Loved. Chosen. Secure.

Discover the unchanging truth about who you are in Christ—even when your feelings say otherwise.

“Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has gone, the new has come!” — 2 Corinthians 5:17

Jeremy sat on the edge of his bed, head in hands, heart heavy with guilt. Though he’d been a believer for years, he still felt like a spiritual failure. He constantly asked God for forgiveness, tried harder, did more, and still felt like he never measured up. When panic attacks hit and shame rolled in, he assumed God was disappointed in him again.

But then, something changed.

Jeremy began biblical counseling, and everything shifted when he was taught what Scripture really says about his identity in Christ.

If you're a believer in the Lord Jesus Christ, you've received an amazing new identity! You're a new person. You may not feel different every day, but truth doesn’t depend on feelings. God’s Word declares that the old you is gone, and the new has come.

This identity is not something you earned. It’s a gift of grace, given to you the moment you placed your faith in Jesus.

Jeremy had heard “you’re a new creation” before, but for the first time, he believed it. He learned that being in Christ didn’t just mean being forgiven—it meant being reborn, righteous, and deeply loved.

Let’s explore the core truths that helped Jeremy—and can help you—experience the freedom, confidence, and joy of living from your true identity in Christ.

You Are Totally Forgiven

“In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, in accordance with the riches of God’s grace.” — Ephesians 1:7

Many believers think they have to keep asking for forgiveness to stay in good standing with God. But Scripture teaches that all your sins—past, present, and future—were dealt with at the cross.

Jeremy wrestled with this. “But what about the sin I committed yesterday?” he asked. His counselor pointed him to the cross and reminded him: Jesus already paid for that.

Understanding that God wasn’t holding his sins over his head anymore was like a weight lifted from Jeremy’s soul.

You Are Perfectly Righteous

“This righteousness is given through faith in Jesus Christ to all who believe.” — Romans 3:22

At salvation, you were given the perfect righteousness of Christ. You can’t be more righteous than you are right now in Him. That’s your position before God—not based on performance, but on Christ’s finished work.

Jeremy had always tried to earn approval through Bible reading, service, and “being good.” But once he realized he already had Christ’s righteousness, those good works became joyful expressions of love, not desperate attempts to gain acceptance.

Christ Lives in You

“I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me.” — Galatians 2:20

Christ didn’t just save you—He moved in. Your body is His temple (1 Cor. 6:19). He is your life (Col. 3:4). The Christian life isn’t about trying harder; it’s about trusting Jesus to live through you.

Jeremy stopped white-knuckling his way through anxiety and started saying, “Jesus, I can’t—but You can.” He began to experience peace like never before. “It’s not all on me anymore,” he said. “He’s in me—and He’s enough.”

You Are God’s Child

“Yet to all who did receive him...he gave the right to become children of God.” — John 1:12

You’re not just forgiven—you’re family. God adopted you. He delights in you. He doesn’t keep His distance or tolerate you reluctantly. He’s your loving Father, and you are His cherished child.

This truth softened Jeremy’s harsh view of God. For years, he saw God as a disappointed judge. Now? He calls Him Father. “I don’t have to hide or perform,” Jeremy said. “I belong.”

You Are Fully Accepted

“Accept one another, then, just as Christ accepted you.” — Romans 15:7

God doesn’t wait for you to get your act together before He accepts you. In Christ, you are fully accepted right now, with all your flaws and weaknesses.

Jeremy used to think his worth was tied to his spiritual performance. But now, when he messes up, he runs to God, not away from Him. Why? Because acceptance in Christ is secure.

You Have Total Access to God

“In him and through faith in him we may approach God with freedom and confidence.” — Ephesians 3:12

You don’t need a spiritual middleman. You don’t need to clean yourself up before praying. You can talk to your Heavenly Father at any time, with total confidence, because you are in Christ.

Jeremy used to avoid prayer when he felt ashamed. Now? He prays with boldness. “Jesus gave me access,” he says. “I’m already welcome.”

You Are Complete

“You have been made complete in Christ.” — Colossians 2:10

You don’t need more to be whole. You don’t need a new experience, spiritual gift, or emotional high. In Christ, you already have everything you need to live a victorious life.

This was a game-changer for Jeremy. “I kept trying to ‘level up’ spiritually,” he said. “But realizing I was already complete gave me rest. Now I just grow in what’s already mine.”

You Are Free

“It is for freedom that Christ has set us free.” — Galatians 5:1

Jesus didn’t just save you from hell—He freed you from sin’s power and legalistic religion. You're not under the law. You’re under grace.

Jeremy’s church upbringing taught him to earn God’s blessings by following rules. “But it was exhausting,” he admitted. Biblical counseling showed him how to walk by the Spirit, not by self-effort. Now, obedience flows from love, not pressure.

You Are Secure—Forever

“Nothing will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.” — Romans 8:39

Once you have been born again of the Spirit, you cannot be unborn. You are sealed by the Holy Spirit (Eph. 1:13-14) and secure in the love of Christ.

Jeremy used to fear that his panic attacks meant he’d lost his salvation. Now he clings to God’s promises. “He’ll never let me go,” he says. “I’m safe in Christ forever.”

Time to Get Off the Religious Treadmill

Are you tired of trying to earn what God has already freely given you?

Jesus invites you to rest, not strive. “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest.” (Matt. 11:28)

Like Jeremy, you can stop performing and start resting. You can quit the exhausting effort to “be enough” and instead trust that Christ in you is more than enough.

The victorious Christian life isn’t found in keeping rules, managing sin, or performing for approval. It’s found in embracing your identity in Christ and letting Him live His life through you.

Let This Truth Transform You

Jeremy’s story is still being written—but one thing is clear: learning his identity in Christ changed everything.

And it can change everything for you, too.

You’re forgiven. Righteous. Loved. Secure. Complete. Free.

Not because of anything you’ve done, but because of everything Christ has done.

Now that’s something worth celebrating.

This article was inspired by Stephen J. Moll’s original, which you can read here. He is a seasoned pastor, a biblical counselor, and Dr. Lucy’s husband! Learn more about Pastor Steve and his areas of expertise on his page.