We’re honored to have Cheli Sigler join us on the blog today! Cheli is on the HelloMornings writing team and has contributed to several Bible studies there. We’re thankful that she has contributed this article, My Identity in Christ is Real, to our series Who Am I? Exploring Our Identity in Christ. Cheli encourages us by the fact that Jesus calls us to more than a “basic” Christian life; He calls us to REAL life in Christ!
“Mom, that’s so BASIC.” That word— “basic,” reverberated through me. Consult the Urban Dictionary, and you will find the term means “mainstream, elementary, or simplistic.” Jolted by my first-born using the millennial lexicon, and although not directed at me, all I heard was, “Mom, be REAL. I don’t want superficial gobbledy-gook. Sometimes your Christian answers are so basic.” Ugh. How do I communicate the depth and authenticity of a Christ-filled life to others when it is mostly found in the intangible workings of the heart and mind?
Know Real Life in Christ
To answer that question, I must remember the well-worn advice of airline attendants, “Put your oxygen mask on first before assisting others.” Oxygen flows into my relationship with Jesus when I tend and nurture it as I disciple others. Breathe in these words from Paul,
“Your old life is dead. Your new life, which is your real life – even though invisible to spectators – is with Christ in God. He is your life. When Christ (your real life, remember) shows up again on this earth, you’ll show up, too – the real you, the glorious you.” Colossians 3:3-4, MSG
From the Genesis to Revelation, God reveals His plan, and, all along the way, invites me to partake in every aspect of Christ’s life— His REAL life. I participate in Christ’s life through:
1. His death on the cross. Galatians 3:20a (ESV) says, “I have been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me.”
Real life in Christ means I am free from the power of sin by the power of Christ in me.
2. His resurrection from the dead. Romans 6:4 (ESV) states, “as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, we too may live a new life.”
Real life in Christ means I am reconciled to God and fit to spend eternity with Him.
3. His ongoing work in me. Galatians 3:20b (ESV) says, “And the life I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.”
Real life in Christ means I trust the Holy Spirit to do what is necessary to make me more like Jesus. The more I look like Jesus, the more of His glory I can share.
4. His glory at His return. Philippians 3:20-21(ESV) says, “But our citizenship is in heaven, and from it we await a Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ, who will transform our lowly body to be like his glorious body, by the power that enables him even to subject all things to himself.”
Real life in Christ means that when Christ returns, upon seeing Him face-to-face, He will impart the fullness of His perfection to me— the wonder of His complete restoration of me shining bright and beautiful. And incredibly, my true self (the person God has planned for me to be from the beginning) will be unveiled. (WOW!)
Show Them Real Life in Christ
Affirming the life that Jesus has invited me to experience, I must take my lead from the Master Teacher, who revealed how to live the “real life.” Taking every opportunity, he modeled compassion by touching the untouchable, used true-to-life object lessons and parables to communicate kingdom truths, and washed feet to teach servant-leadership. Most profound are the words of Romans 5:8 (NIV):
“But God demonstrates his own love for us in this:
While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.”
As Jesus put His presence into practice, Christ’s presence in my life must be evident to those in my sphere of influence. Real life in Christ must be active so others can witness, experience and learn. Christ calls us to live what Thayer’s Greek Lexicon describes as a “vigorous” life, “devoted to God.” In Philippians 2:12 (MSG) Paul writes, “Be energetic in your life of salvation, reverent and sensitive before God.”
Jesus doesn’t call me to a “basic” Christian life; He calls me to live-out-loud a life that is deeply and robustly authentic— REAL.
Cheli Sigler is a teacher through and through. She pursues her God-given purpose from her home base in sunny Orlando, FL where she and her husband, Matt, raise two teenage daughters. Cheli equips missionary kids for the mission field as a volunteer at Wycliffe Bible Translators, teaches a third grade Sunday School class, and is involved in Hello Mornings as a group leader, mentor, and writer. Inviting people to sharpen their mind and soften their hearts for God’s purpose and the world, Cheli shares ideas and resources on her blog, Sharpen to Soften. Connect with Cheli on Twitter as @CheliSigler or on Instagram as @chelidee.
[…] Sigler joined us on the blog with a guest post called, My Identity in Christ is Real. Cheli encouraged us by the fact that Jesus calls us to more than a “basic” Christian life; He […]