identity lists

part 2

Last week, I posted what I call an "Identity List," a list I've been forming of Biblical statements identifying who the LORD God is. The Bible is absolutely crammed with these statements, such as: my rock and my redeemer, my exceeding joy, the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, the judge of all, abounding in steadfast love and faithfulness, etc. I refer to that list over and over, and keep adding things to it as I come across scriptures that describe God. You can read it here.

Not long after beginning this identity list of God, I realized that I wanted to try this with more! I began an identity list for Jesus, the Holy Spirit, and believers (me, us). These are a bit shorter compared to the God list, but I'm continually adding to them as well. Read and soak in who Jesus is, who the Spirit is, and who you are, you who have believed in Him. I have been learning that our understanding of identity is absolutely central to our lives, behaviors, relationships, and destinies.

Jesus is:

Micah 5 – our peace

Matthew 1 – the Son of David, the Son of Abraham

Matthew 8 – the Son of God

Matthew 12 – Lord of the Sabbath

Matthew 13 – the one who sows the good seed

Matthew 14 – the Son of God

Matthew 16 – the Christ, the Son of the living God

Matthew 21 – he who comes in the name of the Lord

Matthew 25 – the King

Mathew 27 – the King of Israel

Mark 1 – the Holy One of God

Mark 5 – Son of the Most High God

Mark 8 – the Christ

Mark 11 – the coming kingdom of our father David

Mark 14 – the Nazarene, the Christ, the Son of the Blessed

Mark 15 – the King of the Jews

Mark 16 – risen, not here

Luke 1 – the Son of the Most High, holy, the Son of God, the sunrise 

Luke 2 – a Savior, who is Christ the Lord, the consolation of Israel, your salvation, a light for revelation to the Gentiles, and for glory to your people Israel

Luke 3 – My Beloved Son

Luke 4 – the Holy One of God, the Son of God

Luke 8 – Son of the Most High God

Luke 9 – the Christ of God, my Chosen One

Luke 22 – among you as the one who serves

John 1 – God, flesh, the Lamb of God, the Son of God, the King of Israel, the Son of Man, the Word, the true light which enlightens everyone, the only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth, he who baptizes with the Holy Spirit, the Messiah, him of whom Moses in the law and also the prophets wrote, Jesus of Nazareth the son of Joseph

John 3 – a teacher come from God, the one who has the bride, the bridegroom, above all, from above, from heaven

John 4 – the Messiah, the Savior of the world

John 5 – the man who healed me

John 6 – the bread of life, the bread that came down from heaven, the Holy One of God 

John 8 – the light of the world, not of the world, I am

John 10 – the door of the sheep, the good shepherd

John 11 – the resurrection and the life, the Christ, the Son of God, the Teacher

John 13 – Lord an Teacher

John 14 – the way, the truth, and the life, in the Father

John 19 – the King of the Jews

John 20 – my Lord and my God

Acts 3 – the Holy and Righteous One, the Author of Life

Acts 5 – Leader and Savior 

Acts 10 – Lord of all

1 Corinthians 1 – the power of God and the wisdom of God, righteousness and sanctification and redemption

2 Corinthians 2 – the Lord of glory

1 Corinthians 3 – the foundation, God’s 

Ephesians 1 - The Beloved

Ephesians 2 - our peace 

Ephesians 4 - the one who also ascended far above all the heavens 

Ephesians 5 - the head of the church

Colossians 1 – the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of all creation, before all things, the head of the body, the beginning, the firstborn from the dead

Colossians 2 – God’s mystery, the head of all rule and authority  

Colossians 3 - your life 

Hebrews 1 – the radiance of the glory of God, and the exact imprint of His nature 

Hebrews 3 - the apostle and high priest of our confession 

Hebrews 4 - a great high priest who has passed through the heavens, the Son of God 

Hebrews 5 - the source of eternal salvation, a high priest after the order of Melchizedek 

Hebrews 7 - the guarantor of a better covenant, able to save to the uttermost 

Hebrews 9 - mediator of a new covenant, the righteous, the propitiation of our sins

Hebrews 13 – the same yesterday, and today, and forever 

1 Timothy 2 - the mediator between God and man 

1 Timothy 6 - the blessed and only Sovereign, the King of kings and Lord of lords, who alone has immortality, who dwells in unapproachable light 

2 Timothy 2 - the offspring of David 

Revelation 1 - Him who loves us and has freed us from our sins by HIs blood and made us a kingdom; coming with the clouds, the first and the last, the living one, alive forevermore

Revelation 2 - He who searches mind and heart, Him who has the seven spirits of God and the seven stars, the holy one, the true one, who has the key of David, who opens and no one will shut, who shuts and no one opens, the Amen, the faithful

The Holy Spirit is: (Still building this list. Scripture talks much more about the Holy Spirit's actions than His characteristics.)

Luke 24 – the promise of My Father, power from on high

John 14 – the Helper, Advocate, Spirit of truth, Counselor

Romans 8 - life because of righteousness 

Ephesians 1 - the guarantee of our inheritance 

Believers are:
(note: any time I found a reference to who believers are, I wrote it down. I didn't edit out the derogatory ones. So my conclusion has been: there really are no derogatory references to those who are saved. In American Christian culture, I think we too often condemn ourselves as sinners, wretches, unworthy, etc. There is a little truth in that, but it's mostly wrapped up in who we were. God wants to tell you who you are. Read on.)

John 1 – children of God

John 3 – not condemned

John 15 – the branches, not of this world

John 18 – of the truth

John 20 – blessed 

Romans 1 - called to belong to Jesus Christ, loved by God, called to be His saints, brothers and sisters 

Romans 6 - baptized into His death, set free from sin, dead to sin and alive to God in Christ Jesus, not under the law, but under grace; slaves of righteousness, slaves of God, 

Romans 8 - not in the flesh, but in the Spirit, debtors, sons of God, children of God, heirs of God and fellow heirs with Christ, called according to His purpose, predestined to be conformed to the image of His Son, called, justified, glorified 

Romans 9 - vessels of mercy, my people, beloved, sons of the living God 

Romans 12 - one body in Christ, and individually members of one another 

Romans 14 - the Lord's 

1 Corinthians 1 – called to be saints, called into the fellowship of His Son, in Christ Jesus

1 Corinthians 3 – God’s temple, Christ’s 

1 Corinthians 4 - servants of Christ and stewards of the mysteries of God 

1 Corinthians 6 – not their own, bought with a price 

1 Corinthians 12 - baptized into one body, made to drink of one Spirit, the body of Christ  

2 Corinthians 2 - the aroma of Christ 

2 Corinthians 3 - being transformed into the same image from one degree of glory to another 

2 Corinthians 4 - servants for Jesus' sake 

2 Corinthians 5 - a new creation, ambassadors for Christ, the righteousness of God 

Galatians 3 - sons of God through faith, one in Christ Jesus, Abraham's offspring, heirs according to the promise 

Galatians 4 - children of the promise 

Galatians 5 - called to freedom 

Ephesians 1 -  His body, the fullness of Him who fills all in all 

Ephesians 2 - His workmanship, fellow citizens with the saints and members of the household of God, a dwelling place for God 

Ephesians 5 - light in the Lord, members of His body 

Philippians 1 - partakers of grace 

Philippians 3 - the circumcision

Colossians 1 – holy, blameless, above reproach before Him

Colossians 2 – made alive together with Him 

Colossians 3 - God's chosen ones, holy and beloved, the church of the living God, a pillar and buttress of the truth 

Hebrews 3 - holy brothers and sisters, His house 

1 Peter 1 - being guarded through faith for a salvation ready to be revealed

1 Peter 2 - being built up as a spiritual house, a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for His own possession, sojourners, exiles 

1 John 3 - God's children now, those who are called, beloved 

Jude - in God the Father and kept for/by Jesus Christ 

Revelation 1 - a kingdom, priests to God 

Revelation 17 - called and chosen and faithful 

If/when you discover more identities to add to this list, comment below! Don't rest until you have wrestled with discovering your identity in God.