Restored Identity
Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has passed away, and see, the new has come! Everything is from God, who has reconciled us to himself through Christ and has given us a ministry of reconciliation. That is, in Christ, God was reconciling the world to himself, not counting their trespasses against them, and he has committed the message of reconciliation to us. Therefore we are ambassadors for Christ, since God is making his appeal through us. We plead on Christ’s behalf, “Be reconciled to God.” He made the one who did not know sin to be sin for us, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.
2 Corinthians 5:17-21 (CSB)
The apostle Paul speaks of the restored identity that arises when one enters a relationship with Jesus. This restored identity signifies a transition from being a sinner to becoming a saint. It involves returning to the role of representing the Lord while living here on earth. In the original creation, man and woman acted as stewards representing the Lord. Through the restoration that comes with salvation, we regain our status as representatives once again.
IDENTITY AS AN AMBASSADOR FOR CHRIST
An ambassador represents a leader. As a representative, the ambassador does not speak for themselves or devise the message by themselves. Instead, the ambassador speaks only the message given by the ruler. When restoration occurs in Christ, the individual becomes an ambassador for Christ. The new identity involves speaking the message of the Savior on behalf of the Savior while representing the Savior. This is part of the restored identity.
IDENTITY AS GOD’S MESSENGER
The restored identity signifies that the follower of Christ serves as both ambassador and messenger. The messenger conveys the message from one person to another. In this renewed identity, we share the message of the Savior with those in need of Him. The message we proclaim is the gospel, as it is the acceptance of the gospel that leads to restored identity. Therefore, we serve the Lord as both ambassador and messenger.
IDENTITY AS THE RIGHTEOUSNESS OF GOD
The new identity in Christ also brings believers into a life lived in the righteousness of God. We do not earn God's favor through righteousness because we could never be righteous enough. Instead, we gain this title because we are clothed and covered by the righteousness of Christ. We transition from wicked to redeemed, sinners to saints, and unrighteous to righteous. This change is not a self-driven effort; it occurs as a gift from God as part of our new identity that comes only through Christ.
QUESTIONS
How can we grow in our faithfulness to serve as an Ambassador of Christ as part of our new identity in Christ?
Why do we attempt to achieve righteousness apart from Christ?
