If you had to pick 4 things that defined your identity what would they be?

You could choose characteristics that you have like being kind or honest.

You could choose things you have achieved in sport or music, or exams or career.

You could choose relationships - your family, friends, partner or kids.

You could choose your flaws that you can't get over - you think you are ugly, fat, stupid, unlovable.

You could choose any of those, but actually none of them define your IDENTITY.  You could lose any of them and still be YOU.

God says there are 4 things that define us... 4 things that are at the core of our being, at the centre of our identity.

1. Created in God's image

People are awesome, created individually by God, precious and special to him, diverse in so many ways, yet each of us embedded with the image of God.

2. Fallen in Adam

Each of us since the very beginning, right from Adam, have told our wonderful Creator to get lost.  Though he loves us, cares for us and owns us, we tell him that we will live our life OUR way.  That breaks our friendship with God.

3. Redeemed in Christ

But yet it is possible to be one of God's people - not by anything we do - but by what Jesus has done.  He offers to 'redeem' us - to buy us back at a price - and that price... was the Cross.

4. Sealed with the Spirit

If we trust in Jesus, God gives us his Spirit, to turn our back on sin and live God everyday.  God's Spirit changes us from the inside out, one day at a time.

If we are one of God's people, our identity is not defined by our gifts or circumstances... but by WHO we are - People created in God's image, fallen in Adam, redeemed in Christ and sealed by the Spirit.