Corporate Identity

We live in a world that can be individualistic. We live out our personal dreams, puruse the fulfillment of our personal desires, trying to be our personal best. Even a recent Army ad campaign spoke of the" army of one". That seemed odd since survival in war really is about the team and in regular life an individualistic mindset often causes more strife and division in relationships.

It should be no surprise that the Christian message, yes, even the identity that the Christian takes on is not an individualistic one, but a corporate one. Paul speaks to this in Ephesians 2 and it is important for us to be reminded what the Word tells us about our identity.

In verse 12 and following Paul first reminds us what we were apart from Christ. He says we were "separated from Christ, alienated from the commonwealth of Israel and strangers to the covenants of promise, having no hope and without God in the world." He further notes in verse 13 and following that we were "far off", divided by a "wall of hostility". That was our identity apart from Christ. It was quite bleak!

Yet through the kindness of God our identity has changed. Paul says in verse 13, "But now in Christ Jesus you who once were far off have been brought near by the blood of Christ. For He Himself is our peace." He goes on to say that Christ has broken down the dividing wall of hostility, that "He has created in Himself one new man in place of the two." He declares that we have been reconciled to God in one body through the cross. In verse 19 he declares "So then you are no longer strangers and aliens, but you are fellow citizens with the saints and members of the household of God,..." And if all that were not enough he concludes by saying in verse 22, "In Him you also are being built together into a dwelling place for God by the Spirit."

You'll note that much of this language points to the fact that as Christians we are made part of a new family which is central to our new identity. We are no longer to look at ourselves as individuals but instead we have been grafted into the body of Christ. Jew and Gentile through the blood of Christ have become one - in fact, they have become the place where God dwells through the Spirit.

This truth has many implications as the New Testament makes very clear. Since we have a new corporate identity, we must exercise care for the body. We must use our gifts to build up this body. We must strive to promote the unity and purity of this body.

Brothers and sisters, praise God for what He has done for us in Christ Jesus. Remember what you were, and remember what you have now become in Christ through His blood. Now live out your new identity in Christ never again reverting to the individualistic mindset of the flesh. God will help us to do so!