LEARN BY TOPIC

Identity in Christ

Understand belonging, grace, adoption and gifts directed toward the common good.

1. 1. Read and discover - Read lesson

   World English Bible

   Ephesians 1:3-14

   ³ Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places in Christ,

   ⁴ even as he chose us in him before the foundation of the world, that we would be holy and without defect before him in love,

   ⁵ having predestined us for adoption as children through Jesus Christ to himself, according to the good pleasure of his desire,

   ⁶ to the praise of the glory of his grace, by which he freely gave us favor in the Beloved.

   ⁷ In him we have our redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of his grace

   ⁸ which he made to abound toward us in all wisdom and prudence,

   ⁹ making known to us the mystery of his will, according to his good pleasure which he purposed in him

   ¹⁰ to an administration of the fullness of the times, to sum up all things in Christ, the things in the heavens and the things on the earth, in him.

   ¹¹ We were also assigned an inheritance in him, having been foreordained according to the purpose of him who does all things after the counsel of his will,

   ¹² to the end that we should be to the praise of his glory, we who had before hoped in Christ.

   ¹³ In him you also, having heard the word of the truth, the Good News of your salvation—in whom, having also believed, you were sealed with the promised Holy Spirit,

   ¹⁴ who is a pledge of our inheritance, to the redemption of God’s own possession, to the praise of his glory.

   Read the full chapter

   Understanding the passage

   Ephesians locates identity, adoption and redemption in Christ; communal language resists turning belonging into superiority.

   Reflect

   • What reasons for gratitude do you find in the blessings Paul describes?

   Put it into practice

   Treat another person as someone whose dignity exceeds achievement.

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2. 2. Grace and good works - Read lesson

   World English Bible

   Ephesians 2:1-10

   ¹ You were made alive when you were dead in transgressions and sins,

   ² in which you once walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit who now works in the children of disobedience.

   ³ We also all once lived among them in the lusts of our flesh, doing the desires of the flesh and of the mind, and were by nature children of wrath, even as the rest.

   ⁴ But God, being rich in mercy, for his great love with which he loved us,

   ⁵ even when we were dead through our trespasses, made us alive together with Christ—by grace you have been saved—

   ⁶ and raised us up with him, and made us to sit with him in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus,

   ⁷ that in the ages to come he might show the exceeding riches of his grace in kindness toward us in Christ Jesus;

   ⁸ for by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God,

   ⁹ not of works, that no one would boast.

   ¹⁰ For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared before that we would walk in them.

   Read the full chapter

   Understanding the passage

   Paul presents salvation as gift and good works as a prepared way of life; this order resists competition over merit.

   Reflect

   • How does Paul connect receiving grace with doing good?

   Put it into practice

   Do a good work from gratitude rather than comparison.

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3. 3. Children and heirs - Read lesson

   World English Bible

   Romans 8:14-17

   ¹⁴ For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, these are children of God.

   ¹⁵ For you didn’t receive the spirit of bondage again to fear, but you received the Spirit of adoption, by whom we cry, “Abba! Father!”

   ¹⁶ The Spirit himself testifies with our spirit that we are children of God;

   ¹⁷ and if children, then heirs—heirs of God and joint heirs with Christ, if indeed we suffer with him, that we may also be glorified with him.

   Read the full chapter

   Understanding the passage

   Paul describes adoption rather than slavery to fear; belonging includes shared suffering and hope.

   Reflect

   • How does Paul use adoption to describe a relationship with God?

   Put it into practice

   Welcome someone without making dignity depend on performance.

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4. 4. Putting on compassion - Read lesson

   World English Bible

   Colossians 3:12-17

   ¹² Put on therefore, as God’s chosen ones, holy and beloved, a heart of compassion, kindness, lowliness, humility, and perseverance;

   ¹³ bearing with one another, and forgiving each other, if any man has a complaint against any; even as Christ forgave you, so you also do.

   ¹⁴ Above all these things, walk in love, which is the bond of perfection.

   ¹⁵ And let the peace of God rule in your hearts, to which also you were called in one body, and be thankful.

   ¹⁶ Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly; in all wisdom teaching and admonishing one another with psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs, singing with grace in your heart to the Lord.

   ¹⁷ Whatever you do, in word or in deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him.

   Read the full chapter

   Understanding the passage

   The community is called to compassion, patience, forgiveness and gratitude; clothing imagery portrays love as visible habits.

   Reflect

   • Which habit does your community need during disagreement?

   Put it into practice

   Practice a patient response before reacting in conflict.

   Next lesson →

5. 5. Different gifts, one common good - Read lesson

   World English Bible

   1 Corinthians 12:4-11

   ⁴ Now there are various kinds of gifts, but the same Spirit.

   ⁵ There are various kinds of service, and the same Lord.

   ⁶ There are various kinds of workings, but the same God who works all things in all.

   ⁷ But to each one is given the manifestation of the Spirit for the profit of all.

   ⁸ For to one is given through the Spirit the word of wisdom, and to another the word of knowledge according to the same Spirit,

   ⁹ to another faith by the same Spirit, and to another gifts of healings by the same Spirit,

   ¹⁰ and to another workings of miracles, and to another prophecy, and to another discerning of spirits, to another different kinds of languages, and to another the interpretation of languages.

   ¹¹ But the one and the same Spirit produces all of these, distributing to each one separately as he desires.

   Read the full chapter

   Understanding the passage

   Paul attributes different gifts to the same Spirit and directs them toward common benefit; diversity does not justify rivalry.

   Reflect

   • How can different gifts benefit the whole community?

   Put it into practice

   Recognize and support another person’s ability without competing.