low openness to experience: He will give more major life [changes](people-changes.md).
- High conscientiousness: He'll bring around more [disorganized](organization.md), messy people.
- Low conscientiousness: He'll give more [duties and obligations](success-4_routine.md) where you must honor your [promises](language.md).
- High extraversion: He'll isolate you and require you to spend more time alone in [meditation](awareness.md).
- Low extraversion: He'll bring many more people around you on a consistent basis, and may even [make you a leader](mgmt-1_why.md).
- High agreeableness: He'll give more [conflicts and contentions](conflicts-christian-1_why.md) where you must take a [moral](morality.md) stand against others.
- Low agreeableness: He'll force circumstances that require [getting along](people-5_conflicts.md) more often with other people.
- High neuroticism: He'll require you to give over the [unknown](unknown.md) to Him more frequently.
- Low neuroticism: He'll introduce more [emotionally volatile](mind-feelings.md) people into your life.

All of these changes are to develop you into the perfection Jesus has planned for you:

- A *very* high openness to any experiences God wants to provide.
- High conscientiousness, where you will enjoy living righteously.
- Extraverted enough to enjoy connecting regularly with the Body.
- Agreeable and gracious with others, except regarding [immorality](morality-sins.md).
- A well-disciplined [soul](humanity-christian.md) that manages [emotional](mind-feelings.md) flare-ups and devotes it to a framing of mysticism more than anxiety.

However, this requires us to be sincerely honest with ourselves, so we must integrate our shadow personas with ourselves to prevent a double-minded approach from all the [changes](people-changes.md) He requires of us.

## However, some things are *not* true

It's not uncommon for things we *think* are Christian behaviors to actually be inappropriate [responses to trauma](hardship-ptsd.md):

- Unable to accept a raw compliment.
  - Comes from feeling unworthy, since Jesus certainly sees us as worth dying for us ([Romans 5:8](https://biblehub.com/romans/5-8.htm)).
- Sacrificing needs for the sake of peace.
  - This is actually based in [fear](mind-feelings-fear.md), and discredits what someone deserves as God's loved creation ([2 Timothy 2:6](https://biblehub.com/2_timothy/2-6.htm)).
- Unwilling to let others share in suffering.
  - Derived from [trust](trust.md) issues, and not what God commands ([Galatians 6:2](https://biblehub.com/galatians/6-2.htm)).
- Constant preparedness for [risks](safety-riskmgmt.md).
  - Another trust issue, which is against the peace God promises to His children ([Philippians 4:7](https://biblehub.com/philippians/4-7.htm)).
- Feelings of [guilt and shame](mind-feelings-shame.md) for resting.
  - A misunderstanding of what a relationship with God looks like ([Matthew 11:28](https://biblehub.com/matthew/11-28.htm)).
- Apologizing for things that aren't your fault.
  - Another implementation of shame, driven by an inaccurate understanding of [boundaries](people-3_boundaries.md).

While on this earth, we can't be wholly sinless or perfect ([Philippians 3:12](https://biblehub.com/philippians/3-12.htm), [1 John 1:8](https://biblehub.com/1_john/1-8.htm)).

We won't have an easier life and may not gain [financial wealth](money-investing.md) ([Malachi 3:10](https://biblehub.com/malachi/3-10.htm), [Luke 6:38](https://biblehub.com/luke/6-38.htm), [James 5:1-6](https://biblehub.com/bsb/james/5.htm)).

We don't need "Christ and nobody else", and *always* need 3 other [same-sex](gender.md) believers in our lives:

1. A mentor who gives us input and guidance from their superior experience (e.g., [Paul with Timothy](https://www.bible.com/bible/206/1TI.1.WEBUS)).
2. A [friend](people-4_friends.md) walking through the same challenges and experiences we're having (e.g., [Paul with Barnabas](https://www.bible.com/bible/206/act.13)).
3. Someone less experience we can [mentor](spiritual-discipleship.md) (e.g., Timothy with Paul).

God *does* often bless us in ways money can't provide:

- [Family](people-family.md), [friends](people-4_friends.md), and a [community](groups-member.md)
- Physical health, often from [lifestyle decisions](body-1_why.md)
- God providing every need we have
- Giving [purpose](purpose.md) and [meaning](meaning.md)

Religious rituals won't always help our relationship with Jesus.

- We can strengthen our [faith](understanding-certainty.md) with [religious routines](spiritual-exercises.md), but doing them for the wrong reasons can *separate* us from God ([Matthew 23:27-28](https://biblehub.com/bsb/matthew/23.htm)).

Don't search for mystical experiences such as miracles, healing, or supernatural phenomena ([Matthew 12:38-39](https://biblehub.com/bsb/matthew/12.htm)).

- God will bring mystical experiences when He wants to, and our faith is more important to Him than miracles ([John 20:29](https://biblehub.com/john/20-29.htm)).
- Many Christians will pursue a spiritual [feeling](mind-feelings.md) from listening to worship music, but there's no good in seeking it without [understanding](understanding.md).

## A relationship with God requires unconditional devotion

God paid heavily for you with His son's life ([1 Corinthians 6:20](https://biblehub.com/1_corinthians/6-20.htm)).

- We were [slaves](slavery.md) to sin, but now slaves to Christ ([Romans 6:18-22](https://biblehub.com/bsb/romans/6.htm)).
- Slavery to Jesus has many, many liberties because we have a *very* kind master ([Matthew 11:29-30](https://biblehub.com/bsb/matthew/11.htm)).
- Christians, however, often [abuse the freedoms](christian-new.md) God gives them.

Everything we own is God's ([Matthew 5:27-30](https://biblehub.com/bsb/matthew/5.htm), [Matthew 13:44-46](https://biblehub.com/bsb/matthew/13.htm)).

- God will give us more than we can acquire ourselves, but we must sacrifice everything for it ([Matthew 19:27-30](https://biblehub.com/bsb/matthew/19.htm), [Mark 10:28-31](https://biblehub.com/bsb/mark/10.htm)).
- We don't always have to burn bridges, relationships, and opportunities, but must always be prepared to release control of them if He asks.
- The Bible doesn't provide details for *what* we must give because each person and the timing for each sacrifice is different.

We are frequently ungrateful for many of the things He gives us:

- Possessions, of any kind ([Matthew 19:23-26](https://biblehub.com/bsb/matthew/19.htm)).
- Money ([Luke 6:30](https://biblehub.com/luke/6-30.htm)).
- Any relationships with family or friends ([Matthew 10:37-39](https://biblehub.com/bsb/matthew/10.htm)).
- Dreams, goals, and plans ([Matthew 6:26-34](https://biblehub.com/bsb/matthew/6.htm), [Luke 12:22-30](https://biblehub.com/bsb/luke/12.htm), [James 4:13-16](https://biblehub.com/bsb/james/4.htm))

Our relationship with God either thrives or falters.

- Jesus wants our full submission ([Matthew 10:37-38](https://biblehub.com/bsb/matthew/10.htm)).
- We must give up everything else for Him in [faith](understanding-certainty.md) ([Luke 9:24](https://biblehub.com/luke/9-24.htm)).
- God wants complete submission from us, all the way to our [souls](humanity-christian.md) ([Romans 6:13](https://biblehub.com/romans/6-13.htm)).
- Christianity is a near-constant [inner battle](conflicts-inner.md) between our body's [impulses](habits.md) and the [Holy Spirit's commands](god-will.md) ([Romans 7:22-25](https://biblehub.com/bsb/romans/7.htm)).
- We must even submit [personal shame](hardship-worthlessness.md) and [past trauma](hardship-ptsd.md) to Him ([1 John 3:20](https://biblehub.com/1_john/3-20.htm)).

Christianity is a long-term commitment ([Luke 9:61-62](https://biblehub.com/bsb/luke/9.htm)).

- To build our relationship with God, we will grow to desire a variety of activities oriented toward [following His will](god-will.md):

- [Communicating](spiritual-exercises-prayer.md) consistently with Him
- Removing [any further sin](morality-sins.md) through repentance
- [Consuming His Word](bible-study.md)
- [Many other rituals and routines](spiritual-exercises.md) that strengthen our connection with Him