Our identity in Christ

Acts 4:9-10 If we this day are judged for a good deed done to a helpless man, by what means he has been made well, (10) let it be known to you all, and to all the people of Israel, that by the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, whom you crucified, whom God raised from the dead, by Him this man stands here before you whole.

We can imagine how, Peter and John would have stood tall, with their head held high, to make this declaration to the leaders.  “…let it be known to you all, and to all the people of Israel, that by the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth…”

This shows the quality of their response.  They were not intimidated by the stature of the leaders before whom they were speaking. This is the work of His Holy Spirit. They were fully conscious of what was at stake for them but their response is strong.

We recollect the response of Shadrach, Meshach and Abed Nego to emperor Nebuchadnezzar.  What was at stake for these three young men was to either climb their career ladder or be thrown into the blazing fiery furnace.  These were the options before them.  They did not dither or waver.  They made their stand clear to the emperor.  Daniel 3:18 But if not, let it be known to you, O king, that we do not serve your gods, nor will we worship the gold image which you have set up.”

This is the boldness that is needed for the church these days.  We must take a stand for Jesus and make it known to whoever our audience may be, as to whom we belong.  Proverbs 28:1 The wicked flee when no one pursues, But the righteous are bold as a lion.

It is the Holy Spirit who gives us boldness in such situations. Once we have accepted that we are prepared to lay down our lives for Jesus, we will not fear.  We fear God, so we seek to please Him and Him alone.  Matthew 10:28 And do not fear those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul. But rather fear Him who is able to destroy both soul and body in hell.

In the ultimate analysis, whoever seeks to save his life will lose it.  It is in losing our lives for Christ and His Gospel that we save our lives. What use is it if we have gained the world but have lost our souls?  Mark 8:35-36 For whoever desires to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for My sake and the gospel’s will save it. (36) For what will it profit a man if he gains the whole world, and loses his own soul?

If we do not make known to the world our commitment to Christ, we are denying Christ.  If we have denied Christ before men then we are not one of those, for whom Jesus will intercede before the Father.  Matthew 10:32-33 “Therefore whoever confesses Me before men, him I will also confess before My Father who is in heaven. (33) But whoever denies Me before men, him I will also deny before My Father who is in heaven.

What are we to make known to the world?

We are to make known Christ.  Acts 2:36 “Therefore let all the house of Israel know assuredly that God has made this Jesus, whom you crucified, both Lord and Christ.” This was the boldness of the apostles that they categorically made known Christ to the world. 

The apostles saw their identity in the resurrected Jesus.  Therefore, they made this statement that this wellness to a helpless man was by the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth. 

II Corinthians 5:14-17 For the love of Christ compels us, because we judge thus: that if One died for all, then all died; (15) and He died for all, that those who live should live no longer for themselves, but for Him who died for them and rose again. (16) Therefore, from now on, we regard no one according to the flesh. Even though we have known Christ according to the flesh, yet now we know Him thus no longer. (17) Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new.

The disciples could understand very clearly that since Jesus had died for them, they had no basis to live but to be identified with His death.  When we identify with Christ in His death, we identify with Him also in His resurrection.

Our identity is now in the resurrected Christ. We do not know Christ according to the flesh any longer but we know Him according to the Spirit of God, who raised Him from the dead and who lives in us.  The resurrected Christ is therefore our identity and it is Him that we make known to the world.

If we have not died and risen again with Jesus, then we will struggle to make known to the world, that the good works that we do, we do in the name of Jesus Christ. He is our all in all.  We do not exist outside of Christ.  

May His church arise to make known to the world the name of Jesus Christ.