We all wonder what it takes to change. How do we grow in Christ? Is it about mastering habits? Is it all up to us? Or is there some secret strategy we’re missing?
The answer is both simple and profound: become who you already are.
Here’s what I mean. Growth in Christ means living out what God has already done for us through Jesus, rather than striving for something new. When we come to Christ, we’re transformed. Paul writes, “Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come” (2 Corinthians 5:17). This isn’t just a future hope; it’s a present reality. Through Christ’s death and resurrection, our identity has changed. We’re no longer defined by sin, shame, or the world’s standards. We’re clothed in Christ’s righteousness, adopted as God’s children, and empowered by the Spirit.
But here’s the tension: while this transformation is complete in Christ, we’re called to live it out daily. Paul puts it this way in Colossians 3:9-10 “You have put off the old self with its practices and have put on the new self, which is being renewed in knowledge after the image of its creator.” The new self is already ours, but it’s also being renewed as we grow in understanding and obedience. Our task is to take off the old and put on the new, aligning our lives with the reality of who we are in Christ.
This is the foundation of Christian growth: Jesus has already changed you, now live like it. You don’t have to strive to earn an identity. Your job is to live out the identity you’ve already been given by grace. It’s like wearing a uniform that represents who you are. The uniform doesn’t make you part of the team, it shows that you already belong. In the same way, our actions, attitudes, and choices should reflect the reality of who we are in Christ.
This is why Scripture always begins with what Christ has done before moving to how we should live. The Gospels and Epistles consistently follow this pattern: identity first, then action. We need to grasp the foundational truth of how Christ has changed us before we can live practically in light of that change.
It’s not about pretending to be something we’re not or trying to change on our own. It’s about living out who we truly are in Jesus. And as we do, we become more like Christ, not because we're forcing change, but because we're living out the change he's already made in us.
This is the beauty of the gospel: we’re already new, and now we’re invited to live like it.
So what does this mean practically? It means we don’t need to hustle to change ourselves. Yes, growth requires effort, but it’s not about self-improvement. It’s about living in the freedom and power of what Jesus has already done. Meditate on the truth of your new identity in Christ. Let it shape your thoughts, your choices, and your habits. Bring your life in line with the reality of who you are in him.
Christian, become who you already are. It’s freeing, it’s encouraging, and it’s true.
