We all have a name that we answer to, but oftentimes, there are other things people call us that make up our identity in addition to the name we were given at birth. Someone may call you a brother, a mother, or a friend. Maybe teacher, helper, or mentor.
Other names that we are called are not so kind. Abandoned, Addict, Annoying, Broken, Cheater, Disgusting, Dumb, Forgotten, Garbage, Homewrecker, Idiot, Liar, Lonely, Moron, Murderer, Rejected, Thief, Ugly, Unlovable, Unreliable, Unworthy, Useless, and many others. We tend to wear these labels like names, letting them identify who we think we are.
Many of these are the names I have been called or identified as throught my 60+ years of life. But do you know that God does not identify you as any of these? He knows that none of those are who you really are. He sees you in a different light, and He has names of his own for you all throughout the Bible. Let’s take a look at just some of the names God gives you:
- Adopted (Ephesians 1:5)
God decided in advance to adopt us into his own family by bringing us to himself through Jesus Christ. This is what he wanted to do, and it gave him great pleasure.
- Alive (Ephesians 2:4-5)
But God is so rich in mercy, and he loved us so much, that even though we were dead because of our sins, he gave us life when he raised Christ from the dead.
- Blameless (Colossians 1:22)
Yet now he has reconciled you to himself through the death of Christ in his physical body. As a result, he has brought you into his own presence, and you are holy and blameless as you stand before him without a single fault.
- Brand New (2 Corinthians 5:17)
Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new.
- Chosen (1 Thessalonians 1:4)
We know, dear brothers and sisters, that God loves you and has chosen you to be his own people.
- Friend of God (John 15:15)
I no longer call you slaves, beacuse a master doesn’t confide in his slaves. Now you are my friends, since I have told you everything the Father told me.
- Forgiven (1 John 1:9)
But if we confess our sins to him, he is faithful and just to forgive our sins and to cleanse us from all wickedness.
- Free Indeed (John 8:36)
So if the Son sets you free, you are truly free.
- God's Child (Galatians 3:26-27)
So in Christ Jesus you are all children of God through faith, for all of you who were baptized into Christ have clothed yourselves with Christ.
- Greatly Loved (Romans 5:8)
But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.
- Healed (1 Peter 2:24)
He personally carried our sins in his body on the cross so that we can be dead to sin and live for what is right. By his wounds you are healed.
- Loved (1 John 4:10)
This is real love – not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as a sacrifice to take away our sins.
- His Masterpiece (Ephesians 2:10)
For we are God's handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.
- His Messenger to the World (Acts 1:8)
But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes upon you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.
- Strong (Philippians 4:13)
For I can do everything through Christ, who gives me strength.
- My Body is a Temple (1 Corinthians 6:19)
Do you not know that your bodies are temples of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from God?
Ultimately, your identity is not in the labels people give you, or the lables you give yourself, or even your own given name. Your identity is in Christ. That’s because when you make God a part of your life, there are some things about you that will never change. Every name on this list becomes a permanent aspect of who you are when you decide to trust Jesus. |
