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

Who am I “in me” – who am I when I measure and define myself using myself as the standard?  Or when I allow myself to be defined by the measure and standards of others?  Here’s the language Paul uses in Galatians 3 and 4 to describe me “in me,” me trying to establish, secure or prove my identity by my status and performance:

• Foolish, bewitched/under an evil spell (3:1, 3)
•  under a curse (3:10) 
• prisoner of sin (3:22), prisoner kept by the law (3:23) 
• a slave (4:1, 3, 7-8)

Not much good news in that, is there?  But if I am who he says I am, what then?  Who am I, who are we, in Christ?

• Recipients of the indwelling Spirit (3:2, 5, 14)
• Children of Abraham (3:7), sharers in the blessing of Abraham (3:8-9)
• Redeemed from the curse of the law by the cross-cursedness of Christ (3:13-14)
• Justified, rectified, made righteous by faith in Christ (all of Paul and the New Testament!)
• Children of God (3:26)
• Clothed with/in Christ (3:26)
• One in Christ (3:28)
• Abraham’s “seed” (i.e., members of the one family God promised Abraham in Genesis 12:1-3) and therefore heirs (3:29)
• Enjoying the full rights of sons and daughters of God (4:5)
• Recipients of the God-sent Spirit, the “Abba-calling Spirit,” God sending himself in the Person of his Spirit into our hearts (4:6)
• Known by God (4:9) –not just “known about,” God being “aware” of our existence, but known personally, intimately and deeply; we are recognized, named, welcomed, included, cared for—known—in Christ
• Christ himself being formed in us (4:19)—because we are in Christ, he is being formed in us!
• Set free, liberated by Christ, in Christ, for Christ (4:21-5:15)

All of this, and so much more, is ours in Christ.  Not because we burrowed our way into him, but because he who is God tunneled his way into our humanity.  Not because we kept the Law, but because he has fulfilled it.  Not because we try hard but because he has accomplished it.  Not because of who we are but because of who he is.  Not because we made it happen but because by simple faith (trust in, allegiance to) Christ we receive both Christ himself and all that Christ has done.

Work your way prayerfully through the “identity in Christ” list above.  Which ones do you have a hard time believing or would like to understand better?  How could you pray those struggles and questions this week?