Lesson Description
In this lesson, we will examine what the Bible teaches about our old identity and our new life in Christ. We will learn that through Christ’s death and resurrection, we have been given a new identity. We will explore how understanding this truth helps us stop defining ourselves by our past and begin to understand who we are according to God’s Word.
1. Our Old Identity Was Connected to Our Former Life
Before coming to Christ, we lived according to our former nature and understanding. Sin influenced humanity, and we were separated from the life God gives through His Son.
However, when we believe in Jesus Christ, we receive eternal life. We are no longer to understand ourselves only through our former condition. God has brought us into a new relationship with Himself through Jesus Christ.
2 Corinthians 5:17 (KJV)
“Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new.”
This verse teaches us that being in Christ brings a new reality. Our past may explain some of our experiences, but it does not have the final authority to define our identity in Christ.
2. Our Old Man Was Crucified with Christ
The apostle Paul explains that our old man was crucified with Christ. This truth helps us understand that Christ’s work has changed our relationship with sin.
Romans 6:6 (KJV)
“Knowing this, that our old man is crucified with him, that the body of sin might be destroyed, that henceforth we should not serve sin.”
Notice that Paul begins with the word knowing. He wants believers to understand what happened through Christ’s death.
Our old man refers to our former identity in relation to sin. Through Christ, we have been brought into a new life. We are no longer required to live as slaves to sin, even though we may still face temptations and need to grow in our understanding and conduct.
3. We Have Been Raised to Walk in Newness of Life
Jesus did not die merely to improve our old life. Through His death and resurrection, we have been given a new standing and a new way of living.
Romans 6:4 (KJV)
“Therefore we are buried with him by baptism into death: that like as Christ was raised up from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life.”
Paul connects our new life with the resurrection of Jesus Christ. Just as Christ was raised from the dead, believers are called to walk in newness of life.
This means we should learn to live from the reality of what God has accomplished for us. We do not have to return to the thinking, habits, and patterns that characterized our former life. We can grow as we learn God’s Word and understand our identity in Christ.
4. We Are No Longer Defined by Our Past
Some believers continue to see themselves through their former failures, mistakes, or shame. They may believe that their past determines their worth before God.
However, the gospel teaches us to look at what Christ has accomplished rather than allowing our former life to become our permanent identity.
Colossians 3:9–10 (KJV)
“Lie not one to another, seeing that ye have put off the old man with his deeds;
And have put on the new man, which is renewed in knowledge after the image of him that created him:”
Paul explains that believers have put off the old man and put on the new man. He also emphasizes renewal in knowledge.
As we grow in our understanding of God’s Word, we learn to think differently and live in agreement with our new identity. We can acknowledge past mistakes, accept correction, and make responsible choices without treating our past as though Christ has done nothing to change us.
5. How Does This Truth Affect Our Daily Lives?
Understanding our new identity changes how we respond to temptation, failure, and condemnation.
When we make a mistake, we should not pretend that wrongdoing does not matter. Instead, we should acknowledge the truth, receive correction from God’s Word, and respond appropriately.
At the same time, we should not conclude that one failure has erased the new life we have received in Christ. We can learn, grow, and continue walking in the truth of the gospel.
Our confidence rests in Christ’s finished work, not in a claim that we have already achieved perfect behaviour.
6. A Practical Example
Imagine a person who previously lived with dishonesty. After believing in Christ, the person begins to understand that they have received new life and a new identity.
One day, they face a situation in which telling a lie would be easier than telling the truth.
Instead of thinking, “I have always been dishonest, so I cannot change,” the person remembers what God’s Word teaches. They choose to tell the truth, take responsibility for their actions, and continue learning how to live according to their new identity.
The change does not come from pretending the past never happened. It comes from understanding that the past does not have to control their present choices.
Remember
Through Jesus Christ, our old identity has been dealt with, and we have been given new life. We are no longer defined solely by our former condition. As we grow in the knowledge of God’s Word, we learn to walk in the newness of life we have received in Christ.