When we confess our sins and are born of the water and the Spirit, we will experience a new identity and a new name in Christ our Lord and Savior. As new believers and followers of Jesus Christ, we are given new names and blessings because of God’s love and mercy.
Born Again Servants and Followers in our Lord Jesus Christ are:
A member of the Body of Christ
“Now you are the body of Christ, and members individually” (1 Corinthians 12:27).
Baptized into Christ
“Do you not know that as many of us as were baptized into Christ Jesus
were baptized into His death? Therefore, we were buried with Him through
baptism into death, that just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father,
even so we also should walk in newness of life” (Romans 6:3-4).
Born Again
“Jesus answered and said to him, ‘Most assuredly, I say to you, unless one is born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God.’ Jesus answered, ‘Most assuredly, I say to you, unless one is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God.’” “For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life. For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world through Him might be saved” (John 3:3,5, 16-17).
Forgiven
“And you, being dead in your trespasses and the uncircumcision of your flesh. He has made alive together with Him, having forgiven you all trespasses, having wiped out the handwriting of requirements that was against us, which was contrary to us. And He has taken it out of the way, having nailed it to the cross” (Colossians 2:13-14).
Redeemed
“Servants be submissive to your masters with all fear, not only to the good and gentle, but also to the harsh. For this is commendable, if because of conscience toward God one endures grief, suffering wrongfully” (1 Peter 2:18-19).
Saved
“And he brought them out and said, ‘Sirs, what must I do to be saved?’ So, they said, ‘Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and you will be saved, you and your household’” (Acts 16:30-31).
Servants of God
“But in all things we commend ourselves as ministers of God: in much patience, in tribulations, in needs, in distresses, in stripes, in imprisonments, in tumults, in labors, in sleeplessness, in fasting; by purity, by knowledge, by longsuffering, by kindness, by the Holy Spirit, by sincere love, by the word of truth, by the power of God, by the armor of righteousness on the right hand and on the left, by honor and dishonor, by evil report and good report; as deceivers, and yet true; as unknown, and yet well known; as dying, and behold we live; as chastened, and yet not killed; as sorrowful, yet always rejoicing; as poor, yet making many rich; as having nothing, and yet possessing all things” (2 Corinthians 6:4-10).
Called and Chosen to be Servants and Followers of the Lord
“And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose. For whom He foreknew, He also predestined to be confirmed to the image of His Son, that He might be firstborn among many brethren. Moreover, whom He predestined, these He also called; whom He called, these He also justified; and whom He justified, these He also glorified” (Romans 8:28-30).
“But we are bound to give thanks to God always for you, brethren beloved by the Lord, because God from the beginning chose you for salvation through sanctification by the Spirit and belief in the truth, to which He called you by our gospel, for the obtaining of the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ” (2 Thessalonians 2:13-14).
Alone in Christ
“But God, who is rich in mercy, because of His great love with which He loved us, even when we were dead in trespasses made us alive together with Christ (by grace you have been saved) …” (Ephesians 2:4-5).
Soldiers of God
“You therefore must endure hardship as a good soldier of Jesus Christ” (2 Timothy 2:3).
Instruments for a Divine Purposes
“But in a great house there are not only vessels of gold and silver, but also of wood and clay, some for honor and some for dishonor. Therefore, if anyone cleanses himself from the latter, he will be a vessel for honor, sanctified and useful for the Master, prepared for every good work” (2 Timothy 2:20-21).
Soldiers of Christ
“You therefore must endure hardship as a good soldier of Jesus Christ” (2 Timothy 2:3).
Empowered by God (The Whole Armor of God)
“Be strong in the Lord and in the power of His might. Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil. For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this age, against spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places. Therefore, take up the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand. Stand therefore, having girded your waist with truth, having put on the breastplate of righteousness, and having shod your feet with the preparation of the gospel of peace; above all, taking the shield of faith with which you will be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked one. And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God; praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, being watchful to this end with all perseverance and supplication for all the saints” (Ephesians 2:10-18).
One in Him
“There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free, there is neither male nor female; for you are all one in Christ Jesus” (Galatians 3:28).
New Creation
“Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new” (2 Corinthians 5:17).
Raised with Christ
“If then you were raised with Christ, seek these things which are above, where Christ is, sitting at the right hand of God” (Colossians 3:1).
Children of God
“Behold what manner of love the Father has bestowed on us, that we should be called children of God! Therefore, the world does not know us, because it did not know Him” (1 John 3:1-2).
Saints
“To all who are in Rome, beloved of God, called to be saints …” (Romans 1:7).
Citizen of Heaven
“For our citizenship is in heaven, from which we also eagerly wait for the Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ” (Philippians 3:20).
Lights in the World
“You are the light of the world. A city that is set on a hill cannot be hidden. Nor do they light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on a lampstand, and it gives light to all who are in the house. Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works and glorify your Father in heaven” (Matthew 5:14-16).
Temple of the Holy Spirit
“Do you not know that your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit who is in you, whom you have from God, and you are not your own?” (1 Corinthians 6:19).
Minister of Reconciliation
“Now all things are of God, who has reconciled us to Himself through Jesus Christ, and has given us the ministry of reconciliation” (2 Corinthians 5:18).
Royal Priesthood
“But you are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, His own special people, that you may proclaim the praises of Him who called you out of darkness into His marvelous light; who once were not a people but are now the people of God, who had not obtained mercy but now have obtained mercy” (1 Peter 2:9).
Purified
“If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us for all unrighteousness” (1 John 1:9).
Bride of Christ
The “Bride of Christ” is a metaphor. This metaphor explains the relationship of a born again and saved believer in Christ. Born again believers are called the bride of Christ, the body of Christ, the children of God, the Shepherd’s sheep, the Teacher’s disciples, and the Master’s bondservants. During the rapture, the LORD Jesus Christ will come and stand in the clouds (air) as the glory of the LORD and the Holy Spirit snatches up and then transform the bride of Christ with a twinkly of an eye.
“For the Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of an archangel, and with the trumpet of God, and the dead in Christ will rise first. Then we who are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And thus, we shall always be with the Lord. Therefore, comfort one another with these words” (1 Thessalonians 4:16-18).
“Let us be glad and rejoice and give Him glory, for the marriage of the Lamb has come, and His wife has made herself ready. And to her it was granted to be arrayed in fine linen, clean and bright, for the fine linen is the righteous acts of the saints. Then he said to me, “Write: ‘Blessed are those who are called to the marriage3 supper of the Lamb!’” And he said to me. ‘These are the true sayings of God’” (Revelation 19:7-9).
“For I am jealous for you with godly jealously. For I have betrothed you to one husband, that I may present you as a chaste virgin to Christ” (2 Corinthians 11:2).
“Behold, I tell you a mystery: We shall not all sleep, but we shall be changed – in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, and the dead will be raise3d incorruptible, and we shall be changed” (1 Corinthians 15:51-52).
“That He might sanctify and cleanse her with the washing of water by the word” (Ephesians 5:26).
“This is a great mystery, but I speak concerning Christ and the church” (Ephesians 5:32).
“Then I, John, saw the holy city, New Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband” (Revelation 21:2). Further Scripture Verses: Jeremiah 3:8; Ezekiel 16:8-14.
Victorious
“Thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ” (1 Corinthians 15:57).
Prayer:
Heavenly Father,
During this time of quarantine, please let us know that being quarantined does not mean that we are defeated. We are more that conquerors through Jesus Christ our Lord. Lord, help us to remember that verse in our heart. Lord God, thank You for loving us so deeply that nothing can separate us from Your love through Christ Jesus our Lord and Savior. Faithful God, Thank You for never leaving us or forsaking us. And no matter how isolated we may feel, we know that all things work together for good for those who love You and are called according to Your purpose. In the Lord Jesus’ name, I pray. Amen.
All Scripture verses are taken from the New King James Version of the Holy Bible.
By Constance A. Burns, NAAV Contributor for Moments of Meditation and Scriptural Readings; email: cburns@naavets.org.