We are a new creation (2 Cor. 5:17), yet disciples struggle with their identity in Christ. It is about grace, of course, but also discipleship, learning who they are in Christ.

I hope this list is a blessing to you as much as it is to me.

Word Study on Disciple

Let’s get started.

I.. Introduction

A.. Be watchful

Satan and our own minds tell them us we are no good, because we have sinned too many times for God to forgive us. We are worthless and useless to God and his mission for them. However, here are verses that proclaim who you are “in him” or “in Christ.”

I also include other prepositions, like “from” or “through.” The other prepositions also speak of our relationship with God through Christ.

B..  Encouragement

Let these biblical truths enter your heart and mind and reject the self-destructive thoughts. Renew your mind with Scripture. Obtain victory over sinful habits and satanic attacks.

Being “in Christ” speaks of our union with him, an intimate relationship, our safety, our salvation, our redemption, our reconciliation, and our forgiveness.

C.. Word about the scope

I look only at the epistles. My comments introduce each passage.  See a boiled-down summary list at the end of this post. All bold font has been added to the quoted Scripture.

D. Life in the Spirit

The section on pneumatology shows that we disciples are filled with the Spirit. Sanctification and discipleship assumes that the Spirit lives in us. We cannot live a holy life without the Holy Spirit and grace empowering us. Discipleship is the practical outworking of sanctification in their hearts by the Holy Spirit.

All bold font has been inserted.

II.. Romans

A.. Declared righteousness

These verses are power-packed about salvation and reconciliation to God through Christ:  “Justified” means “declared righteous” by God.

⁹ Since we have now been justified by his blood, how much more shall we be saved from God’s wrath through him! ¹⁰ For if, while we were God’s enemies, we were reconciled to him through the death of his Son, how much more, having been reconciled, shall we be saved through his life! ¹¹ Not only is this so, but we also boast in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have now received reconciliation. (Rom. 5:9-11)

B.. Dying to self

Dying with Christ means dying to our sinful life (though he himself was without sin). We live with him right now and at our death and entry into heaven by his grace.

⁸ Now if we died with Christ, we believe that we will also live with him. (Rom. 6:8)

We are alive to God in Christ right now:

¹¹ In the same way, count yourselves dead to sin but alive to God in Christ Jesus. (Rom. 6:11)

C.. Eternal life.

For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord. (Rom. 6:23)

D.. No condemnation

These two verses may be the best of all:

Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus, ² because through Christ Jesus the law of the Spirit who gives life has set you free from the law of sin and death.  (Rom. 8:1-2)

E,. Adoption into God’s family

These verses are full of edifying truths. They show that we have been adopted into God’s family:

¹⁴ For those who are led by the Spirit of God are the children of God. ¹⁵ The Spirit you received does not make you slaves, so that you live in fear again; rather, the Spirit you received brought about your adoption to sonship. And by him we cry, “Abba, Father.” ¹⁶ The Spirit himself testifies with our spirit that we are God’s children. ¹⁷ Now if we are children, then we are heirs—heirs of God and co-heirs with Christ, if indeed we share in his sufferings in order that we may also share in his glory. (Rom. 8:14-17)

F.. More than conquerors

This verse comes in the context of all the possible opponents who endeavor to throw us off track. Note the outcome of God’s sustaining power:

³⁷ No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. (Rom. 8:37)

III.. First Corinthians

A.. Sanctification

We have been sanctified in Christ and called to be his holy people.

² To the church of God in Corinth, to those sanctified in Christ Jesus and called to be his holy people […] (1 Cor. 1:2)

B.. The truth

These next verses say that because of his grace given to you in Christ, you have been enriched with all speech and all knowledge; that is, we are able in him to speak and know God’s truth:

⁴ I always thank my God for you because of his grace given you in Christ Jesus. ⁵ For in him you have been enriched in every way—with all kinds of speech and with all knowledge (1 Cor. 1:4-5)

C.. Christ’s resurrection

Paul is about to teach the opposite of what these verses claim:

¹⁶ For if the dead are not raised, then Christ has not been raised either. ¹⁷ And if Christ has not been raised, your faith is futile; you are still in your sins. ¹⁸ Then those also who have fallen asleep in Christ are lost. ¹⁹ If only for this life we have hope in Christ, we are of all people most to be pitied. (1 Cor. 15:16-19)

D.. The correct doctrine of the resurrection

Here Paul continues and teaches the correct doctrine. “Fallen asleep” means “died”:

²⁰ But Christ has indeed been raised from the dead, the firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep. ²¹ For since death came through a man, the resurrection of the dead comes also through a man. ²² For as in Adam all die, so in Christ all will be made alive. (! Cor. 15:20-21)

IV.. Second Corinthians

A.. Comfort and consolation

Those two things come through Christ come after suffering.

 ⁵ For just as we share abundantly in the sufferings of Christ, so also our comfort abounds through Christ. (2 Cor. 1:5)

B.. Christ in you

These verses show how powerful Christ is in you, as you receive his promises and have been anointed by the Spirit, who is the deposit of good things to come in the eternal kingdom:

¹⁹ For the Son of God, Jesus Christ, who was preached among you by us—by me and Silas and Timothy—was not “Yes” and “No,” but in him it has always been “Yes.” ²⁰ For no matter how many promises God has made, they are “Yes” in Christ. And so through him the “Amen” is spoken by us to the glory of God. ²¹ Now it is God who makes both us and you stand firm in Christ. He anointed us, ²² set his seal of ownership on us, and put his Spirit in our hearts as a deposit, guaranteeing what is to come. (2 Cor. 1:19-22)

C.. Confidence of believers

The confidence Paul is writing about next comes from the work he has done among the Corinthians. Yet in the next verses (not included), he says his confidence comes from God. Right here, though, it comes through Christ. We can be confident before God Almighty. “Before” can mean “in the presence of.” Amazing, if you think about it.

⁴ Such confidence we have through Christ before God. (2 Cor. 3:4)

D.. No longer dull minds

Paul is teaching us about the ancient Israelites and even his fellow Jews of his day. In Christ a veil is taken away, so they can see the truth that he is their Messiah.

¹⁴ But their minds were made dull, for to this day the same veil remains when the old covenant is read. It has not been removed, because only in Christ is it taken away. (2 Cor. 3:14)

E.. Ever-increasing glory

Sorry, but I have to sneak in the preposition “from,” because this verse is so powerful:

¹⁸ And we all, who with unveiled faces contemplate the Lord’s glory, are being transformed into his image with ever-increasing glory, which comes from the Lord, who is the Spirit. (2 Cor. 3:18)

F.. New creations

These wonderful verses say we are new creations and have been reconciled to God through Christ. God does not count our sins against us, now that we are in union or relationship with his Son.

¹⁷ Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come: The old has gone, the new is here! ¹⁸ All this is from God, who reconciled us to himself through Christ and gave us the ministry of reconciliation: ¹⁹ that God was reconciling the world to himself in Christ, not counting people’s sins against them. […] (2 Cor. 5:17:19)

G.. The righteousness of God.

The next promise is marvelous. It is called the Great Exchange because he became a sin offering vicariously or representatively, and in him we become righteous: This is ethical or moral justification.

God made him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God. (2 Cor. 5:21)

V.. Galatians

A.. Freedom from obsolete rituals

In the next verse “the matter” is circumcision as a sign of salvation in the New Covenant. Instead of practicing this old ritual, we are free in Christ by our faith in him.

 ⁴ This matter arose because some false believers had infiltrated our ranks to spy on the freedom we have in Christ Jesus and to make us slaves. (Gal. 2:4)

B.. Justification

Our faith in Christ leads to our justification in him. We have been justified (declared righteous) in Christ Jesus. We have put our faith in Christ; then we are justified in Christ. We no longer have to be law keepers to be declared righteous.

¹⁶ know that a person is not justified by the works of the law, but by faith in Jesus Christ. So we, too, have put our faith in Christ Jesus that we may be justified by faith in Christ and not by the works of the law, because by the works of the law no one will be justified. (Gal. 2:16)

Abraham’s blessing is Christ; by faith in him, we may receive the Spirit. Abraham’s blessing is not his wealth, as the Word-of-Faith men erroneously teach in Galatians 3.

C.. Blessing

We are in Christ and are blessed.

¹⁴ He redeemed us in order that the blessing given to Abraham might come to the Gentiles through Christ Jesus, so that by faith we might receive the promise of the Spirit. (Gal. 3:14)

D.. Our crucifixion and new life in him

When we are crucified with him, he lives in us.

²⁰ I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I now live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me. (Gal. 3:20)

E.. Unity after baptism

Note the unity in Christ after we were baptized into Christ, when we converted. Let’s wrap ourselves or clothe ourselves with him. We do this by our faith in him. Now our invisible (to us they are invisible) outer garments are as white as snow because he is the clothing.

²⁶ So in Christ Jesus you are all children of God through faith, ²⁷ for all of you who were baptized into Christ have clothed yourselves with Christ. ²⁸ There is neither Jew nor Gentile, neither slave nor free, nor is there male and female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus.  (Gal. 3:26-28)

F.. Liberty

In Christ, there is liberty without keeping the obsolete ritual of circumcision and other former rituals (see Col. 2:16-17, 20-23, below).

 ⁶ For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision nor uncircumcision has any value. The only thing that counts is faith expressing itself through love. (Gal. 5:6)

VI.. Ephesians

A.. Every spiritual blessing

\We have been blessed with every spiritual blessing in Christ in the heavenly realms:

³ Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in the heavenly realms with every spiritual blessing in Christ. (Eph. 1:3)

B.. The goal of our election

We are elect in Christ to be holy and blameless. Read the follow-up verses carefully. They are talking to believers, those already in Christ. They are chosen and predestined to be holy and blameless and fully adopted. They are adopted now, but full adoption comes at the end of this age (see Rom. 8:15, 23). The verses have nothing to do with electing and predestining unsaved people to be saved in the first place: Instead, only believers are the elect or the chosen, collectively, together. Only believers are adopted and they are fully adopted at the end of all things.

⁴ For he chose us in him before the creation of the world to be holy and blameless in his sight. In love ⁵  he predestined  us for adoption to sonship through Jesus Christ, in accordance with his pleasure and will— ⁶ to the praise of his glorious grace, which he has freely given us in the One he loves. (Eph. 1:4-6)

Please read the next long passage carefully also. It speaks of believers who heard the message and believed and put their hope in Christ. They are the chosen ones–in him. Only believers are the chosen ones, and this does not mean that God ignored others out of his sovereign decree. In any case, then the believers received a seal, the Holy Spirit, to guarantee what is to come, that is, full redemption in heaven and then the eternal kingdom (Eph. 1:21 and 2:7).

¹¹ In him we were also chosen, having been predestined according to the plan of him who works out everything in conformity with the purpose of his will, ¹² in order that we, who were the first to put our hope in Christ, might be for the praise of his glory. ¹³ And you also were included in Christ when you heard the message of truth, the gospel of your salvation. When you believed, you were marked in him with a seal, the promised Holy Spirit, ¹⁴ who is a deposit guaranteeing our inheritance until the redemption of those who are God’s possession—to the praise of his glory. (Eph. 1:11-14)

C.. Redemption and forgiveness through his blood

Paul is still speaking to believers, you and me. Redemption by his blood and forgiveness of sins comes to us by God’s grace, not by by our own good character or good works. When we sin, we are not thrown out of his kingdom. He wants to work with us (not reject us) to help us overcome our sins:

⁷ In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, in accordance with the riches of God’s grace ⁸ that he lavished on us. (Eph. 1:7-8)

D.. God’s love for us

Everything starts with and flows from God’s love for us.

 ⁴ But because of his great love for us, God, who is rich in mercy, ⁵ made us alive with Christ even when we were dead in transgressions—it is by grace you have been saved. ⁶ And God raised us up with Christ and seated us with him in the heavenly realms in Christ Jesus, ⁷ in order that in the coming ages he might show the incomparable riches of his grace, expressed in his kindness to us in Christ Jesus. (Eph. 2:4-7)

Next, the main point is God’s love for us. This may be one of the greatest passages in the entire Bible.

¹⁴ For this reason I kneel before the Father, ¹⁵ from whom every family in heaven and on earth derives its name. ¹⁶ I pray that out of his glorious riches he may strengthen you with power through his Spirit in your inner being, ¹⁷ so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith. And I pray that you, being rooted and established in love, ¹⁸ may have power, together with all the Lord’s holy people, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ, ¹⁹ and to know this love that surpasses knowledge—that you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God. (Eph. 3:14-19)

E.. Purpose of our being raised up

We are raised up in Christ to do good works. Continuing on, these verses keep getting better. We have been raised up in Christ in the heavenly realms. God has been kind to us by his grace which is in Christ Jesus. After we are saved, we are called to do good works. “Handiwork” is where we get our word “poem.” We are his poem, so to speak.

⁸ For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God— ⁹ not by works, so that no one can boast. ¹⁰ For we are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do. (Eph. 2:8-10)

F.. Reconciliation to God

This verse is about Jews and Gentiles being reconciled because Gentiles are now, through Christ, part of God’s family, the heirs of all of God’s promises in the Old Testament:

But now in Christ Jesus you who once were far away have been brought near by the blood of Christ. (Eph. 2:13)

G.. Unity among Jewish and Gentile believers

Paul is still speaking of Jews and Gentiles united together in Christ by God’s grace:

His purpose was to create in himself one new humanity out of the two, thus making peace, (Eph. 2:15)

Paul continues his truth of unity between formerly separated peoples, Jews and Gentiles.

⁶ This mystery is that through the gospel the Gentiles are heirs together with Israel, members together of one body, and sharers together in the promise in Christ Jesus. (Eph. 3:6)

His eternal purpose was the salvation of Gentiles and Jews–everyone who places their faith in the Messiah. (Recall Eph. 2:8-9, above). What is the result? In Christ, everyone may approach God with freedom and confidence. We don’t have to wonder whether we have his permission to approach with freedom and confidence. We do have his permission, in him. We are free to approach him. And we don’t have to cower before God the Father as we draw near to him.

¹⁰ His intent was that now, through the church, the manifold wisdom of God should be made known to the rulers and authorities in the heavenly realms, ¹¹ according to his eternal purpose that he accomplished in Christ Jesus our Lord. ¹² In him and through faith in him we may approach God with freedom and confidence. (Eph. 3:10-12)

H.. Access to God

Now we have access to God the Father by his Spirit and through Christ. A nice trinitarian verse:

For through him we both have access to the Father by one Spirit. (Eph. 2:18)

I.. The living temple of God

Kingdom citizens are now the temple of God. The Old Testament temple has been fulfilled and replaced by his church. God lives in us by his Spirit. We are now God’s dwelling place:

In him the whole building is joined together and rises to become a holy temple in the Lord. ²² And in him you too are being built together to become a dwelling in which God lives by his Spirit. (Eph. 2:21-22)

J.. New life in Christ

In these next verses Paul is contrasting the old sinful ways of the unsaved Ephesians with their (and our) new life in Christ:

²⁰ That, however, is not the way of life you learned ²¹ when you heard about Christ and were taught in him in accordance with the truth that is in Jesus (Eph. 4:20-21)

K.. Forgive one another.

Forgiven people forgive people. Speaking of new life in Christ, Paul continues this theme with this verse. You are forgiven in Christ; therefore forgive each other:

³² Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you. (Eph. 4:32)

L.. Walking in love

Forgive me, but I have to include this wonderful truth, even though the key prepositions are not there:

¹ Follow God’s example, therefore, as dearly loved children ² and walk in the way of love, just as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us as a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God. (Eph. 5:1-2)

To walk means to live. It is revealing that we used to be darkness itself in our former life, before we were saved. But now we are his light. Only in him, not in ourselves, can we be his light. He must shine through us. He is our light source.

M.. The light in the Lord

⁸ For you were once darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Live as children of light (Eph. 5:8)

N.. Strength through any circumstance

This next verse introduces the magnificent verses (not included here) about putting on the full armor of God. We can only be strong in him.

¹⁰ Finally, be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power. (Eph. 6:10)

VII.. Philippians

A.. Dying or living?

Paul is torn between living and serving God or dying in Christ. When we die in Christ, we will be with him, immediately.

²³ I am torn between the two: I desire to depart and be with Christ, which is better by far; […] (Phil 1:23)

B.. Joy in the Spirit

The “if’s” here are rhetorical. The truths behind them are real.

Therefore if you have any encouragement from being united with Christ, if any comfort from his love, if any common sharing in the Spirit, if any tenderness and compassion, ² then make my joy complete by being like-minded, having the same love, being one in spirit and of one mind. (Phil. 2:1-2)

C.. Contrasting the old life with the new life

This verse contrasts Paul’s old religious life with new life that comes with faith in Christ:

[…] I consider them garbage, that I may gain Christ ⁹ and be found in him, not having a righteousness of my own that comes from the law, but that which is through faith in Christ—the righteousness that comes from God on the basis of faith. (Phil. 3:8-9)

D.. Our ultimate mission

God called Paul heavenward. He calls us to the same place.

¹⁴ I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus. (Phil. 3:14)

E.. Peace of God.

Being in Christ brings the peace of God. It will guard your heart.

⁷ And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. (Phil. 4:7)

F.. Christ’s power in us

Paul was writing about the difficult circumstances he was going through. Nonetheless, he proclaims:

¹³ I can do all this through him who gives me strength. (Phil. 4:13)

Don’t allow any restrictive teacher to take this verse away from you. It also applies to your difficult circumstance.

VIII.. Colossians

A.. Redemption and the forgiveness of sins

Paul repeats the same theme here as he did in Ephesians.

¹³ For he has rescued us from the dominion of darkness and brought us into the kingdom of the Son he loves, ¹⁴ in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins. (Col. 1:13-14)

B.. Reconciliation

We are part of “all things” that are reconciled to God through Christ.

¹⁹ For God was pleased to have all his fullness dwell in him, ²⁰ and through him to reconcile to himself all things, whether things on earth or things in heaven, by making peace through his blood, shed on the cross. (Col. 1:19-20)

C.. Full maturity.

We have full maturity only in Christ. Christ works energy in Paul (and us).

²⁸ He is the one we proclaim, admonishing and teaching everyone with all wisdom, so that we may present everyone fully mature in Christ. ²⁹ To this end I strenuously contend with all the energy Christ so powerfully works in me. (Col. 1:28-29)

D.. Rooted and built up in him

Let’s shift gears and find out what the results are of Christ in us. We must continue to live in him and be rooted and built up in him.

⁶ So then, just as you received Christ Jesus as Lord,  continue to live your lives in him, ⁷ rooted and built up in him, strengthened in the faith as you were taught, and overflowing with thankfulness. (Col. 2:6-7)

In him we have been brought to fullness, because his presence and God lives in us (see Eph. 4:19, above). “Fullness,” to me, is eschatological. We can be sure that we will be glorified in him at his Second Coming. Yet we can taste (experience) it right now (see 2 Thess. 1:12, below).

⁹ For in Christ all the fullness of the Deity lives in bodily form, ¹⁰ and in Christ you have been brought to fullness. He is the head over every power and authority. (Col. 2:9-10)

E.. Spiritual circumcision

Our hearts have been renewed with a spiritual circumcision, and in Paul’s theology circumcision means cutting out (removing) our sinful nature:

 ¹¹ In him you were also circumcised with a circumcision not performed by human hands. Your whole self ruled by the flesh was put off when you were circumcised by Christ, ¹² having been buried with him in baptism, in which you were also raised with him through your faith in the working of God, who raised him from the dead. (Col. 2:9-12)

F.. Christ triumphs over hostile powers.

Christ triumphed over hostile (satanic) powers through the cross and canceled decrees leveled against us. He triumphed over powers and authorities (both human and demonic) through the cross

¹³ When you were dead in your sins and in the uncircumcision of your flesh, God made you alive with Christ. He forgave us all our sins, ¹⁴ having canceled the charge of our legal indebtedness, which stood against us and condemned us; he has taken it away, nailing it to the cross. ¹⁵ And having disarmed the powers and authorities, he made a public spectacle of them, triumphing over them by the cross. (Col. 2:13-15)

G.. No more need for the old festivals and elemental things

Don’t pay any attention to the old festivals and new moons and sabbaths. In Christ they find their fulfillment.

¹⁶ Therefore do not let anyone judge you by what you eat or drink, or with regard to a religious festival, a New Moon celebration or a Sabbath day. ¹⁷ These are a shadow of the things that were to come; the reality, however, is found in Christ.  (Col. 2:16-17)

See how much liberty we have to avoid all sorts of strange and enslaving rituals and austerity and elemental forces of this world, when we have been crucified with Christ.

²⁰ Since you died with Christ to the elemental spiritual forces of this world, why, as though you still belonged to the world, do you submit to its rules: ²¹ “Do not handle! Do not taste! Do not touch!”? ²² These rules, which have to do with things that are all destined to perish with use, are based on merely human commands and teachings. ²³ Such regulations indeed have an appearance of wisdom, with their self-imposed worship, their false humility and their harsh treatment of the body, but they lack any value in restraining sensual indulgence. (Col. 2:20-23)

H.. Set your minds on heavenly things.

Our minds must catch up to our position in Christ. Set your heart and mind on things above.

Since, then, you have been raised with Christ, set your hearts on things above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. ² Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things. ³ For you died, and your life is now hidden with Christ in God. ⁴ When Christ, who is your life, appears, then you also will appear with him in glory. (Col. 3:1-4)

IX.. First and Second Thessalonians

A.. Dying in him

Dying in him guarantees we will rise with him. “Fallen asleep” means “died.”

¹³ Brothers and sisters, we do not want you to be uninformed about those who sleep in death, so that you do not grieve like the rest of mankind, who have no hope. ¹⁴ For we believe that Jesus died and rose again, and so we believe that God will bring with Jesus those who have fallen asleep in him. (1 Thess. 4:13-14)

B.. The Second Coming

We will meet him in the air. At the Second Coming, the dead in Christ will rise first, and then we who are alive will also go up to meet him in the air and then escort him back to earth, as ancient Greeks and Romans did when a dignitary came into their city. The main point is that the dead in Christ are guaranteed to rise up from their burials with glorified bodies, and the same for us who are alive at his coming.

¹⁶ For the Lord himself will come down from heaven, with a loud command, with the voice of the archangel and with the trumpet call of God, and the dead in Christ will rise first. ¹⁷ After that, we who are still alive and are left will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And so we will be with the Lord forever. ¹⁸ Therefore encourage one another with these words. (1 Thess. 4:16-18)

C.. Live together in him.

Sleep is a metaphor for death.

 ⁹ For God did not appoint us to suffer wrath but to receive salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ. ¹⁰ He died for us so that, whether we are awake or asleep, we may live together with him. (1 Thess. 5:9-10)

D.. Our future glory

We can be glorified in Christ. We will be fully glorified in him at his Second Coming and then living in the eternal kingdom:

¹² We pray this so that the name of our Lord Jesus may be glorified in you, and you in him, according to the grace of our God and the Lord Jesus Christ. (2 Thess. 1:12)

X.. Second Timothy

A.. God’s plan

God had us in mind before the beginning of time.

⁹ He has saved us and called us to a holy life—not because of anything we have done but because of his own purpose and grace. This grace was given us in Christ Jesus before the beginning of time, (2 Tim. 1:9)

B.. We are the elect.

The elect is everyone in Christ, as a collective, together with other believers. Salvation is in Christ, and he will take us to glory, while we remain in Christ’s salvation.

¹⁰ Therefore I endure everything for the sake of the elect, that they too may obtain the salvation that is in Christ Jesus, with eternal glory. (2 Tim. 2:10)

C.. Persevere only in Christ.

We can keep a certain pattern of sound teaching and have faith and love, but only in Christ.

¹³ What you heard from me, keep as the pattern of sound teaching, with faith and love in Christ Jesus. (2 Tim. 1:13)

D.. Persecution

What happens to us when we live godly lives in Christ Jesus?

¹² In fact, everyone who wants to live a godly life in Christ Jesus will be persecuted, (2 Tim. 2:12)

XI.. Hebrews

A.. Our eternal share

We share in Christ, if we persevere until the end. “Share” can just as easily be translated as “companions” or “partners.” Note the warning tagged on:

¹⁴ We have come to share in Christ, if indeed we hold our original conviction firmly to the very end. (Heb. 3:14)

B., Christ the intercessor

He intercedes with him. We come to God through Christ; that’s our part. What happens then? He saves us completely because he lives to intercede for us.

²⁵ Therefore he is able to save completely those who come to God through him, because he always lives to intercede for them. (Heb. 7:25)

XII.. James

A.. Act in wisdom

These two passages contrast wisdom from below (earthly, unspiritual, demonic) with wisdom from above. Pray for wisdom from heaven, that is, from God (see James 1:5-8).

¹³ Who is wise and understanding among you? Let them show it by their good life, by deeds done in the humility that comes from wisdom. ¹⁴ But if you harbor bitter envy and selfish ambition in your hearts, do not boast about it or deny the truth. ¹⁵ Such “wisdom” does not come down from heaven but is earthly, unspiritual, demonic. ¹⁶ For where you have envy and selfish ambition, there you find disorder and every evil practice. (Jas. 3:13-15)

B.. Heavenly wisdom

This is the wisdom we need in our daily, personal lives and in community together.

¹⁷ But the wisdom that comes from heaven is first of all pure; then peace-loving, considerate, submissive, full of mercy and good fruit, impartial and sincere. ¹⁸ Peacemakers who sow in peace reap a harvest of righteousness. (Jas. 3:17-18)

XIII.. First Peter

A.. The means of our faith in God.

We believe in God only through Christ.

²¹ Through him you believe in God, who raised him from the dead and glorified him, and so your faith and hope are in God. (1 Peter 1:21)

B.. Eternal glory

We are called to eternal glory, after we suffer a little while. Keep your perspective eternal and remain steady during tough times.

¹⁰ And the God of all grace, who called you to his eternal glory in Christ, after you have suffered a little while, will himself restore you and make you strong, firm and steadfast. ¹¹ To him be the power for ever and ever. Amen. (1 Peter 5:10-11)

XIV.. First and Second John

A.. Intimacy with God

John speaks of the intimacy between God in us and we in God or his Son. Once we are in him, we must obey his word and live as he did Being in him is the only way we can do this.

⁵ But if anyone obeys his word, love for God is truly made complete in them. This is how we know we are in him: ⁶ Whoever claims to live in him must live as Jesus did. (1 John 2:5-6)

We live in God and God lives in us. I love the precious circle of life in God. His Spirit lives in us. Our relationship is intimate. We acknowledge that Jesus is the Son of God. The Trinity is at work in these verses.

¹² No one has ever seen God; but if we love one another, God lives in us and his love is made complete in us. ¹³ This is how we know that we live in him and he in us: He has given us of his Spirit. ¹⁴ And we have seen and testify that the Father has sent his Son to be the Savior of the world. ¹⁵ If anyone acknowledges that Jesus is the Son of God, God lives in them and they in God.  ¹⁶ And so we know and rely on the love God has for us. (1 John 4:13-16)

B.. The anointing

Anointing means God empowers us to live in him and know him and truth. John says that the anointing and his community not needing anyone to teach them comes in the context of those trying to lead John’s community astray. Later John will say that if anyone knows God, he will listen to John and those in leadership (see 1 John 4:6).

²⁶ I am writing these things to you about those who are trying to lead you astray. ²⁷ As for you, the anointing you received from him remains in you, and you do not need anyone to teach you. But as his anointing teaches you about all things and as that anointing is real, not counterfeit—just as it has taught you, remain in him. (1 John 2:26-27)

C.. No shame at the Second Coming

We do not have to be ashamed at his Second Coming if we continue in him.

²⁸ And now, dear children, continue in him, so that when he appears we may be confident and unashamed before him at his coming. (1 John 2:28)

D.. Purged of habitual sins

One sign that we are in him is to purge out habitual sin. We can do this only by Christ in us.

⁶ No one who lives in him keeps on sinning. No one who continues to sin has either seen him or known him. (1 John 3:6-7)

E.. God’s life in us

We can only keep his commands when God lives in us. He is the source of our power. We know he lives in us by his Spirit living in us.

²⁴ The one who keeps God’s commands lives in him, and he in them. And this is how we know that he lives in us: We know it by the Spirit he gave us. (1 John 3:24)

F.. God’s love through his Son.

We live through God’s Son because God showed his love for us by sending him into the world.

⁹ This is how God showed his love among us: He sent his one and only Son into the world that we might live through him. (1 John 4:9)

G.. Grace, mercy and peace:

Those three words encompass everything the Christian needs in his life.

³ Grace, mercy and peace from God the Father and from Jesus Christ, the Father’s Son, will be with us in truth and love. (2 John 3)

H.. Honorable mention

I said I was quoting only the epistles, but please remember John 15 and the branches being in the vine. Jesus is your life source for living the Christian life.

XV.. Jude

A.. The Father’s love

To those who have been called, who are loved in God the Father and kept for Jesus Christ: (Jude 1)

B. Praying in the Spirit

We offer prayers in the Holy Spirit and keep yourselves in God’s love:

²⁰ But you, dear friends, by building yourselves up in your most holy faith and praying in the Holy Spirit, ²¹ keep yourselves in God’s love as you wait for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ to bring you to eternal life. (Jude 20-21)

XVI.. Application

A.. What this list is not.

Here is a summary list of the wonderful truths which renew our minds and transform our lives by being in Christ. I write the list in the first person because individually we experience all of these things. The goal here is pastoral. It is not the excessive “positive confession” doctrine which veers away from Scripture. “I am a winner! I can get rich quick!” Worst of all, this post has nothing to do with the “Law of Attraction.” No. It is about your growth in Christ, your discipleship, so you can know the truth of what he did for you.

B.. Confess these truths out loud.

Here are the Bible verses listed above, boiled down to their essence. Let’s confess the correct biblical doctrine.

In and through Christ …..

• I am saved from God’s (judicial) wrath at judgment.
• I am reconciled to God.
• I have salvation.
• I have life with him.
• I have eternal life.
• I am not condemned but free from the law of sin and death.
• I am adopted by God to be his son or daughter, so I am no longer a slave.
• I am a co-heir with Christ and no longer a slave.
• The Spirit has set me free from sin and death.
• I suffer with him to share in his glory.
• I am more than a conqueror, though I suffer.
• I am in the process of being sanctified or being made holy.
• Grace enriches me in every way, including in speech and knowledge.
• I hope in Christ.
• I will be made alive at his Second Coming.
• I have comfort.
• His promises to me are yes and amen.
• He anointed me and set his seal, his ownership, his Spirit, in me.
• He put his Spirit in my heart and guarantees my goal of heaven.
• I have confidence before God, before his holy presence.
• The veil covering up Christ’s glory has been removed from my eyes.
• I experience ever-increasing glory.
• I am a new creation.
• I am the righteousness from God.
• God is the source of my righteousness.
• God declares me righteous (justified) by faith in Christ, his Son.
• I have been clothed with Christ, by faith,
• I have freedom from sin.
• I am blessed with God’s promise to Abraham, which is his offspring, Jesus, and the promised Holy Spirit.
• I am crucified with Christ who loves me and gave himself for me.
• I am united with all the children of God through Christ.
• I am blessed with every spiritual blessing in heavenly places.
• I am chosen to be holy and blameless.
• I am destined to be adopted by God.
• Grace was given to me freely.
• I have redemption by his blood and the forgiveness of sins according to the riches of his grace which he lavished on me.
• I was chosen.
• I am heading towards glory.
• I am marked with the seal of the Spirit, which reassures me that I will make it to glory (heaven).
• I have been made alive when I was once dead in my sins and transgressions.
• God raised me up and seated me in heavenly places.
• God extends to me grace and kindness.
• Salvation is by grace through faith, not by my good works or good character.
• We are his handiwork (his poem), created to do good works (after salvation by grace through faith).
• I am brought near to God through his Son’s blood.
• I am a member of one new humanity and have peace with the other members.
• I have access to God through his Spirit.
• I am part of God’s temple with all the other believers, in unity with them.
• I have new life in Christ.
• I have the wisdom of God.
• God forgives me so therefore I forgive others.
• I am strengthened with power in my inner being.
• Christ dwells in my heart through faith.
• I am rooted and grounded in his love.
• I experience the width, length, height, and depth of God’s love for me.
• I used to be darkness, but now I am God’s light.
• I am strong.
• I will be with Christ when I die.
• I am united with Christ and share in his Spirit with tenderness and kindness.
• My righteousness is through faith (not on the basis of my good works).
• I am going heavenward.
• The peace of God transcends my mind and guards my heart.
• I can do all things through him who strengthens me..
• I am rescued from the domain of darkness and have been transferred to the kingdom of his beloved Son.
• I have redemption and forgiveness of my sins.
• I am moving towards full maturity.
• I live for him.
• I am rooted and built up in him.
• I am being strengthened by faith.
• I am overflowing with thankfulness.
• I have been brought to fullness (God’s presence through his Spirit).
• I have put away life in the flesh (no longer life in my sins).
• Accusations and charges against me from the devil have been canceled and have been nailed to the cross.
• I am free from old religious rituals and have experienced the reality, which is Christ.
• I have died with Christ and am raised with him.
• I set my heart on heavenly things.
• I set my mind on things above.
• My life is hidden with Christ.
• I will appear with him in glory.
• I will rise with Christ at his Second Coming.
• I will go to heaven because I die in Christ.
• I have hope in God and do not grieve as the world does, when a loved one dies in Christ.
• I am glorified with him in accordance with his grace.
• I had grace before time began.
• I experience faith and love.
• I will obtain final glory.
• I share with others in unity.
• I live a godly life.
• I am experiencing complete salvation because he intercedes for me.
• I have wisdom from heaven.
• I believe in God.
• I am called to eternal glory.
• I obey his commands.
• I live as Jesus lived.
• I have an anointing.
• I remain in him.
• I continue in him.
• I purge out habitual sins.
• I keep his commands when God lives in me.
• I live through him.
• He has given me his Spirit who lives in me.
• I am loved in God the Father.
• I pray in the Spirit.
• I keep myself in God’s love.
• I have grace, mercy, and peace.

C.. Conclusion

These promises are real. You cannot do those things by your own willpower. You have to be in Christ, which is union with him. When you are saved, you are in union with him; you are in Christ.

The truths in the list are for the entire church who put their faith in him. The people of God are strong when they are united in him. But the list is also for you personally. Read this list over and over to get it in your heart and mind. Let it renew your mind so you can become a brand-new creation, reconciled to God and redeemed and forgiven through his Son’s blood.

The arrows mean “leads to”:

Renewing your mind → Living for God → Victorious life