Hey there! Welcome to our "What's Next?" journey together. I'm so glad you've decided to follow Jesus, and I bet you're wondering what happens now. That's exactly what we're going to explore together, starting with something pretty amazing – your new identity in Christ.
You know, the Bible puts it beautifully in 2 Corinthians 5:17: "If anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come: The old has gone, the new is here!" That's not just nice poetry – that's talking about you!
It reminds me of how a caterpillar transforms into a butterfly. The caterpillar doesn't just grow wings – it completely changes from the inside out. While it's in that chrysalis, everything is being reworked and reimagined. And when it emerges? Totally new creature with a new purpose and new capabilities. That's what's happened to you spiritually when you chose to follow Jesus.
When you accepted Christ, something profound happened inside you. You didn't just make a good decision – God performed a spiritual transformation. You became His child. You were completely forgiven. In God's eyes, you're now righteous because of what Jesus did. You've been set free from sin's power over you. You're literally a new creation with a new nature!
This isn't just positive thinking or trying to boost your self-esteem. This is the spiritual reality that God declares in His Word. Your identity isn't primarily about your past, your performance, your problems, or what other people think about you. Your core identity is now "in Christ" – united with Him and sharing in everything He's accomplished.
Here's what's so freeing about this: you don't have to earn God's love or work really hard to become someone new – you already are loved and new! Your daily choices now flow from who you already are, not from trying to become someone different.
So what does this mean for your everyday life? Start each morning by reminding yourself who you are in Christ. When those negative thoughts come – you know the ones, like "I'm not good enough" or "I'll never really change" – replace them with the truth about your new identity. When you mess up (and we all do!), remember that your failures don't define you – Christ's perfect record now defines you. And when temptation comes knocking, you can respond from your new identity: "That's not who I am anymore."
Your new identity in Christ isn't something you have to work toward – it's already yours! As we continue this journey together, everything else we'll learn builds on this foundation. I'm excited to see how understanding who you are in Christ will transform how you think, feel, and live. Let's embrace this incredible gift together!
Talk soon!