by Renée Berry
Galatians 2:20, TPT - "My old identity has been co-crucified with Christ and no longer lives. And now the essence of this new life is no longer mine, for the Anointed One lives his life through me—we live in union as one! My new life is empowered by the faith of the Son of God who loves me so much that he gave himself for me, dispensing his life into mine!"
To be forgiven by God through the shed blood of Jesus is one of the cornerstones of Christianity. Because of His sacrifice, we will never be held accountable before God for our sins—though we are still responsible for our actions here on earth. This truth forms the basis for the freedom we experience in our relationship with Him.
Yet, there is even more.
What could we possibly need beyond forgiveness? The answer is our new identity through the gift of Christ’s body on the cross. Jesus gave His body so that we could share in a mystical union with Him. Yes—through this spiritual union established 2,000 years ago, Christ became one with us. He is not only with us; He lives in us every moment of every day.
This understanding comes through the personal revelation of the Epistle to the Galatians 2:20. Not only was Jesus crucified, you were crucified with Him. Spiritually, your “old self,” with its sinful nature, was crucified, died, and was buried, never to be raised again. In its place, God recreated you in Christ Jesus. Now when He sees you, He sees you complete in Christ—a new creation with the nature, character, and attributes of Jesus. You have gone from being a sinner by nature to a saint.
2 Corinthians 5:17, AMP - "Therefore if anyone is in Christ [that is, grafted in, joined to Him by faith in Him as Savior], he is a new creature [reborn and renewed by the Holy Spirit]; the old things [the previous moral and spiritual condition] have passed away. Behold, new things have come [because spiritual awakening brings a new life]."
Does this mean our behavior always aligns with the Truth? Will we ever reach sinless perfection? The answer to both is no. We live in a fallen world with an enemy who constantly whispers lies. We might be tempted to believe the lies because they feel true, but we can always turn to Jesus for the Truth. As we seek Him, we discover that we already have everything needed for life and godliness. No person, place, possession, or achievement can ever satisfy the human heart as Jesus can—and more than that, He desires to.
More Than Forgiven: Freedom, Identity, and Rest Through Union With Jesus will help you understand the truths that free you from anything keeping you from believing that Jesus is your Enough in every relationship, hardship, circumstance, and trauma. God asks only that we believe He is who He says He is—and that we are who He says we are.
As you learn to depend daily on Christ, that truth will become clearer and more life-changing. More Than Forgiven: Freedom, Identity, and Rest Through Union With Jesus will guide you toward these truths and help uncover the barriers that keep you from fully believing them.
Learn more about Renée at reneehberry.com
