Meditation

I am to teach on II Cor. 5-7 tomorrow. I am stuck on 5:17, "If any one is in Christ, he/she is a new creation .... " "In Christ" is the operative phrase, of course. Below I have listed various statements about our identity in Christ below(thanks to help from http://www.sw-mins.org/identity.html), with the disclaimer: These are not really about you. The only reason these statements are true is because of Christ's person and work.

I have a strong desire for Christians to understand their identity in Christ, and to be full stewards of the salvation we have received. The Christian experience is a heavenly reality walking around on earth. We have access to so much more than we act upon. BUT--none of those benefits is really for self-use and definitely not for self-aggrandizement and absolutely not because of any merit of our own. And this is as hard for us humans to fully grasp as for us to grasp the riches of His grace in Christ Jesus.
All of the following are statements about what it means to be “in Christ” and have a changed identity, to be a new creation. Let these verses guide your study and meditation this week on II Cor. 5.

MY RELATIONSHIP
I am reconciled to God - 2 Cor 5:18
I'm a child of God - He is my Father - 1 Jn 3:1,2
I am a saint - Eph 1:1; 1 Cor 1:2; Phil 1:1
I am Christ's friend - Jn 15:15
I am a fellow citizen in God's kingdom - Eph 2:19
I am born of God - 1 Jn 4:7
I am adopted by God - Rom 8:15
MY INHERITANCE
I am a citizen of heaven - Phil 3:20
I am an heir of God - Rom 8:17
I've been rescued from Satan's domain - Col 1:13
I am a joint heir with Christ - Rom 8:17; Gal 4:7
I am hidden with Christ in God - Col 3:3
I am blessed with every spiritual blessing - Eph 1:3
I am chosen of God - holy, beloved - Col 3:12
I am a child of promise - Rom 9:8; Gal 3:14
I am a child of light, not darkness - 1 Thess 5:5
I've been given great promises - 2 Pet 1:4
I am a partaker of Christ - Heb 3:14
I'm one of God's living stones - 1 Pet 2:5
MY TRANSFORMATION
I'm a member of a royal priesthood - 1 Pet 2:9
I'm redeemed and forgiven - Eph 1:6-8
I'm to be a stranger to this world - 1 Pet 2:11
I've been justified - made righteous - Rom 5:1
I'm an enemy of the devil - 1 Pet 5:8
I am a possessor of eternal life - Jn 5:24
I am dead to the power of sin - Rom 6:1-6
I am a new creation - 2 Cor 5:17
MY CALLING
I am free from condemnation - Rom 8:1
I am to be salt on the earth - Mt 5:13
I have received the Spirit of God -1 Cor 2:12
I am to be light in the world - Mt 5:14
I have been given the mind of Christ - 1 Cor 2:16
I'm chosen and appointed to bear fruit - Jn 15:16
I have been crucified with Christ - Gal 2:20
I am called to do the works of Christ - Jn 14:12
I am His disciples - Mt 28:20
I have been made alive with Christ - Eph 2:5
I have been given spiritual authority - Lk 10:19
I am God's workmanship - Eph 2:10
I have received fullness in Christ - Col 2:10
I am a minister of a new covenant - 2 Cor 3:6
I am a minister of reconciliation - 2 Cor 5:18,19
I am a soldier of Christ, 2 Tim 2:4
MY POSITION
I am connected to the true vine - Jn 15:1,5
I am a partaker of a heavenly calling - Heb 3:1
I'm a willing slave of righteousness - Rom 6:18,22
I am a temple of God - 1 Cor 3:16; 6:19
I am one spirit with the Lord - 1 Cor 6:17
I am a member of Christ's body - 1 Cor 12:27