Understanding our identity in Christ is perhaps the most transformative revelation we can experience as believers. When we grasp who we truly are in Him, everything changes – our perspective, our response to challenges, and even our relationship with God Himself.

The Divine Agreement

The foundation of our new nature begins with understanding the divine agreement between Father and Son. Just before Jesus went to the cross, He prayed in John 17, revealing this profound covenant: “I in them and you in me, that they may be perfected in our unity… so that the love with which you loved me may be in them, and I in them.”

This prayer reveals something revolutionary – God loves you exactly as He loves Jesus. This isn’t just a nice sentiment; it’s the foundation of your new identity. When the Father looks at you, He doesn’t see anything wrong with you because Jesus took away everything that was wrong. That was the agreement.

The Death of Your Old Nature

Romans 6:3-11 outlines how God accomplished this transformation:

• When Jesus died, you died with Him
• When He was buried, you were buried with Him
• When He rose, your old man stayed dead
• Your new man rose with Him

The conclusion in verse 11 is the key to living in this new nature: “Consider yourself to be dead to sin and alive to God.” This isn’t something we pray for – it’s something we thank God for every day. Jesus is the ultimate gift, and everything God wants us to have comes through Him.

Stopping the Conversation with Your Old Self

One of the greatest hindrances to living in our new nature is continuing to talk to our old self. When we focus on our old nature, what we give attention to expands in our lives. Instead, we need to recognize that our old self is dead and embrace that “this is the new me in Jesus.”

Salvation is “me plus God” – learning to live in Christ because that’s the only thing that works in this world. The process involves including Him in everything, asking Him questions, and expecting answers. God speaks in us and through us, so when we’re still and peaceful, we can hear His voice rising from our spirit into our conscious mind.

Embracing Kingdom Possibilities

In the kingdom, we don’t have problems – we have possibilities. Jesus said, “With my Father, all things are possible.” Every problem comes with a possibility attached to it. Rather than focusing on the problem, we should move toward the possibility God is revealing.

When facing challenges, don’t get mad at yourself. Don’t become tired, weary, or fed up. Instead, thank God that He’s teaching you what’s possible – the possibility that will change your life.

Eliminating Negativity

A major sign that someone is still living in their old nature is negativity – especially negativity toward themselves. There is no negativity in heaven. When Christians condemn themselves (or others), they’re doing the work of the accuser, not God.

God gives us grace and the gift of righteousness so we can reign in life through Jesus. If you’re walking in negativity, someone other than Jesus has their hand on you. Jesus belongs to you, and you belong to Him.

Moving from Sin-Conscious to Christ-Conscious

The pivotal shift comes when we stop being sin-conscious and become Christ-conscious. God isn’t working on your old nature – He killed it off. He’s working on your righteousness.

Even repentance changes its meaning – it’s not about doing penance again as if Jesus didn’t suffer enough. True repentance means agreeing with God about who you are. Jesus didn’t die to get you to stop something and start something else. He killed off the old so you could practice the new.

Living in Freedom

You’re already free in Christ. You can practice from this place of freedom rather than striving, performing, and trying to please God. You’ve already pleased the Lord because you’re in Christ.

When you embrace this truth, the game changes. You’re free to relax and enjoy being with Him. You begin to see yourself as He sees you. And as God says, “I expect you to agree with me about you. You have to be as kind to yourself as I am to you.”

This is the life-changing message of your new nature in Christ – not a constant struggle against sin, but a joyful embrace of who you already are in Him.